Final answer:
The advanced practice nurse plays an important role in critiquing, evaluating, and using nursing theory to improve patient care, integrate theories into practice, and possibly contribute to the development of new theories.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct option is D:
The correct statement about the role of the advanced practice nurse (APN) with regard to nursing theory is D. The advanced practice nurse critiques, evaluates, and uses theory. Unlike option A, advanced practice nurses are indeed prepared to use theory. Option B is incorrect because advanced practice nurses develop and use both practice theory and nursing theory to guide their practice.
Advanced practice nurses are equipped with education and expertise that enable them to engage deeply with nursing theories. They not only apply these theories to their practice but also evaluate and critique them, contributing to the development of new insights and potentially new theories that can improve patient care and outcomes. They understand the application of theory in providing evidence-based care, and their role often involves integrating various theoretical frameworks into their clinical practice, teaching, or research work. By doing so, they ensure that nursing practice remains current, relevant, and grounded in a solid theoretical foundation.