Final answer:
A nurse utilizing a theory to examine meditation's effects on migraines is likely employing a middle-range theory, which offers practical guidance for specific interventions and their outcomes, informed by research on meditation's health benefits. The correct option is d.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse is using a middle-range theory to test meditation for migraine headaches and to predict the expected outcome of care when performing this intervention.
Middle-range theories are more focused and concrete than grand theories, and are often used in nursing to guide specific interventions such as meditation and the anticipated outcomes such as stress management and pain control. These theories sit between the broad, abstract grand theories and the more precisely detailed prescriptive theories, offering a bridge between nursing practice and theoretical frameworks.
In the context of meditation, the nurse may be drawing upon research that indicates potential benefits of meditation for various health issues, including mood and anxiety disorders, hypertension, and pain management.
Hence, Option d is correct.