During my early years in practicing nursing, if asked what my thoughts were on nursing and how I know what I know, my response would have been that nursing was the act of caring for others and the knowledge we learned in nursing school. But throughout the years of education, experience and life my definition of nursing has evolved. I would define nursing as knowledge from inside us that grew and changed as we continue to change and grow in our profession. Nursing knowledge is the knowledge that is important to nurses and patients in understanding human health, which can be used for scientific, ethical and political knowledge. (Clarke, 2011) Knowledge can be learned by caring for the ill, preforming procedures, providing education, support, …show more content…
Aesthetic knowing is gained through knowledge and experience. In school, we learn about nursing by textbook and lectures, but in life we gain experiences through our patients and other nurses. Aesthetic as described by Oettinger is “situations and humans, while alike in general and predictable ways, remain unique and different. (Chinn & Kramer, 2015) According to Butts and Chinn (2015), aesthetic knowing in nursing is expressed by transformative art and acts. I knew through my aesthetic knowledge that 726 was angry because he was scared, did not understand what was happening or in fear of the future. He was looking for answers so he could understand what was happening to him and what to expect. He wanted someone to be angry at and blame. As nurses, we see death all too often. We see the process and understand what happens with death. 726 did not know what was going to happen or what to expect. 726 thought he would have to stay in the hospital till he died, would not be able to eat food again, would not see his home or family, and would not have any time left for the important things he sought out in life. As a nurse, I connected with him and learned about him as a person, not just a patient. I used my aesthetic knowledge to assist with putting the right resources into place so he could understand and know what was happening. Because I had experienced situations that mimicked his emotions of anger, confusion and circumstances of death, I could connect and help 726 resolve his
There are different types of knowledge and different ways of knowing. Four fundamental concepts of knowing in nursing highlighted by Caper (1978) are empirical, personal, ethical and aesthetic. He divided knowledge into two forms which are tacit and explicit. Tacit is insights and based on experience and not easily visible and expressible, difficult to share and communicate with others which is highly personal. Empirical sources of knowledge depend upon an individual’s manner of observing and responding to events in the outside world (Higgs et al, 2004). Whereas explicit is formal and based on rationality and easily can be expressed, shared, communicate which are highly universal principles. Rationalism comes from within the individual and depends upon theoretical reasoning rather than on data from the real world (Higgs et al, 2004).
Carper’s (1978) pivotal work of identifying nursing’s ways of knowing was a seminal work that laid the foundation for further analysis. Her ways of knowing have identified methods that have allowed the nursing discipline to further its own knowledge as well as the profession. Two other ways of knowing have emerged, Munall’s (1993) “unknowing” pattern; and also sociopolitical knowing by Zander (2011, p. 9) or emancipatory pattern (Chinn & Kramer, 2011, p. 5). Here these patterns are discussed through experiences in my personal practice.
According to American Nurses Association, Nursing is “the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations” (American Nurses Association, 2016). Nursing today has evolved from the days of Florence Nightingale, spreading all over the world nurses have not only provided bedside care but have taken their voice to Congress fighting for policy changes. Nursing to me is about providing dedicated care and compassion to each and every patient I encounter as well as being a patient advocate.
According to Orem, nursing science is a practical science, in that knowledge is developed for the direct purpose of nursing practice itself (Barbara, 2011). The goal of nursing science is to look for an understanding of the actual realities that are concerning to nurses and the nursing practice (Orem, 2001). We can do this through both research and producing scholarly articles. “Nursing science is the science of which knowledge is developed for the sake of the work to be done” (Barbara, 2011, p. 44). Without the nursing science as the backbone of nursing, the nursing practice would seize to exist, or at least have difficulty staying alive. Nursing science offers nurses the knowledge, skills and competency to develop order and direction in their nursing care (Malinowski, 2002). Models of case studies, rules and standards of practice along with the various
In the foundation of nursing knowledge, there are four ways of knowing: Empirical, Personal, Ethical and Aesthetic (Hopp & Rittenmeyer, 2012).
Where do you want to be in 5 years? How can you achieve this goal?
The article was complicated, but it helped address the learning patterns and what a nurse needs to know in their practice to better themselves and provide the best care for a patient. By acknowledging the patient as a person, applying science based practice, using artful skills, and ethically providing care to a patient, the nurse extends their patterns of knowing and forms their knowledge base.
I started my Nursing career in India and then I came to the United States and became an RN. I entered Nursing with the thinking that Nursing is a profession that will always allow me to have a job and all my patients will get better. However, from my experiences I understood that Nursing is more than just giving medications, and it requires clinical competence, cultural sensitivity, ethics, caring for others, and life-long learning about others and the evolving field of medicine. Florence Nightingale once said:
The best way to look at nursing theories is like the foundational block. Nursing theories are important set the tone of how a nurse will practice. A nurse will use intuition, practice, past expertise and events, and couple with learned theories to work every day in order to give the best patient care. it is all the more important to appreciate what first advanced nursing beyond mechanisms of practice to becoming a knowledge-based force in healthcare: That force is nursing theory and the theoretical thinking and research that generate theory. The complexity and depth of nursing are reflected in its structure of knowledge, which includes discipline-specific components such as philosophies, theories, and research and practice methodologies”( Reed, 2006). Patient care is a wide topic, but a key role in a patient’s care is the patient themselves, an educated patient is vital to their well being and higher level of care.
The fundamental patterns of knowledge were first identified by Barbara Carper (1978), and included empirical, personal, ethical, and aesthetic knowing. According to Zander (2007), Carper sought to develop a holistic, individualistic, therapeutic model of practice which could be utilized to structure nursing education, and evaluate nursing practice. The addition of emancipatory knowing by Chinn and Kramer followed in 2008. These patterns of knowledge have shown to be very beneficial, if not crucial to the nursing profession. The purpose of this paper is to provide an in depth explanation of aesthetics, and its importance in nursing. A detailed scenario of esthetic nursing will be included. This
Nurses use evidence based practice and research to develop knowledge needed to practice in the nursing profession. Nurses use practical knowledge and theoretical knowledge in the many roles that nurses perform. As a provider of care and manager of care, nurses should use evidence based practice, research, and theoretical knowledge to ensure the best possible outcome for the patient. Lifelong education in nursing is necessary to keep up with the changes in nursing practice and to reinforce ethical knowledge and the core values that nurses use in their everyday practice. The professional value of caring as a nurse is one of the most important values. The caring attitudes of nurses will carry over to all other values that nurses should possess,
Since its establishment as a profession more than a century ago, Nursing has been a source for numerous debates related to its course, methods and development of nursing knowledge. Many nursing definitions and theories have evolved over time. Furthermore it is in a constant process of being redefined.
Nursing is one of the oldest professions. It isn’t a static occupation, as it has changed frequently over time. Its development and evolution has changed differently depending on the historical influences. As of today the nursing profession is changing and becoming larger and greater. Nursing has gone from being a career that did not require an education, to being one that is very respected and demands a high education.
Nursing is a discipline of knowledge acquired through formal education and through life experiences. My philosophy of nursing is to always see the beauty in the art of being a nurse. I chose nursing as my profession as caring for people and the nursing profession is a true art form.
First of all, caring in nursing requires confidence and knowledge. Knowledge can be acquired from education and confidence comes with experience and practice. “Without knowledge and competence, compassion and care are powerless to help