Download Ways of knowing in nursing

ANALYSIS OF A CONCEPT
What is knowledge??
How a discipline learns defines it’s…..
Epistemology =
Theory (Study )of Knowledge
NURSING KNOWLEDGE – Explicit (Scientific) or
Research
--Tacit (Experience) or Synthesis of Information
Considered to be epistemology of nursing..
 Written in 1975, and has been foundational to
nursing knowledge since then
 Other ways of knowing have been proposed,
Ways of knowing are:
Empirics
Ethics
Esthetics
Personal
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- objective , abstract, quantifiable
- can be verified with testing
- arranged into theories
- case knowledge (biomedical model)
- concerned with “monitoring of disease and
therapeutic responses”
- quantitative research uncovers this type of
knowing
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- moral knowledge, based on values of
profession
- choosing, justifying and judging actions based
on duty, rights and obligations
- CNA ethical framework guides development
of this type of knowing – e.g.: research on
human subjects, care of those who are
different…
- universal values to profession, as well as
personal values of the nurse
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- Art of nursing, intangible essence of what
nursing is
- attends to uniqueness of “contextual
wholeness” rather than particular moment.
- is anticipation of outcome rather than just
evaluation of select intervention
- expressive, intuitive and creative aspect of
nursing, and difficult to verbalize (Expert
nurse actions done before actual event “How
did they know that???)
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- awareness of self in relationship
- does not require mediation through language
- engagement , active, empathetic participation
of nurse as “knower”
- means being authentic – incorporating that
theory of interpersonal relationships until it is
second nature
- the “a-ha” experience
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Hasn’t fully developed the aesthetic way of
knowing
Does not make a distinction between concepts
of knowing and knowledge
Theory vs pattern of knowledge in nursing
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Experience (Experiential)
 Benner Novice to Expert
 Knowing how or ‘knowledge-as-ability” vs knowing
that (Carper’s view, according to Benner). Skill based
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Intuition
 Non-rational thought processes of feeling or sensing
 Not logically explained results with vast amounts of
experience
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Unknowing
 Position of openness to understand the world view of
the patient (client-centered). Leads to empathy and pt’s
perspective
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Sociopolitical
 Seeks to understand the ‘wherein ‘ of nursing as a
practice profession.
 Understanding of what nursing is by public, and what
society and its politics are by nurses.