Nursing Philosophy
Nursing philosophy has been described as “a statement of foundational and universal assumptions, beliefs and principles about the nature of knowledge and thought (epistemology) and about the nature of the entities represented in the metaparadigm (i.e., nursing practice and human health processes [ontology])” (Reed, 1995, p. 76). Nursing philosophy, then, refers to the belief system or worldview of the profession and provides perspectives for practice, scholarship, and research.
No single dominant philosophy has prevailed in the discipline of nursing. Many nursing scholars and nursing theorists have written extensively in an attempt to identify the overriding belief system, but to date, none has been universally successful. Most would agree then that nursing is increasingly recognized as a “multiparadigm discipline” (Powers & Knapp, 2011, p. 129), in which using multiple perspectives or worldviews in a “unified” way is valuable and even necessary for knowledge development (Giuliano, Tyer- Viola, & Lopez, 2005).
Nursing Science Parse (2016) defined nursing science as “the substantive, discipline-specific knowledge that focuses on the human-universe-health process articulated in the nursing frameworks and theories” (p. 101). To develop and apply the discipline-specific knowledge, nursing science recognizes the relationships of human responses in health and illness and addresses biologic, behavioral, social, and cultural domains. The goal of nursing science is to represent the nature of nursing—to understand it, to explain it, and to use it for the benefit of humankind. It is nursing science that gives direction to the future generation of substantive nursing knowledge, and it is nursing science that provides the knowledge for all aspects of nursing (Holzemer, 2007; Parse, 2016).
Philosophy of Science in Nursing Philosophy of science in nursing helps to establish the meaning of science through an understanding and examination of nursing concepts, theories, laws, and aims as they relate to nursing practice. It seeks to understand truth; to describe nursing; to examine prediction and causality; to critically relate theories, models, and scientific systems; and to explore determinism and free will (Nyatanga, 2005; Polifroni, 2015).
Knowledge Development and Nursing Science Development of nursing knowledge reflects the interface between nursing science and research. The ultimate purpose of knowledge development is to improve nursing practice. Approaches to knowledge development have three facets: ontology, epistemology, and methodology. Ontology refers to the study of being: what is or what exists. Epistemology refers to the study of knowledge or ways of knowing. Methodology is the means of acquiring knowledge (Powers & Knapp, 2011). The following sections discuss nursing epistemology and issues related to methods of acquiring knowledge.
Epistemology Epistemology is the study of the theory of knowledge. Epistemologic questions include: What do we know? What is the extent of our knowledge? How do we decide whether we know? and What are the criteria of knowledge? (Schultz & Meleis, 1988).
According to Streubert and Carpenter (2011), it is important to understand the way in which nursing knowledge develops to provide a context in which to judge the appropriateness of nursing knowledge and methods that nurses use to develop that knowledge. This in turn will refocus methods for gaining knowledge as well as establishing the legitimacy or quality of the knowledge gained.
Ways of Knowing In epistemology, there are several basic types of knowledge. These include the following:
Empirics—the scientific form of knowing. Empirical knowledge comes from observation, testing, and
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replication. Personal knowledge—a priori knowledge. Personal knowledge pertains to knowledge gained from
thought alone. Intuitive knowledge—includes feelings and hunches. Intuitive knowledge is not guessing but relies on
nonconscious pattern recognition and experience. Somatic knowledge—knowledge of the body in relation to physical movement. Somatic knowledge
includes experiential use of muscles and balance to perform a physical task. Metaphysical (spiritual) knowledge—seeking the presence of a higher power. Aspects of spiritual
knowing include magic, miracles, psychokinesis, extrasensory perception, and near-death experiences. Esthetics—knowledge related to beauty, harmony, and expression. Esthetic knowledge incorporates art,
creativity, and values. Moral or ethical knowledge—knowledge of what is right and wrong. Values and social and cultural
norms of behavior are components of ethical knowledge.