Nursing knowledge: A middle ground exploration

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Philosophy of Science

Background:

• Nursing asserts a unique contribution to healthcare, rooted in its distinct body of knowledge.
• Nursing knowledge encompasses diverse ways of knowing, essential for all nursing practice.
• The discipline faces challenges in embracing epistemological diversity due to competing worldviews and binary thinking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a philosophical middle ground for nursing knowledge development.
• To enable nursing to fully express its epistemological diversity.
• To guide nursing in navigating an increasingly polarized world.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical inquiry and conceptual analysis.
• Exploration of epistemological diversity in nursing.
• Advocacy for a "middle ground" philosophical stance.

Main Results:

• A "middle ground" philosophical stance allows for embracing diverse worldviews within nursing knowledge.
• This approach facilitates creative and open consideration of different ideas and perspectives.
• Nursing can achieve full ownership of its practice and unique knowledge by embracing diversity.

Conclusions:

• Nursing should celebrate its epistemological diversity to strengthen its unique contribution to healthcare.
• Adopting a middle ground philosophical approach can help nursing navigate complex and polarized environments.
• Embracing diverse forms of knowing is crucial for the advancement and self-understanding of the nursing discipline.