Personhood: An evolutionary concept analysis for nursing ethics, theory, practice, and research

The purpose of this concept analysis was to examine how the concept of personhood has been used in the nursing literature. The person is central to nursing, as the object of nursing work, or care, and a key element of theory. Health and illness confront conventional notions of personhood based on the Western philosophy, in delineating boundaries of life and death, and grappling with pathophysiological changes and alterations in capacities that challenge our understandings of what makes a person whole.

Rodgers' evolutionary method was selected; it emphasizes the relationship between concepts, language, and communities of users. A literature search between 1950 and 2017 generated 760 articles; 54 were retained for analysis.

Four themes were identified: (1) personhood and nursing ethics, emphasizing scientific advances, and establishing criteria; (2) personhood as a morally significant, relational process realized through nursing care; (3) personhood lost (or neglected); (4) interventions aimed at understanding, recognizing, and enhancing personhood. Related terms, antecedent concepts, and consequences are explored.

This preliminary view of personhood in the nursing literature demonstrated how the concept has been developed, used, and understood. Areas for future research include nursing ethics, theory, and clinical practice, as well as links with other academic disciplines.