Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Professional Practice Studies

Background:

• Clinical practice is often narrowly defined as medical activity, leading to under-recognition in other professions like nursing.
• Nurses, healthcare teams, and patients may not equate bedside care with the term "clinical practice."
• Nursing education and professional activities are fundamentally centered on patient care and the application of knowledge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To clarify the concept of nursing clinical practice.
• To analyze its purpose, language, phases, and the substance of each stage.
• To establish a foundation for reflection on this complex field.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of nursing clinical practice.
• Examination of its components: purpose, language, phases, and substance.
• Literature review and theoretical exploration.

Main Results:

• Nursing clinical practice is a multifaceted activity central to professional nursing, encompassing knowledge acquisition and application.
• A clearer definition and understanding of nursing clinical practice are valuable epistemologically and for social utility.
• Standardizing the understanding of nursing clinical practice can improve care situation management and make nurses' conceptual and practical work more visible.

Conclusions:

• Clarifying nursing clinical practice offers a new perspective, enabling a holistic view and critical analysis.
• Understanding nursing clinical practice is crucial for professional development and knowledge advancement in nursing.
• Recognizing and defining nursing clinical practice presents an ongoing challenge and opportunity for the nursing profession.