Application of Stoic Philosophy Teachings in Nursing and Allied Health: A Scoping Review

Stoicism is a way of life that brings peace and happiness to humans as it shifts individuals' perspectives on existence. From the Stoics' perspective, suffering originates from beliefs, desires, and emotions, and can be reduced by managing them. This study aimed to systematically collect and analyze Stoic-related research in nursing care and allied health, to further the understanding of its practical applications in clinical settings.

This scoping review was conducted using the PRISMA-ScR checklist and the following five stages were followed: (1) Identifying the research question; (2) Identifying relevant studies; (3) Selecting studies; (4) Charting the data; (5) Collecting, summarizing, and reporting the results. Five main databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched up to February 2025. Articles published from the year 2000 and onward were considered if they met the eligibility criteria. The data charted based on the type of studies, publication year, and population under the studies. Also, the researchers conducted a content analysis to synthesize the results.

Twenty-eight studies were included in the final analysis. These included theoretical (42.85%), interventional (7.14%), cross-sectional (25%), longitudinal (3.57%), mixed-methods (10.71%), and qualitative studies (10.71%). Based on the content analysis six main themes emerged, including stoicism and its applications, philosophy of nursing and ethics, mental health and psychological stress, healthcare worker and patient interactions, cultural and gender influences, evolutionary biology and sexual selection.

Stoicism is influenced by culture, gender, economic, and social status. Since Stoic teachings appear to improve the psychological indicators of healthcare professionals, chronic patients, and students, it is recommended that more evidence-based interventional studies be conducted in this field rather than relying solely on theoretical studies based on historical reports. This would enable health policymakers to prioritize the inclusion of these teachings in educational and training programs, especially for students and frontline healthcare staff.