A dialectical examination of nursing art

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Philosophy of Nursing
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Nursing literature presents a fragmented and diverse understanding of the art of nursing.
• Lack of conceptual clarity hinders progress in understanding and advancing nursing art.
• A need exists to delineate distinct conceptions of nursing art within scholarly works.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a dialectical study to identify distinct conceptualizations of the art of nursing.
• To analyze scholarly discourse on nursing art from 1860 to 1992.
• To establish conceptual clarity regarding the multifaceted nature of nursing art.

Main Methods:

• Dialectical study methodology.
• Analysis of discourse from 41 nursing scholars.
• Historical literature review spanning 1860-1992.

Main Results:

• Identified five distinct conceptualizations of the art of nursing.
• These include: grasping patient meaning, establishing patient connection, skillful performance, rational decision-making, and moral conduct.
• The findings reveal the multifaceted nature of nursing as an art.

Conclusions:

• The art of nursing encompasses five key dimensions: meaning, connection, skill, reason, and morality.
• Delineating these concepts provides a framework for a clearer understanding of nursing art.
• Further research can build upon these identified conceptualizations to advance nursing theory and practice.