Nursing as aesthetic experience and the notion of practice

The notion of practice, traditionally understood as the creative and skillful application of knowledge, can be broadened if nursing caregiving is viewed as a lived aesthetic experience. The philosophical connection between practice and aesthetic experience is rooted in the professional values of care and excellence. The Aristotelian meanings of praxis, the notions of which include skillful action, excellence in conduct, and moral and political accountability are explored. These foundational values of nursing, the "felt" qualities of which are richly aesthetic, conduce an experience that is capable of intensifying and furthering meaning, and bringing about heightened awareness of consummatory ideals. Nursing practice, then, is open to a whole new interpretation: one that bears the gift of the real possibility for a unified experience--an experience that would integrate one's senses, thought, action, and the meaning and value of one's work. This way of understanding the idea of practice provides a useful alternative in thinking about nursing work, professional life, and the professional community.