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The art of nursing
1Centre for Philosophy and Health Care, School of Health Science, University of Wales Swansea, UK.
Nursing Ethics
|October 23, 1998
Summary
This study argues nursing is not an art, challenging common claims. It concludes nursing is also problematically a craft due to unclear objectives.
Area of Science:
- Philosophy of Nursing
- Ethics in Healthcare
- Professional Practice
Background:
- Nursing is frequently described as an art, a notion supported by prominent scholars.
- Existing literature often frames nursing through an artistic lens, influencing professional identity and education.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically evaluate the claim that nursing is an art.
- To analyze nursing as a potential craft using philosophical definitions.
- To determine the most accurate classification for nursing practice.
Main Methods:
- Critically examining scholarly claims regarding nursing as an art (Carper, Chinn, Watson, Johnson).
- Applying R.G. Collingwood's philosophical distinction between art and craft to nursing.
- Analyzing the inherent difficulties in defining the 'ends' or objectives of nursing.
Main Results:
- Nursing does not align with R.G. Collingwood's definition of art.
- Defining the specific 'ends' of nursing practice presents significant challenges.
- The classification of nursing as a craft is problematic due to these definitional issues.
Conclusions:
- Nursing cannot be accurately described as an art based on Collingwood's influential philosophical framework.
- Nursing's problematic classification as a craft highlights the complexity of defining its core objectives.
- Re-evaluating nursing's professional identity beyond the art/craft dichotomy may be necessary.