Empirical Pattern Of Nursing Theory

For centuries the development of nursing knowledge has been influenced by numerous theorists and their respective theories. These theories have influenced, and continue to influence, nursing education, practice and research. (Johnson & Webber, 2005)

“If a patient is cold, if a patient is feverish, if a patient is faint, if he is sick after taking food, if he has a bed-sore, it is generally the fault of not of the disease, but of the nursing. I use the word nursing for want of a better” (Nightingale, 1860, p. 8). While Nightingale stressed the impact of one’s environment to promote healing, Virginia Henderson aimed to establish on the fundamental needs as a knowledge base to guide Professional nursing practice. Henderson emphasized on fourteen components required for effective nursing care which includes: breathing normally, eating and drinking adequately, elimination of body wastes, movement and posturing, sleep and rest, select suitable clothes-dress and undress, maintaining body temperature, keeping body clean and well groomed, avoiding dangers in the environment, communication, worship according to one’s faith, work accomplishments, play or participate in various forms of recreation, and learn, discover, or satisfy the curiosity (Fernandes et al., 2015). Her division of the fourteen components acknowledged patient needs with a holistic approach that is applied through the nursing process in a clinical setting.

I define my philosophy of nursing within the three nursing domains of person, health, and environment. My goal is to communicate the importance of nursing as a knowledge-based career, depending not only on the nurse fulfilling her role but also on the patient’s compliance. A patient must learn to provide self-care at home in the same capacity as the nurse would provide care in the clinical setting. I discuss various subjects within nursing. I explain why I want to be a nurse, what I believe a nurse’s role is, the different domains of nursing, and where I believe nursing will be in the future. My philosophy demonstrates the interdependence of the nursing domains. You cannot fully evaluate a person without evaluating their health,

Therefore, it is necessary to examine the nature of nursing and the knowledge base nurses bring to the clinical setting to define the scope of nursing practice (Berragan, 1998). To better understand nursing practice, Barbara Carper in 1978 identified four patterns of knowing nurses adopt in clinical practice. They are empiric knowing, ethical knowing, personal knowing, and aesthetic knowing.

It is essential as a Registered Nurse and nursing student to ensure that a comprehensive safe and quality of practice is achieved, resulting in goals and outcomes being met positively improving the nursing needs of people. This standard is important to my scope of practice, as being a nursing student it is for me to ensure goals and outcomes are being achieved to ensure the safety and wellness to those I am caring for.

Carper (1978) identified four fundamental patterns of knowing which are (1) empirics, or the science of nursing; (2) personal knowledge; (3) esthetics, or the art of nursing; and (4) ethics, or the moral component of nursing. The purpose of this discussion is to explain how each pattern of knowing affects this author’s practice, and to identify the author’s preferred paradigm and provide justification for choosing this paradigm.

The advantages of becoming an active member of the professional nursing organization are as follows: education it offers (nursing courses to advance medical practice); attendance of various conferences and meeting nurses of the same specialties; networking (connecting with different healthcare professionals at local, state and national conferences); and certification (certified nurse practice) (Greggs-McQuilkin, 2005). In addition, the nurse will receive an opportunity to have personal discounts on products and resources loke official journal publications; career assistance (job search

Throughout the development of theory in the discipline of nursing there are concepts of knowledge that are fundamental. Four of these patterns of knowing were first explored by Carper (1978) which included: empirical knowing, ethical knowing, personal knowing, and aesthetic knowing. Later, an additional facet was added by Chinn and Kramer (2008) which introduced emancipitory knowing. While all of these forms of knowledge are critical for holistic nursing care, this paper will place an emphasis on personal knowledge and how it contributes to the development of knowledge within nursing and the roles of advanced care practitioners.

The CNO outlined professional standards for nurses to comply with. The seven that are outlined are accountability, continuing competence, ethics, knowledge, knowledge application, leadership, and relationships. “A standard is an authoritative statement that sets out the legal and professional basis of nursing practice” (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2009, p. 3). Although each standard has different meaning, they all work together in order to provide the best possible patient care.

American Nurses Association (ANA) Standards of Professional Performance explains how all registered nurses do their work and activities consistently according to their professions that promote the wellbeing of their patients and communities (ANA, 2010a). The standards provide a mechanism to patients that they are been taken good care of and that the nurses know exactly what to do so as to provide high-quality care and the measures are in place to determine whether nursing care meets the standards. These activities are related to performance like ethics, quality of practice, education, communication, resources, leadership, environmental health, professional practice evaluation, and evidence-based practice and research. Registered nurses are responsible for their professional actions to themselves, their patients, their peers, and the community at large.

Nursing was, for my sixteen year old self, taking care of the sick. Little did I know the complexities of that definition. Still, taking care of the sick was interesting enough to make nursing my major. I started practicing nursing years ago. However, I still struggle defining and explaining my profession to others. I usually start by differentiating nursing from medicine. Nurses see patients as humans rather than a disease that needs treatment (Zaccagnini & White, 2014, p. 15). However, as I advance my career, I must actively incorporate nursing theory into my practice. Nursing theory gives a foundation to understand patients and their health problems better. The use of nursing theory provides a framework to evaluate nurses’ interventions on a higher standard (Zaccagnini & White, 2014). Kenney described five steps to follow once the decision to include nursing theory has being made. This paper will explore the process of applying the Kenney’s five steps into my practice.

Empirics is known as the science of nursing. According to Rogers (1988) nursing science gives direction to the further generation of nursing knowledge, and it is nursing science that provides the knowledge for all aspects of nursing.  “Empirical knowing by is factual, descriptive, and ultimately aimed at developing abstract and theoretical explanations” (Carper, 1978, p 25). Empirics as a pattern of knowing is grounded in Science and other empirically base methodologies (Themes, 2016).

So I bring up this controversial topic again, about both mental and physical health and how important it is to take some time out of our crazy busy lives as nurses just to sit with our patients for a few minutes to discuss their pain. By pain, I mean both mental and physical pain. The purpose of this paper is to discuss a situation I was involved in as a nursing student in the clinical setting and how I can critically analyze this situation using Carper’s Fundamental Patterns of Knowing in Nursing (1978). This model has helped many practitioners to consider what they learn throughout reflection on their experience within a holistic way.

The importance of joining a nursing organization is to benefit the nursing profession and the opportunity to share your beliefs in the profession. Joining an organization is being able to speak out in order for all voices to be heard in order for best quality care for our patients. My work environment encourages us to think outside the box and to be a voice to help ensure best patient care services. Just like a professional organization, we are encouraged to be leaders in our field of nursing. Each nurse has a voice and with this ability we can make changes that affect not only our profession nut also the level and quality of health care that our patients receive. Our voice gives us the power of positivity and the choice to use it for advancement in the nursing field.

Nursing clinical practice, practice standards develop a foundation that guarantee safety, and high competence levels. The standards ensure that nurses work within a safe environment that does not negatively impact any stake holder within the healthcare organization. Adherence to these standards helps reduce the rate of professional