NCM 100: Structures of Nursing Knowledge

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering the structured building blocks of nursing knowledge, patterns of knowing, and the nursing metaparadigm.

Knowledge Development

Reflects the interface between nursing science and research, with the ultimate purpose of improving nursing practice.

Ontology

The study of being; what is or what exists.

Epistemology

The study of the theory of knowledge, including its origins, extent, and the criteria for determining what is known.

Methodology

The means of acquiring knowledge.

Empirics (General)

The scientific form of knowing that comes from observation, testing, and replication.

Personal Knowledge (General)

A priori knowledge that is gained from thought alone.

Intuitive Knowledge

A way of knowing that relies on nonconscious pattern recognition and experience rather than guessing; includes feelings and hunches.

Somatic Knowledge

Knowledge of the body in relation to physical movement, including the experiential use of muscles and balance to perform tasks.

Metaphysical Knowledge

Spiritual knowledge seeking the presence of a higher power, including magic, miracles, and near-death experiences.

Esthetics (General)

Knowledge related to beauty, harmony, and expression, incorporating art, creativity, and values.

Moral or Ethical Knowledge

Knowledge of what is right and wrong based on values and social or cultural norms of behavior.

Nursing Epistemology

The study of the origins of nursing knowledge, its structure and methods, patterns of knowing among members, and criteria for validating knowledge claims.

Empirics (The Science of Nursing)

Objective, abstract, and verifiable knowledge formulated into scientific generalizations, laws, theories, and principles that explain and predict.

Esthetics (The Art of Nursing)

Expressive, subjective, and unique knowledge that relies on perception and sensing the meaning of a moment through actions and attitudes.

Personal Knowledge in Nursing

Subjective knowledge that promotes wholeness and integrity through the nurse's engagement, self-actualization, and personality.

Ethics (The Moral Knowledge in Nursing)

Knowledge based on obligation to service and respect for life, requiring evaluation of what is good and valuable in situations of ambiguity.

Metaparadigm

The most abstract and general component of nursing knowledge that globally refers to the subject matter of greatest interest to the discipline.

Person

The recipient of nursing care, which may include individuals, patients, groups, families, and communities.

Environment

The internal and external surrounds, including physical settings and positive or negative conditions, that affect the client.

Health

The degree of wellness or well-being that the client experiences.

Nursing (Metaparadigm)

The attributes, characteristics, and actions of the nurse providing care on behalf of or in conjunction with the client.

Four Central Concepts of Nursing

Person, environment, health, and nursing.