Throughout this study, several sources of knowledge shall be used in order to conduct a systematic inquiry regarding Family Centered Care. To access sources of knowledge a person can do the following. To obtain knowledge from a client one can engage in casual conversation; informal/formal interviewing; listening to stories; reading a patient’s journal or diary, observing and physical assessment. Next, in obtaining knowledge from self, one could use reflection, journaling and even talking with others.
To obtain sources from the environment, one should take with others (i. e. colleagues, family members); in the same manner, reading documents such as policies, communication books, notices and meetings; together with this, attending meetings and reading patient chart could give additional knowledge. In obtaining knowledge from written literature, one could engage in reading; attend workshops and take courses. There has been demand for cost-effective health that challenges the structure of the health care system together with the need for a better understanding of nursing practices.
As mentioned by Berragan’s article, a better understanding of nursing practices in order to take control of the future. Thus, an understanding of what the nurses do and how they do it is very necessary (1996). Different facets of the practice of nursing and what they do have been the subject of many studies. However, it is said that the focus of studies, remains in the ‘how’ of nursing or how nursing knowledge could be obtained. Nursing practices uses different kinds of knowledge.
Nursing practice is said to be very difficult to define what they actually do and what composes their particular practice. According to the article, nurses need different kinds of knowledge that are focuses on the physiological, social and psychological aspects of the twelve activities related to living. In addition to this, they would need the different skills and attitudes that could help them greatly in comforting and educating their patients. Also, they would need this in giving out prescriptions to meet what their patients need in ‘seeking’ and ‘preventing.
’ They need skills to be able to help the disabled with the activities they cannot do, and at the same time, help them in coping with the patients’ greatest fear – dependence. Having established the definition of nursing practice, one then takes into consideration the different links associated with nursing. In order to explain what nurses do, and to understand the complications associated with nursing practice, an understanding of the knowledge nurses possess is very important.
All those who are engaged in the practice of nursing, for sure what their profession is all about; however, what and how they know is different from the experiences of each which remains unique to them. The development of this particular profession is said to involve other disciplines such as psychology, sociology, physiology and anatomy. The knowledge acquired from different disciplines supports the very nature of the practice of nursing. Because of this, nursing knowledge becomes very important. According to Carper, there are four patterns of knowing. These are: empirical, ethical, aesthetical and personal.
These fundamental patterns of knowing are essential in the study of nursing. Empirical knowledge is seen to be obtained through systematic investigation, observation and testing that is within the positivist paradigm. It is within this particular school of thought that has been relied on to in aiding the development of a more scientific body related to nursing knowledge. Other disciplines that concerns human beings have included empirical knowledge which includes psychologists, sociologists, physiologists and others that are important and relevant to nursing.
However, this particular knowledge may not be directly related to the practice of nursing. Because of this, this particular knowledge remains to be a vital part of the background that supports the understanding associated with nursing practice. According to Schultz and Meleis (1988), nurses use knowledge from different disciplines through the use of reflection and imagination which then turn to help in evolving perspectives on knowledge that remains unique to the realm of nursing.