Using Barbara Carper’s Theory of “Ways of Knowing” to a Patient with Brain Tumor

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A young man (Alex) was expected to go into a high-risk surgery to remove a tumor in his brain. Alex also wanted to attend his first promenade dance with his girlfriend before surgery. However, the surgery could not be withheld until after the prom. I organized for the two to have a prom dance at the hospital a day before his surgery, and in attendance were some patients and hospital staff. As a nurse, I used Barbara Carper’s theory of “Ways of Knowing” to help the patient. This theory has four basic patterns of knowing: empirics, aesthetics, ethics, and personal knowing (Ortuno & Florczak, 2017). The four patterns are a source of knowledge for nurses in different patients’ situations.
Empirics are based on factual scientific evidence in addressing the patient’s condition (Ortuno & Florczak, 2017). Based on facts and available evidence, and my training, I knew that Alex could not wait to have the surgery after the prom. I had seen patients with similar conditions, and I knew the situation was life-threatening and needed immediate attention. Aesthetics involve nurses’ ability to perceive patients’ needs and build healing relationships (Ortuno & Florczak, 2017). I sensed that the prom dance was important to Alex because I assessed that this would also influence his adherence to the recommended surgery. Ethics involves knowing and doing what is right (Ortuno & Florczak, 2017). I knew ensuring that Alex had a prom dance before his surgery was the right thing to do. Personal knowing involves knowing the patient and self to create an authentic relationship that meets patients’ needs (Ortuno & Florczak, 2017). I knew who Alex was based on personal stories he had shared while receiving treatment at the hospital, and I also dug into my feelings to understand what I would have wanted if I was in his situation.
One of the areas of nursing that interest me is medical-surgical nursing. This area is concerned with providing care to patients before and after a surgical procedure. According to Fernandez-Garrido and Cauli (2017), medical-surgical nursing is complex, and nursing practice in this area is dependent on wide-ranging research. The specifics of nursing research in this area include research on healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs), postoperative nausea and vomiting, and pain management, among others. Nursing research in this area can play a significant role in applying for medicine. According to Grove and Gray (2018), nursing research informs practice and refines knowledge, enhancing quality patient outcomes. Nursing research is essential in developing evidence-based practice. Research can ensure that novel interventions and concepts are intro...