Using Barbara Carper’s Theory of “Ways of Knowing” to a Patient with Brain Tumor
o Reflect upon a patient care encounter from personal practice in which principles from Barbara Carper’s theory of “Ways of Knowing” were used:
o Illustrate how each fundamental pattern for nursing knowledge contributed to the care of this patient:
o Select a particular area of nursing that is of interest to you:
o Elaborate on the specifics of nursing research in relation to this area:
o Discuss what can be accomplished by researching your proposed area of interest:
o Discuss why you believe researching this area of interest will be valuable:
o Include an explanation of the following questions in your response.
Discuss the role nursing research plays in the development of applied medicine.
Discuss the best methods for conducting such research.
Discuss how you will determine whether a topic qualifies as being research worthy.
Discuss criteria that will make a topic acceptable for conducting research.
Theory
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Theory
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...