Reorienting Esthetic Knowing as an Appropriate “Object” of Scientific Inquiry to Advance Understanding of a Critical Pattern of Nursing Knowledge in Practice

Abstract

The esthetic pattern of knowing is critical for nursing practice, yet remains weakly defined and understood. This gap has arguably relegated esthetic knowing to an “ineffable” creativity that resists transparency and understanding, which is a barrier to articulating its value for nursing and its importance in producing beneficial health outcomes. Current philosophy of science developments are synthesized to argue that esthetic knowing is an appropriate “object” of scientific inquiry. Examples of empirical scholarship that can be conceived as scientific inquiry into manifestations of esthetic knowing are highlighted. A program of research is outlined to advance a science of esthetic knowing.

“Estableciendo vínculos dialógicos que alivian”: una mirada desde el patrón estético

“…Se caracteriza por ser intangible, y no va más allá del contexto de la experiencia personal de cada individuo. Es una forma de saber que se basa en la familiaridad personal con el paciente, contexto y se extiende más allá de las limitaciones del pensamiento racional 18 . Constituye el estudio de los sentimientos que surgen del proceso dialéctico: conocimiento previoaplicación/interpretación durante el acto de cuidado en la interacción enfermera/paciente 19 .…”

“…Constituye el estudio de los sentimientos que surgen del proceso dialéctico: conocimiento previoaplicación/interpretación durante el acto de cuidado en la interacción enfermera/paciente 19 . Es tener en cuenta al otro: sus percepciones, sentimientos, lo que permite mayor conocimiento a través de la experiencia personal; por tanto, este patrón se explica a través de la narrativa de la situación, de la investigación cualitativa que deja ver la subjetividad de los participantes 18 .…”

Reconciling nursing's art and science dualism: Toward a processual logic of nursing

“…The consequence is that nursing is constantly sorting reality into that which can be authorized by science and that which must be negotiated in practice. Nurse scientists examine one world and not the other based on these sorting procedures (Bender & Elias, ). Nurse scholars, educators, leaders, and practitioners ‘create’ the other world via educational curriculum, standards of practice, and scholarly discourse.…”

Re‐conceptualizing the nursing metaparadigm: Articulating the philosophical ontology of the nursing discipline that orients inquiry and practice

“…There are some hints in the existing literature. Bender and Elias () have shown how traditionally described “ineffable” nursing concepts, such as esthetic knowing, can be systematically examined—not as a distinct scientific object, but rather as an agentic subject that can be related to through a process of inquiry, describing patterns and accounts that are revealing and actionable, if not “forever known.” Bender () has recently argued for a turn to models as an appropriate structure for nursing knowledge, in contrast to theory. This is because while theories traditionally articulate static, universal statements about the world, nursing engages the continuous, “messy” dynamics of patient/healthcare.…”

“…If nurses are constituting worlds-that what exists for nursing is a "process of becoming, of acquiring its definitiveness" (Sehgal, 2014, p. 195 There are some hints in the existing literature. Bender and Elias (2017) have shown how traditionally described "ineffable" nursing concepts, such as esthetic knowing, can be systematically examined-not as a distinct scientific object, but rather as an agentic subject that can be related to through a process of inquiry, describing patterns and accounts that are revealing and actionable, if not "forever known." Bender (2018) has recently argued for a turn to models as an appropriate structure for nursing knowledge, in contrast to theory.…”