Definitions

P & Z HUMANISTIC NURSING THEORY

Definitions

Definitions as published in "Humanistic Nursing"

Humanistic Nursing: A theory and practice that rest on an existential philosophy, value experiencing and the evolving of the "new," and aim at a phenomenological description of the art-science of nursing viewed as a lived intersubjective transactional experience; nursing seen within its human context.

Intersubjective: Pertaining to two or more human persons and their shared between; a relationship of two or more human beings in which each is the originator of human acts and responses.

Presence: A mode of being available or open in a situation with the wholeness of one's unique individual being; a gift of the self which can only be given freely, invoked, or evoked.

Phenomenon: An observable fact, event, occurrence or circumstance; an appearance or immediate object of awareness in experience. A phenomenon may be objective (that is, external to the person aware of it) or subjective (for example, a thought or feeling).

Phenomenology: The descriptive study of phenomena.

Existential: Of, or relating to, or affirming existence; grounded in existence or the experience of living.

Existential dialogue: A unique individual person with the wholeness of his being is present, open to, and relates to the other seen in his unique individual wholeness; an exchange in which two persons transcend themselves and participate in the other's being; an interior unification; a mutual common union in being.

Existential experience: Contact with reality with the whole of one's being; involves all that a person (sic) is as opposed to experiencing through one or several faculties.

Existentialism: Philosophy based on phenomenological studies of reality; centers on the analysis of existence particularly of the individual human being, stresses the freedom and responsibility of the individual, regards human existence as not completely describable or understandable in idealistic or scientific terms.

Nursology: Study of Phenomenon of nursing aimed toward the development of nursing theory.

Lived dialogue: A form of existential intersubjective relating expressed in being with and doing with the other who is regarded as a presence (as opposed to an object); a lived call and response.

Transactional: An aware knowing of one's effect in a situation of which one is a part; an action that goes both ways between persons.

Here and now: An individual's unique experience of his present spatial and temporal reality including his past experiences and expectations of the future.

Angular View: An individual's unique vision of reality necessarily restricted by the angle of his particular here and now.

Authenticity: Genuineness; congruence with the self.

Bracket: Hold in abeyance.

Between: The realm of the intersubjective.

Community: Two or more persons struggling together toward a center.

Lived world: The everyday world as it is experienced in the here and now.

Metanursing: A discipline designed to deal critically with nursing; a critical study of nursing within its human context.

Metatheoretical: Transcending theory; ontological inquiry from which theory may be derived.

Other Definitions

Ontological: Pertaining to the science of existence, the nature of being.

"Noetic Locus": The center within the being that knows. Synthesis of knowledge as it occurs is learned and incorporated into self.

Conceptual framework: "A structure comprised of concepts related to form a whole. Descriptive theoretic statements can be called conceptual models or frameworks." (Chinn & Kramer, 1991)

Paradigm: Standardly accepted ideology or world view within a discipline that organizes the processes and the outcomes of an inquiry. A standard or criterion that gives value and worth to the principles within that discipline including theory. A route for which theory, processes, knowledge, finds meaning and coherence and are expressed. A web of philosophy, science and theory incorporated within a discipline.

Heuristic: Gaining knowledge or a desired result by intelligent guessing instead of following a known formula. Solving a problem well enough quickly but may not be a perfect solution. Learning by trying "trial and error method" or general knowledge gained by experience, "rule of the thumb" method.

Epiphany: That "Aahaa" moment. A sudden understanding of the essence of something not known before. An intuitive grasp and comprehension that occurs.

Nexus: A tying or binding together, interlacing, intertwining, several causes coming together to form one.

Theory: "A creative and rigorous structuring of ideas that project a tentative, purposeful, and systematic view of phenomena....Theory is purposive; theorists create theory for some reason...theory is tentative and thus is grounded in assumptions, value choices, and the creative and imaginative judgment of the theorist." (Chinn & Kramer)

Model: " A model is a symbolic representation of an empiric experience. The symbolic form of a model may be words, mathematic notations, or physical material, as in a model airplane....An attempt to objectify the concept they represent. A model of any object, property or event replicates reality with various degrees of precision." (Chinn & Kramer)

Concepts: Theories are structured from ideas expressed as concepts. "A concept as a complex mental formulation of empiric experience." (Chinn & Kramer)

Construct: "An abstraction or mental representation inferred from situations, events, or behaviors. Kerlinger (1986) distinguished concepts from constructs by noting that constructs are terms that are deliberately and systematically invented." (Polit & Hunglar, 1995)

Purpose: Theory is developed for some reason that can be identified. The purpose of a theory may not be stated explicitly, but one should be identifiable.

Definitions: The concepts of a theory carry identifiable meanings that are conveyed in definitions. Definitions vary in precision and completeness, but conceptual meaning should be identifiable in a theory. The meanings for the concepts created by the theorist give the theory its particular character.

Relationships: Concepts are structured into a systematic form that links each concept with others.

Structure: The relationships between concepts form a whole whereby the ideas of the theory interconnect. The structure makes it possible to follow the reasoning of the theory in its entirety.

Assumptions: Assumptions are the underlying "truths" that determine the nature of concepts, definitions, purpose, relationships, and structure. Many assumptions are difficult to identify because they are implied rather than explicit. Because they are fundamental, we include assumptions as a describable component of theory, even when they are not stated explicitly." (Chinn & Kramer, 1991)

Theoretical Roots About P & Z References