Topic: John’s Model and Nursing Experience
Nursing science developed between the 1950s and 1970s as a result of the development and use of grand nursing theories. From the late 1970s onward, the focus shifted somewhat away from these grand theories and towards situation-specific theories and, eventually, towards a reflexive exploration of individual and unique nursing encounters using a variety of techniques. Carper’s ‘personal knowing’, or understanding of the impact of ‘self’ in a nurse-patient encounter can be explored through the use reflective practice.
Discussion question:
Read the Johns (2005) and Benner (2012) articles.
Recall an encounter with a patient that had a particular impact on you, that you remember vividly. Relate the encounter to the series of questions identified by John’s Model and consider whether you now understand the situation any better than you did before or whether you have you gained a greater understanding of ‘personal knowing’ or the impact that you had in the encounter. Share your experiences and how you gained personal knowledge.
