Running head: Humanistic Science and Beyond 1

Humanistic Science and Beyond

Renton Technical College: (NURS 108 Foundation of Nursing Practice)

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Humanistic Science and Beyond

My nursing philosophy is to think of nursing as a humanistic science and a philosophical

practice, which means I view the whole of humankind as one union so that every human being

will survive and develop together beyond the limitation of individualism.

Why do I choose to learn nursing and become a nurse?

When I was a child, I liked to look at stars, and my first dream for my career was being a

scientist to study the universe. Although I never had a chance to become a scientist in China, I

am a dreamer for science, thus what I really would like to do in America is something about

science. I think nursing is a science, it is why I choose to learn nursing.

Nursing is a Humanistic Science

Florence Nightingale and Martha E. Rogers developed the worldview of nursing to guide

the central focus of nursing, which means “nursing is a humanistic science dedicated to

understanding human beings and the world in which they live” (Koffi, K. 2017, p.16).

The Unitary Human Being Philosophy and Nursing Practice

The unitary human being philosophy, which is an unbroken view of the whole human-

environment interaction surrounding a single human race to pattern humanistic relationships

around the world, establishes nursing’s compelling worldview and organizes “three taxonomic

levels” (Koffi, K. 2017, p.19) of nursing practice: “a philosophy, a science, and a profession”

(Koffi, K. 2017, p.19).

Beyond

The encompassing knowledge by humanistic science of nursing with unitary human

being philosophy does not necessarily have meaning only to nurses. Beyond nursing’s

disciplinary purpose, it gives greater knowledge to the humanistic inquiries of humankind’s

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complex cosmological undertaking to prepare the mind for the confrontation of the constant

threat of error and illusion. Going forward with further development, we put forward the future

demands of “new visions, flexibility, curiosity, imagination, courage, risk taking, compassion,

and an excellent sense of humor” (Koffi, K. 2017, p.15) in today’s nursing practice. Vision,

curiosity, imagination, courage, and compassion are just a few words that excite me every day

and lead me to understand why nursing is important.

Survival of Humanity

“Science constitutes a function of human life and is justified only as a body that needs to

be in line with the survival of humanity” (Andrade Dias, Scherlowski Leal David, & da Costa

Vargens, 2016, p. 3670). This quote perfectly interprets what is science in the eyes of three nurse

professors in Brazil. I agree with them that nursing is a science that is in line with the survival of

humanity.

The current COVID-19 crisis challenges the world, and at the same time it offers an

opportunity to exhibit that nursing is an important science for the survival of humanity. So far,

there is no treatment, medication, and vaccine to cure the COVID-19 infection. The survival of

many patients will depend on the nursing interventions to offer them the best care and to assist

their bodies to produce more antibodies to fight against COVID-19 virus.

The Uniqueness of My Nursing Practice: A Philosophical Practice

According to Hanucharurnkul and Turale, “many tasks which nurses traditionally

performed are claimed as belonging to other health care professions. Thus, nurses wonder about

the uniqueness of their practice and what this is” (2017, p. 93). I think my nursing practice is

unique because it is a scientific and humanistic practice with the unitary human being philosophy

which guides me to evolve my nursing profession beyond just an evidenced-based practice. It is

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a philosophical practice with humanistic science to prepare my mind for the confrontation in the

complex world and the challenges to the survival and development of humanity.

This COVID-19 crisis is evidence that my nursing philosophy that humankind is one

union in which every human being will survive and develop together beyond the limitation of

individualism. Nobody can survive by himself or herself. One person’s illness can infect all of

us. COVID-19 is a very contagious disease. It spreads very rapidly, from one case to hundreds

even thousands of cases. It could happen within a month. When hospitals and emergency rooms

in the local community are overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients in critical condition at the same

time, we will see that many patients with other acute diseases may not get enough attention for

medical care. To contain and battle this COVID-19 crisis, all people will have to work together

to take serious steps at a personal level, family, friend group level, organization level, local

community level, and federal level.

All in all, my nursing philosophy, which is guided by the unitary human being

philosophy, defines my nursing practice as a humanistic science practice and a philosophical

practice. My interest in science and my feelings as a human being exquisitely merge in my

pursuit of a nursing career. Once upon a time stars guided me through my difficult childhood

with dreams that could never come true. Now I see the hope of my career in my nursing practice

in which I will have the realistic possibility to study the humanistic science in nursing and

implement my nursing philosophy in the fight against COVID-19 for the survival of humanity

and a better future for all of us as one union in one human race.
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References

Andrade Dias, J. A., Scherlowski Leal David, H. M., & da Costa Vargens, O. M. (2016).

Science, Nursing and Critical Thinking - Epistemological Reflections. Journal of Nursing

UFPE / Revista de Enfermagem UFPE, 10, 3669–3675. https://doi-

org.ezproxy.rtc.edu/10.5205/reuol.9681-89824-1-ED.1004sup201619

Hanucharurnkul, S., & Turale, S. (2017). Integration: The Uniqueness of Nursing Practice.

Pacific Rim International Journal of Nursing Research, 21(2), 93–96.

Koffi, K. (2017). The Universal Conceptualization of Nursing from the Two Nursing

Disciplinary Scientific Revolutions. Visions: The Journal of Rogerian Nursing Science,

23(2), 13–23.