Guest Editorial: Progress in Philosophic Inquiry in Nursing

Abstract

Nursing scholars have a long tradition of philosophizing. In a recent nursing philosophy seminar, I discussed the contribution of what I consider to be the "Top 10" nurse philosophers and how they have influenced nursing thought and action. I selected these 10 leading philosophers on the basis of the breadth of their influence and the significance of their contribution. While the individuals I selected may not have viewed their own work as philosophical in nature, I applied this term because their work considers the nature of nursing using methods of reason and argument (the tools of philosophy). I must admit that I was hard pressed to limit my list to 10. The list included philosophers with whom I do not necessarily agree but whose works have significantly shifted or furthered our understanding of nursing qua nursing. My list is somewhat chronological in order and, not surprisingly, is topped by Florence Nightingale, whose works on the nature of nursing served to shape the profession and discipline well into the 20th century. My second selection is the duo of Lavinia Dock and Isabel Maitland Stewart, for their work on the development of nursing and their writing about the need for nursing to be guided by principles rather than trial and error. I include Hildegard Peplau for her groundbreaking work on the interpersonal aspect of nursing. Peplau was one of the first theorists to articulate the importance of the relationship between the nurse and the patient.