Course Overview

This course explores the philosophical foundations of nursing, examining key questions about the nature of care, personhood, health, and responsibility. Utilizing historical and theoretical foundations in nursing, students will critically analyze fundamental nursing and philosophical issues using systematic questioning and argument evaluation. Through the study of value theory, epistemology, and metaphysics, students will engage with philosophical perspectives unique to the profession and demonstrate the integration of philosophical principles into practice. Students will read various philosophical perspectives unique to the nursing discipline, critically examining arguments in light of our own knowledge and experience. Students will engage with these tools in class to build the skills necessary to effectively defend their positions in written assignments.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Critically analyze foundational questions in nursing philosophy by applying philosophical methods such as systematic questioning, logical reasoning, and evaluation of multiple perspectives and develop a thesis with attention to issues like the nature of care, personhood, and health.
2. Construct and defend clear, well-reasoned philosophical arguments related to nursing theory and practice, using appropriate terminology and techniques from philosophical discourse and formal reasoning culminating in the construction of a well-supported thesis.
3. Examine core areas of philosophical inquiry—including value theory, epistemology, and metaphysics—as they relate to nursing, such as the ethics of care, the nature of evidence in practice, and concepts of human well-being.
4. Analyze the contributions of major philosophers and philosophers in nursing and evaluate their relevance to contemporary nursing values, ethics, and decision-making.
5. Integrate nursing philosophy with other academic and clinical disciplines by exploring how philosophical frameworks influence interprofessional collaboration, healthcare policy, and the nurse’s role as a moral agent.