This document discusses the methods of acquiring knowledge in nursing. It describes two broad categories: unstructured methods and structured methods. Unstructured methods include tradition, authority, intuition, experience, and trial and error. Structured methods involve inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning, assembled information, problem solving, and scientific research methods. The document provides examples and brief explanations of each method.

1. Dr. Jayesh V. Patidar
www.drjayeshpatidar.blogspot.com
METHODS OF ACQUIRING
KNOWLEDGE IN NURSING

2. Introduction
 A well-developed & reliable body of knowledge is
a foundation for any profession.
 This most sought-after knowledge can be
acquired from highly structured as well as loosely
arranged processes or methods.
 The method of acquiring the nursing knowledge
may be classified under two broad categories, i.e.
1. Unstructured methods of acquiring the
knowledge
2. Structured methods of acquiring the knowledge
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4. Unstructured Methods
• Traditional nursing knowledge is
learnt mainly from books,
journals, by words of mouth,
and by observing the practices
of others.
Tradition
• There are authorities (People
with specialized expertise in
every field). The people with
higher length of experience
in a discipline & with virtue of
their position are believed to
be a sound source of
knowledge & understanding.
Authority
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5. Unstructured Methods
• It is known as information
obtained through sixth sense
without conscious thinking but
in this the rationalizing the
information may not be
obtained.
Intuition
• Nurses & midwives base their
practices in great part on their
own experience & to a lesser
extent on the experience of
others.
Experience
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6. Unstructured Methods
• In this approach,
alternatives are tried
successively until a
solution to a problem is
found. In day-to-day life,
everybody uses this
techniques to solve much
type of problem, including
professional ones.
Trial
and
Error
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7. Structured Methods
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• It is the process of
developing generalization
from specific observation.
Inductive
Reasoning
• It is the process of
developing specific
prediction from general
principles.
Deductive
Reasoning
• In making clinical decision,
health care professionals
also rely on information that
has been assembled for
variety of purposes.
Assembled
Information

8. Structured Methods
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• Nurses use problem-solving process
to solve a particular problem & find a
particular intervention effective.
Thus, problem solving for one
situation contributes to the nurse’s
knowledge for problem solving in
other similar situations.
Problem
Solving
• Research conducted within a
disciplined format is the most
sophisticated method of acquiring
knowledge. Findings from rigorous
research investigations are
considered to be at pinnacle of the
evidence hierarchy for establishing
evidence-based nursing (EBN)
practices.
Scientific
methods/
research

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Thank
You