Copyright (C) 2007 by Josephine Paterson and Loretta Zderad.
Humanistic Nursing
(Meta-theoretical Essays on Practice)
by Josephine Paterson and Loretta Zderad
Copyright (C) 2007 by Josephine Paterson and sLoretta Zderad all rightsreserved except as follows. This e-text may be freely copied foracademic and scholarly work with the copyright notice clearly affixed toall copies. No commercial use may be made of any part of the textwithout the express permission of the copyright holders.
This e-text version of the classic text "Humanistic Nursing" ismade available with the kind permission of the authors and copyrightholders, Josephine Paterson and Loretta Zderad. The book was originallywritten to define the Humanistic Nursing Theory which presented a wayfor each nurse to become-more as a person and to extend thatbecoming-more to the community of nurses in which he or shepractices. The offering of this book in the "free" e-text formatreiterates the continuing contribution of these two nurses long aftertheir retirement from practice. It is their hope that nurses everywherewill take their vision for nursing and expand on it and integrate itinto their nursing practice. At the request of the authors this e-textversion is complete with the original 1976 Front Matter.
Susan Kleiman
For more information or questions about the subject of Humanisticnursing or this e-text you may contact Professor Susan Kleiman, PhD, RN,CS, NPP at: susank@humanistic-nursing.com. Alternatively you may visitthe web site: www.humanistic-nursing.com. The Humanistic NursingInquiry web site provides context for the major initiatives ofhumanistic nursing, which celebrate the enduring and immutable ideals ofHumanism that give us insight into the fundamental truths of being inthe world of nurses, patients, families, colleagues, and students.
FOREWORD to the 1976 Edition
These essays will evoke different reactions from differentreaders. "Well, I know that," for example, may be the reaction of abeginner in nursing; "I wouldn't have said it that way but I knew thatis really nursing." "Since they've given us a methodology," perhaps fromone more experienced in nursing; "I'll give it a try." Others with stillmore or different kinds of experience may respond, "It's about timenurses put that into words; it's about time."
Timely as these essays are I would prefer not to use up the forewordwith a listing of the crises, the "eco-spasms," and scientific triumphsthat would document their timeliness. It is my pleasure, rather, to usethis opportunity to relate the six elements of my own reaction:
Nursing has a solitariness until we find it has many companions inphilosophy, science, and art. It has a steadiness about its pace yetholds a potential for flights to higher elevations. It is constantlychanging yet has an enduring component of permanence. Good is the wordwe use every day; our vision, however, is of excellence. Its tasksoften have the appearance of homeliness until we glimpse that kind ofbeauty that is humanness. Nursing even sings very softly because ourears are attuned to "a different drummer."
Lilyan Weymouth, R.N., M.S. Northampton, Massachusetts October 1975
PREFACE to the 1976 Edition
Out of necessity nursing, as a profession, reflects the qualities of theculture in which it exists. In our culture for the past quarter of acentury nursing has been assailed with rapid economic, technological,shortage- abundance, changing scenes' vicissitudes. In the individualnurse these arou