Pre-requisite: Admission to the Master of Psychiatric Nursing Program

The focus of this course is critical inquiry into the nature, scope and purpose of nursing and psychiatric nursing knowledge and the distinct contributions of nursing art, philosophy, and science.Major philosophical positions and their contributions to the development, evolution, and evaluation of nursing and psychiatric nursing knowledge and theory will be explored. Critical analysis of various paradigms, conceptual frameworks, and nursing theories will lead students to conceptualize and articulate the philosophical perspectives that guide their practice. Critical links between knowledge creation and practice including administration, teaching, research, and clinical relevance will be examined.The contribution of self, within philosophy and theory development, to inform practice will be explored.