title: Science and tradition in the nursing discipline--a theoretical analysis.
abstract: The purpose of the article is to argue for a conception of nursing knowledge that stresses theoretical and practical knowledge as equally important, and to analyze the roles of nursing science and nursing tradition in the discipline of nursing. Nursing knowledge is characterized as involving values, sets of beliefs, and procedural knowledge. Practical nursing knowledge is viewed as an integration of values, beliefs and procedural knowledge into action, whereas theoretical knowledge is viewed as a conception of nursing. Nursing tradition is described as the main organizer of practical nursing knowledge at the collective level, and nursing science as the main organizer of collective theoretical knowledge.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sarvimäki
mesh_terms: D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000379:methods*; D009742:Nursing Theory; D012586:Science