Humanistic nursing practice theory proposes phenomenology, a descriptive
approach to participants in the nursing situation as a method for
studying, interpreting, and attesting the nature and meaning of the
lived events. Humane nursing is not humanistic nursing within this
theory unless that which becomes visible to the nurse in the nursing
situation is shared in a durable form with colleagues.
Confidentiality, then, becomes an important issue in humanistic nursing.
No scientific methodology of research is affixed with "ought" or
"should" virtues regarding knowledge gained. In nursing, a professional
helping realm, a practitioner or researcher is wed to "ought" and
"should" virtues. The knowledge gained "ought" to be dispersed to
colleagues for their increased understanding. It "should" enhance the
constructive force of the profession. To so enhance it "must" be
communicated in a manner that allows understanding while protecting
distinct individuals and groups. Words and conceptualized ideas are the
tools of phenomenology. Protection of distinct persons and meaningful
communication can be augmented through the utilization of abstractions,
metaphors, analogies, and parables. So humanistic nurses, as
practitioners and researchers, are inherently responsible for their
manner of being, responding, and consciously sculpturing knowledge into
words.