Self-Realization and Nursing Knowledge

The chapter argues in favour of self-realization, linking the concept to nursing knowledge. To this end, it explores self-realization as a significant self-oriented moral or moral-philosophical related notion. More precisely, connected to the concept of freedom, self-realization is understood as an exercise-concept and used in an analysis of how nurses express moral or moral-philosophical related notions. The relevance of self-realization for nursing knowledge is emphasized, considering that self-oriented notions are not necessarily at odds with other-oriented notions. The chapter concludes that, as a discipline of today, and for the nursing discipline to build a strong knowledge basis, it is of ultimate concern to highlight both other-oriented and self-oriented moral or moral-philosophical related notions. Moreover, self-realization connected to freedom as an exercise-concept may pave the way for articulating and developing more self-oriented moral or moral-philosophical related notions within nursing knowledge, which again may contribute to nurses, their everyday nursing practice, and remaining in the profession.