The 'Art' of Nursing: Taught or Caught?

There are different views on the significance of the art of nursing within nursing education today. This has lead to the ‘art' of nursing discourse being marginalised into a position that would see many nurses question not only the presence of an ‘art' but also it's relevance in today's practice environment. Available literature asserts there has been a philosophical shift in the ideology driving health care delivery and this shift has created a natural marginalisation of the art of nursing within both the health institutions and nursing education today. This study is a rich and descriptive portrayal of a group of New Zealand Nurse Educators' collective perceptions and presents the idea that the art of nursing is a diverse phenomenon that is influenced, and defined, by the experiences of registered nurses. It will be of interest to all registered nurses, and nursing students who wish to further explore the relevance of the art of nursing in their nursing careers.