There is wide agreement that nursing practice is a combination of art and science. While the science is easily found in nursing education, research, and practice, the art is overshadowed. Philosophical and theoretical discussions on the art of nursing are plentiful, but research demonstrating its importance to nursing practice is lacking. In this article, the nature of nursing is explored separate from science, and a comprehensive exploration of the literature on the art of nursing is presented. Three themes concerning the art of nursing are identified and discussed, including implications for research, practice, and education.
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