The essence of nursing knowledge as well as the elements that create a more sophisticated nursing practice are described by Barbara Carper in Fundamental Patterns of Knowing in Nursing. Carper derived four domains of knowledge, empirical, aesthetic, personal knowledge and ethical; these areas complement the expertise that the nurse must rely on to appropriately care for any individual. Carper implies that knowledge is not simply a regurgitation of facts, and introduces an expanded view of knowledge as being composed of different entities and verified in various ways. The first model of knowledge described by Carper is empirical; it is the most traditional sense of knowledge, but also one of the most recent to be integrated into nursing practice. Carper states that this field focuses on verifiable facts and details about the patient. This author believes that in nursing, this area of ​​knowledge provides the foundation on which the rest of practice rests. It is nurses' understanding of the use of tools, tests and medications. This knowledge allows the nurse to respond directly to the patient's most immediate health needs and to gain insight into the patient's overall health status. This author believes that as the nursing profession has grown, the need for empirical data has increased, with nurses spending the most time with the person apart from healthcare professionals, it is the role of nurses to observe and be aware of the patient's symptoms or lifestyle. possible concerns. The aesthetic part of knowledge was then discussed by Carper, her representation of aesthetics in nursing integrates the care of the whole person. Carper explains that the use of empathy and perception is an integral part of aesthetics. Empathy allows......middle of paper......me. This author recognizes Carper's view that the application of how to make an ethical decision is the most important factor in arriving at an ethical decision. This author found that the fundamentals of nursing knowledge addressed nursing in its most perfect form. It explains what a seasoned, successful nurse uses in their daily practice. What this author found remarkable is how closely these aspects relate to each other, for example how empirical studies can be useless if a nurse has no personal knowledge to communicate with the patient, so that the patient may choose not to disclose a symptom that may be important. to their health. Integrating all forms of knowledge ensures that the patient receives holistic, culturally competent, knowledge-based care. Works Cited Barbara A. Carper (1978), "Fundamental Patterns of Knowing in Nursing", Advances in Nursing Science 1(1), 13–24