Knowledge Development in Nursing

**Selected for 2026 Doody's Core Titles in Theory**

Learn how to apply the five patterns of knowing to nursing care!

Knowledge Development in Nursing: Theory and Process, 12th Edition, explores nursing theory and how it is related to nursing research and quality patient care.

It examines the principles of knowledge development, and uses the five patterns of knowing to help you develop sound clinical judgment.

Each chapter begins with a Basics section, which is followed by a Now That You Know the Basics section, providing a deeper understanding of knowledge patterns for more advanced learners.

Content aligns with the 2021 AACN Essentials for Nursing Education.

Streamlined for easier readability, this edition reflects the latest thinking in nursing knowledge development and emphasizes to real-world application.

• Focus on the evolution of Barbara Carper’s five Patterns of Knowing helps you learn how to apply theory to practice and develop sound clinical judgment
• Learning and study questions emphasize the application of each chapter's content to nursing practice
• 2021 AACN Essentials for Nursing Education domains are addressed throughout
• QR codes throughout the text direct you to an animation explaining the five Patterns of Knowing, as well as resources on Nursology.

  net that further illustrate and explain the nursing theories in each chapter

• Exploration of the five Patterns of Knowing includes empiric, personal, aesthetic, ethical, and emancipatory knowledge, defining each type and how they relate to each other
• Evidence-based practice discussions provide examples of how the five patterns of knowing may be applied to nursing practice
• Coverage of theory, theory development, and the relationship of theory to nursing research and practice helps you learn to apply theory to practice
• Interpretive summaries highlight the interrelatedness of all patterns of knowing, making it easier for you to apply all dimensions of knowing to specific chapter content
• Full-color diagram in the front of the book depicts how the patterns of knowing are related
• Appendixes at the end of the text include additional learning activities.

• Glossary defines the key terms and concepts of nursing theory

• NEW!

  Content addresses recent trends related to decolonization, post-structuralism, postmodernism, and post-humanism

• Issues of equity and social justice are emphasized throughout
• Expanded coverage explicitly names and discusses knowing that originates from cultures and traditions outside of a Euro-centric point of view
• In-depth discussions explore ways to embrace knowing patterns other than empirics, without compromising empirics or any of the patterns of knowing
• UPDATED!

  Content reflects the latest nursing theory research and best practices