Nursing science: basic, applied, or practical? Implications for the art of nursing.

Nursing has long been described as both a science and an art. If the science of nursing is to be relevant to the art of nursing, then it must be conceptualized and pursued such that these two central components of nursing remain connected. Current conceptualizations of nursing science are examined in terms of the consequences that each conceptualization might have for the art of nursing. Pursuing nursing science as a basic science or an applied science disarticulates the science of nursing and the art of nursing. The author concludes that only if nursing science is conceptualized and pursued as a practical science will the science of nursing be consistently relevant to the art of nursing.