Knowledge in health visiting practice

Health visiting is a practical discipline, hence knowledge in health visiti ng practice cannot be thought of as inert, that is merely as items of infor mation merely; rather, it must be thought of in terms of a dynamic interpla y among the individuality of the knower (the practitioner), the sources whe reby knowledge may be acquired, and the contexts in which it must be applie d. This discussion is an exploration of that interplay. Thus, in the discus sion, the distinctive demands on the practitioner (and the kinds of persona l qualities these entail) in acquiring and applying knowledge are highlight ed, as are the sources of knowledge and the constraints of context. Three s ources of knowledge are noted: authority, personal experience, and intuitio n. Context is conceived both in terms of the macro, sociopolitical, level a nd in terms of the micro level, i.e. the individual homes and interpersonal relationships in and through which health visiting is typically practised. Conclusions are drawn relating to the education of health visitors. The di scussion draws on a distinction between three kinds of knowledge: factual o r propositional knowledge, knowledge by acquaintance, and practical knowled ge, or know-how.