Towards an aesthetics of nursing

This paper re-appraises the work of Barbara Carper on aesthetics and the ar t of nursing. It identifies serious flaws in Carper's original arguments an d the way in which she and subsequent authors have conflated the concepts o f art and aesthetics in nursing. The paper explores a broader approach to a esthetics and proposes a way in which a theoretical approach to nursing aes thetics could be developed. The paper concludes that nursing is a fit objec t of aesthetic appreciation and that aesthetic quality is a necessary attri bute of good nursing practice.