The nursing process – is the title right?

The use of the term nursing process is traced from the 1950s. The author argues that the nursing process is now used as a substitute for nursing. In this paper questions are raised as to whether problem-solving is all there is to nursing and whether problem solving is peculiar to nursing. It is further argued that whilst the nursing process recognizes the purpose of the problem-solving aspects of the nurse's work, it ignores the subjective or intuitive aspects of nursing. It also ignores the role of experience, logic and expert opinion as bases for nursing practice, the author contends. She concludes that because the nursing process stresses a dominant and independent function for the nurse this may undermine the value of collaboration of health professionals and the development of the client's self reliance.