Before we begin asking questions and looking for information (or evidence) to answer them, it is important to take a moment to think about why the state of being curious and the act of asking questions are both so important to nursing practice (and life in general!). Once we begin to value this part of the process, the next steps become more meaningful and effective.
In Strengths-Based Nursing, curiosity and self-reflection are considered a requirement for the second group of strengths "Knowledge and Knowing". This group of Strengths relates to Evidence-Based Nursing Practice as they "include the acquisition and use of information from formal sources [in other words evidence] (e.g., books, monographs, articles, the Internet) and from experience." (Gottlieb, L.N., 2013, p.142) Curiosity is also listed as a specific strength under the category of Wisdom and knowledge, along with open-mindedness, love of learning, and perspective (wisdom). (see table 4.2 on p. 109 of Gottlieb, L.N., 2013)
"When nurses lack curiosity they run the risk of finding themselves bored and practicing nursing in a prescriptive way. It is a one-size-fits-all type of nursing where there is a lack of interest in the patients and the work becomes routine. It is in these situations that a nurse is most likely to perceive and treat the person and problem as one and the same. In other words, the patient is defined as the disease—The pancreatic cancer in Room 230." (Gottlieb, L.N., 2013, p.143).
We invite you to read and peruse the content on this page. As you do, consider the questions we have suggested to get you started on this journey of exploration and self-reflection.
Strengths-Based Nursing Care by 
This link opens in a new window"We can put our whole heart into whatever we do; but if we freeze our attitude into for or against, we're setting ourselves up for stress. Instead, we could just go forward with curiosity, wondering where this experiment will lead. This kind of open-ended inquisitiveness captures the spirit of enthusiasm, or heroic perseverance."
Pema Chodron (2007). “No Time to Lose: A Timely Guide to the Way of the Bodhisattva”, p.226, Shambhala Publications
What fosters curiosity?
What impedes curiosity?
How can I bring curiosity into my daily practice (as a learner? a teacher? a practitioner? a human being?)
How does curiosity help us get comfortable with uncertainty?
Or conversely, how can uncertainty help spark curiosity?
How does curiosity relate to evidence-based practice?
How does curiosity relate to inquiry-based learning?
Please note: While this guide is managed by Francesca Frati, the contents of the guide were developed in collaboration with nursing faculty at the Ingram School of Nursing: Irene Sarasua, Argerie Tsimicalis, Jodi Tuck, Amanda Cervantes and Caroline Marchionni.
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