Feeling and knowing: neural scientific perspectives on intuitive practice

Abstract

This article re-evaluates the place of intuition in the hierarchy of nursing skills in the light of recent neuro-scientific findings. The author draws on neural scientific perspectives to clarify ambiguity associated with intuition and redefine it as a working concept. Fresh credence is attributed to the previous claims of practitioners, theorists and other proponents of hypothetico-deductive approaches. Gender advantage in the use of emotional intelligence in professional life is critically explored. Arguments are tabled for a conceptual framework to house, guide and shape intuition in practice.