Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40035112›Full record

SynthesisCurationis2025

A meta-synthesis of studies on ubuntu philosophy in nursing: Implications for nursing education.

Vhothusa E Matahela, Nelisiwe Ngwenya

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Curationis, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Reclaiming Justice as Lived Praxis: A Phenomenological Critique of Social and Relational Justice in Nursing Practice.Nursing philosophy : an international journal for healthcare professionals · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Vhothusa E MatahelaDepartment of Health Studies, College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria. matahve@unisa.ac.za.
Nelisiwe Ngwenya

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUbuntu, an ancient African philosophy, embodies the essence of humanness through communal responsibility and interconnectedness. It shapes moral values and culture that can be implemented in nursing to improve patient care. However, colonial and Western-centric education systems have marginalised ubuntu philosophy resulting in a disconnect from its core principles in contemporary nursing practices.

objectivesThis meta-synthesis aims to synthesise qualitative literature on ubuntu philosophy in nursing to identify key aspects of the philosophy that can be integrated into nursing education.

methodA systematic search using keywords related to ubuntu in nursing and nursing education was conducted across multiple databases, including health sources: Nursing/Academic Edition, Medline, ProQuest, PubMed, CINAHL and Google Scholar. This search aimed to identify qualitative studies exploring the application of ubuntu philosophy within nursing and its implications for nursing education. Quality appraisals were conducted using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist for qualitative research. Noblit and Hare's meta-ethnography techniques were employed to synthesise studies.

resultsA total of 16 studies were included. The meta-synthesis revealed one meta-theme, namely the integration of ubuntu principles into nursing education with three subthemes: pedagogical approaches, decolonising nursing education and role modelling ubuntu.

conclusionUbuntu should be integrated into formal nursing education programmes to align with patients' expectations and enhance nursing care quality and student needs for targeted support on the subject.Contribution: The study enriches the ongoing discourse on integrating indigenous philosophies such as ubuntu into nursing education, aligning nursing care with local cultural and ethical values to promote more humane practices.

Indexed as

Education, NursingPhilosophy, NursingHumansQualitative ResearchAfrican philosophyholistic nursinghumannessintegrationmeta-ethnographymeta-synthesisnursing educationpatient-centred careubuntu

Identifiers

PMID40035112
PMCPMC12150244

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.