Abstract
This review explores the philosophy and science of meaning of phenomenology and artificial intelligence in the profession of nursing and the published study, “The Total Self for God and Others: A Theory of the Meaning of Self-Care for Nursing,” which employed Ray’s Phenomenological Caring Inquiry Methodology, a human scientific approach to the study of nursing. Rooted in the theological and spiritual fundamentals of nursing, the study illuminated self-care as a divine, holistic, and ethical imperative for nurses. As a foundation, this review highlights, first, an overview of phenomenology as a human science, second, its application in nursing research, and third, its exploration and use in the above-named study. Successively, this review highlights the methodological rigor of caring inquiry-phenomenology, spiritual depth, and transformative potential of the study, which redefines self-care not merely as a personal or professional act but as a spiritual vocation. By honoring the tripartite nature of human beings—body-mind, soul, and spirit—the study reframes self-care as an aesthetic, theological journey. This review affirms the theory’s significance in fostering resilience, purpose, and deeper, more caring relationships in the nursing profession, as well as its value in advancing spiritually grounded, ethically sound nursing practice.