Nursing as an Art
Caring
 Is a dimension of human relating, and often referred
to as the art of nursing.
 Proposes that nursing cannot exist without caring.
(Smith, 2013)
 Is central to all helping professionals, and enables
people to create meaning in their lives.
 Is sharing deep and genuine concern about the
welfare of another person.
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Professionalization of caring
 Caring practice – involves connection, mutual
recognition, and involvement between nurse and
client.
Example;
 A client experiencing postoperative pain is given
medication to control her symptoms, and then
the nurse talks quietly and holds her hand for a
few minutes as the pain resolves. The nurse’s
presence, in itself, provides comfort for the client.
 Caring as “Helping the Other Grow”
 Milton Mayeroff (1990), a noted philosopher, has
proposed that to care for another person is to
help him grow and actualize himself.
 Caring is a process that develops over time,
resulting in a deepening and transformation of
the relationship.
Mayeroff defines major ingredients of caring;
1. Knowing
2. Alternating rhythms
3. Patience
4. Honesty
5. Trust
6. Humility
7. Hope
8. Courage
Nursing theories on caring
 Culture Care Diversity and Universality (Leininger) –
emphasizes care as a “distinct, dominant, unifying, and
central focus of nursing”. The theory of culture care
diversity and universality is based on the assumption
that nurses must understand different cultures in
order to function effectively.
 Theory of bureaucratic Caring (Ray) – focuses on
caring in organizations as cultures. The theory
suggests that caring in nursing is contextual and is
influenced by the organizational structure.
Furthermore, caring is also influenced by the role and
position a person held.
 Caring, the Human Mode of Being (Roach) – focuses
on caring as a philosophical concept and proposes that
caring is the human mode of being. All individuals are
caring, and develop their caring abilities by being true
to self, being real, and being who they truly are.
 The Six C’s of Caring in Nursing (Roach, 2013)
1. Compassion
2. Competence
3. Confidence
4. Conscience
5. Commitment
6. Comportment
 Nursing as Caring (Boykin and Schoenhofer) – suggest
that the purpose of the discipline and profession of
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
nursing is to know people and nurture them as
individuals living and growing in caring. Respect for
people as caring individuals and respect for what
matters to them are assumptions underlying the
theory of nursing caring.
Theory of Human Care (Watson) – views caring as the
essence and the moral ideal of nursing. Human care is
the basis for nursing’s role in society; indeed, nursing’s
contribution to society lies in its moral commitment to
human care.
Theory of Caring (Swanson) – defines caring as “a
nurturing way of relating to a valued other’, toward
whom one feels a personal sense of commitment and
responsibility”. The theory focuses on caring processes
as nursing interventions.
 Caring Processes from Swanson’s Theory of
Caring
Knowing
Being with
Doing for
Enabling
Maintaining belief
Types of Knowledge in Nursing
 Empirical Knowing – The Science of Nursing
 Personal Knowing – The Therapeutic Use of Self
 Ethical Knowing – The Moral Component
 Aesthetic Knowing – The Art of Nursing
Caring Encounters
 Knowing the Client – caring attends to the totality of
the client’s experience. The nurse aims to know who
the client is, in his or her uniqueness.
 Nursing Presence – caring in nursing always takes
place in a relationship. Mutuality within this
relationship involves a partnership between the nurse
and the client.
 Empowering the Client – empowering relationship
includes mutual respect, trust, and confidence in the
client’s abilities and motives.
 Compassion – like empathy, compassion involves
participating in the client’s experience, with sensitivity
to the person’s pain or discomfort, and a willingness to
share in their experience.
 Competence – the competent nurse employs the
necessary knowledge, judgment, skills, and motivation
to respond adequately to the client’s needs.
Maintaining Caring Practice
 Caring for Self – Mayeroff (1990) describes caring for
self as helping oneself grow and actualize one’s
possibilities. Self-care is defined as responding to
one’s own needs to grow, is the opposite of the selfcomplacency that often accompanies egocentricity.
Caring for self means taking the time to nurture
oneself.
A Healthy Lifestyle
 Nutrition – healthy eating is important for everyone.
 Activity and Exercise – exercise is recognized as a
lifetime endeavor that is essential for energetic, active,
and healthy living.
 Recreation – taking the time to do the things that
bring joy and stimulate creativity.

Avoiding Unhealthy Patterns – avoiding activities or
thought patterns that contribute to negative health
outcomes.
Mind Body Therapies
 Guided Imagery – imagery is a mind-body interaction
that uses the power of the imagination as a
therapeutic tool.
 Meditation – through quieting the mind and focusing
it on the present, meditation assists in releasing fears,
worries, and doubts.
 Storytelling – as expressions of human consciousness,
stories help individuals gain greater understanding of
life.
 Music Therapy – using music as therapy includes
listening, singing, rhythm, and body movement.
 Yoga – through daily practice of the various postures
and breathing practices of yoga, an individual can
achieve increased balance & flexibility, mental
alertness, and calmness.