Anne Boykin Nursing as Caring Theory

1. Anne Boykin Nursing as Caring Theory By: Ann Wright Glover Cheryl Muffley Lori Couch

2. Original Source of Theory: Philosophy and Human Science • Philosophy • Caring is a human mode of being • Caring is an essential feature and expression of being human • Human Science • Nursing is a form of human science which focuses on the knowledge needed to understand the fullness of what it means to be human and on the methods to verify this knowledge

3. Short Description of the theory The theory of Nursing as Caring is a grand nursing theory that can be used a framework to guide nursing practice. The theory is grounded on the following principles: • Persons are caring by virtues of their humanness • Persons live their caring moment to moment • Persons are whole or complete in the moment • Personhood is living life grounded in caring • Personhood is enhanced through participating in nurturing relationships with caring others • Nursing is both a discipline and a profession The basic premise of this theory is that all humans are caring persons, that to be human is to be called to live one’s innate caring nature.

4. Short Description of the theory, continued • Caring is the intentional and authentic presence of the nurse with another who is recognized as a person living, caring and growing in caring. • The ideal of caring is an essential feature and expression of being human and is central in this theory. • The nurse endeavors to come to know the other as a caring person and seeks to understand how that person might be sustained, supported, and strengthened in their unique process of living caring and growing caring.

5. What research has been completed with this theory? • Boca Raton Community Hospital in Florida used this theory in their emergency room and oncology units • They set out to prove that growing in caring would improve the morale of healthcare personnel and would result in higher levels of patient satisfaction • Intentional focus on caring, respect and honor the dignity of the person • Quantitative measures showed increased employee and patient satisfaction

6. How has this theory been applied to Nursing? • Nurses intentionally care for an individual which causes them to grow in caring • Nurses support, sustain, strengthen process of caring and growing in care • Nurse must be present, actively listening, sensitive to broad range of situations

7. Nurses gain expertise from the expression of caring. • When the nurse enters the patient’s world, they learn to know the other caring and understanding, and how to care and live in the moment. • To respond to patients the nurse depends several ways of knowing: personal, empiric, ethical and esthetic.

8. How could this theory be applied to your nursing practice? • As a school nurse I could treat each student as a unique special individual, listening, showing caring and responding to what truly matters to them. • As a nurse educator, caring can help those being taught to have self awareness it encourages learning and have the ability to apply theory to practice. The goal is to empower nurses to take responsibility of their practice by gaining knowledge. • When interviewing nurses for entry-level positions, I can interview and select staff on the basis of “caring” orientation and ask them to tell me about a “caring moment”.

9. Conclusion Nursing is a lifetime journey of caring and healing, seeking to understand and preserve the wholeness of human existence, and to offer compassionate, informed, knowledgeable human caring to society and humankind.