Page 57 - Nursing: The Philosophy and Science of Caring

c a ra tiv e F act or s/ C ar it as ProC e s se s
Table 2.3 Visual Representation of Concept Derivation and Extension from Carative Nursing
to Caritas Processes in Caring Science
Concept I: Transposed to Concept I: Redefined Concept II:
Carative Factors Carative Field II:
Field I: Nursing New Field II: Caritas Processes
Caring Science in Caring Science

Core prinCiples/prACtiCes: from CArAtive to Caritas
• Practice of loving-kindness and equanimity
• Authentic presence: enabling deep belief of other
• Cultivation of one’s own spiritual practice—beyond ego
• “Being” the caring-healing environment
• Allowing for miracles.

In moving from the concept of Carative to Caritas, I am overtly
evoking Love and Caring to merge into an expanded paradigm for the
future. Such a perspective ironically places nursing in its most mature
paradigm while reconnecting with the heritage and foundation of
Nightingale. With Caritas incorporated more explicitly, it locates the
theory within an ethical and ontological context as the starting point
for considering not only its science but also its societal mission for
humanity. This direction makes a more formal connection between
caring and healing and the evolved human consciousness. The back-
ground for this work is available in Watson (2004a).

emergenCe of Caritas NursiNg And the Caritas Nurse
My evolution toward Caritas Processes is intended to offer a more fluid
language for understanding a deeper, more comprehensive level of the
work, as well as guidance toward how to enter into, interpret, sustain,
and inquire about the intention and consciousness behind the original
Carative Factors. Moreover, Caritas captures a deeper phenomenon, a
new image that intersects professional-personal practices while open-
ing up a new field of inquiry for nursing and Caring Science.
However, as one steps into this new work, it is important to con-
sider both the original CFs and the evolved CPs holographically, in
that the whole is in any and every part. So all the factors/processes

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