Page 70 - Nursing: The Philosophy and Science of Caring

c h a P t e r f o u r

From Carative FaCtor 1: Humanistic-Altruistic
System of Values
to Caritas ProCess 1: Cultivating the Practice of
Loving-Kindness and Equanimity Toward Self and Other as
Foundational to Caritas Consciousness

Preparing for any worthwhile endeavor requires the cultivation of
skills to engage in doing the chosen work. One cannot enter into and
sustain Caritas practices for caring-healing without being personally
prepared. It is ironic that nursing education and practice require so
much knowledge and skill to do the job, but very little effort is directed
toward developing how to Be while doing the real work of the job.
Nurses often become pained and worn down by trying to always care,
give, and be there for others without attending to the loving care
needed for self. This model invites, if not requires, nurses to attend
to self-caring and practices that assist in their own evolution of con-
sciousness for more fulfillment in their life and work.
In this way of thinking, nurses can be models and living exemplars
by beginning to openly stand for what people have not been doing—
that is, articulating, Becoming-Being-Living the work that needs to

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