Page 95 - Nursing: The Philosophy and Science of Caring

Fr om carative Fa c t o r 4 t o C ar it as ProC e s s 4
Relationship-centered caring is considered intrinsic to healing and the
foundation for a deeper level of health care reform that goes beyond
the superficial economic focus of change. The focus on relationship
includes multiple layers of relationship:
• Practitioner to self
• Practitioner to patient
• Practitioner to community
• Practitioner to practitioner.

The need exists to develop and sustain caring relationships as the
core of professional practices in all health professions (Pew Fetzer
Report 1994). In modifying the language of this Carative Factor, the
main changes are related to making more explicit the authentic caring
aspect of the helping-trusting relationship.
In conventional psycho-therapeutic processes and protocols, it is
possible to learn techniques of communication, how to succeed in
having someone disclose his or her feelings, and so forth. However,
in Caritas Consciousness, authenticity and genuineness of human
connection and responses are necessary as an ethic; the authentic-
ity of self reveals the integrity of the professional. This is an ingredi-
ent for a caring moment and opens up transpersonal dimensions of
caring-healing.
Transpersonal caring moments can be existential turning points;
these moments are reverential in honoring the unity of the whole per-
son: mind-body-spirit. Thus, this dimension may be extremely critical,
but it can also be threatening to practitioners if they are not practic-
ing within Caritas Consciousness and if the Caritas Processes or Carative
Factors are not cultivated. Developing a caring relationship requires
skill and ontological human caring competencies; it is not about tech-
nique per se.
Rather, authentic caring relationship building is concerned with
deepening our humanity; it is about processes of being-becoming more
humane, compassionate, aware, and awake to our own and others’
human dilemma. It is about human presence, authentic listening and
hearing, being present for another in the moment. It is about “reading

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