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Caring Science Ten Caritas Processes Transpersonal Caring and the Caring Moment Defined Transpersonal Caring Relationships Such a transpersonal relation is influenced by the caring consciousness and intentionality of the nurse as she or he enters into the life space or phenomenal field of another person, and is able to detect the other person’s condition of being (at the soul, spirit level). It implies a focus on the uniqueness of self and other and the uniqueness of the moment, wherein the coming together is mutual and reciprocal, each fully embodied in the moment, while paradoxically capable of transcending the moment, open to new possibilities.
Transpersonal caring competencies are related to ontological development of the nurse’s human competencies and ways of being and becoming; thus "ontological caring competencies" become as critical in this model as "technological curing competencies" were in the conventional modern, Western nursing-medicine model, now coming to an end. Within the model of transpersonal caring, clinical caritas consciousness is engaged at a foundational ethical level for entry into this framework. The nurse attempts to enter into and stay within the other’s frame of reference for connecting with the inner life world of meaning and spirit of the other; together they join in a mutual search for meaning and wholeness of being and becoming to potentiate comfort measures, pain control, a sense of well-being, wholeness, or even spiritual transcendence of suffering. The person is viewed as whole and complete, regardless of illness or disease. (Watson, 1996, Blueprint: p. 153). Caring Moments, Caring Occasions A caring moment involves an action and choice by both the nurse and the other. The moment of coming together presents them with the opportunity to decide how to be in the moment and in the relationship as where as what to do with and during the moment. If the caring moment is transpersonal, each feels a connection with the other at the spirit level, thus it transcends time and space, opening up new possibilities for healing and human connection at a deeper level than physical interaction. I quote: ….we learn from one another how to be human by
identifying ourselves with others, finding their dilemmas in ourselves.
What we all learn from it is self-knowledge. The self we learn about
…is every self. IT is universal - the human self. We learn to recognize
ourselves in others…(it) keeps alive our common humanity and avoids
reducing self or other to the moral status of object. Caring (Healing) Consciousness
Caring Science Defined Caring science encompasses a humanitarian, human
science orientation to human caring processes, phenomena and
experiences. Caring science includes arts and humanities as well as
science. A Caring science investigations embrace inquiries that are reflective, subjective and interpretative as well as objective-empirical and Caring science inquiry includes ontological, philosophical, ethical, historical inquiry and studies. In addition, caring science includes multiple epistemological approaches to inquiry including clinical and empirical, but is open to moving into new areas of inquiry that explore other ways of knowing, for example, aesthetic, poetic, narrative, personal, intuitive, kinesthetic, evolving consciousness, intentionality, metaphysical - spiritual, as well as moral-ethical knowing. Caring science is an evolving new field that is grounded in the discipline of nursing and evolving nursing science, but more recently includes other fields and disciplines in the Academy, for example, Women/Feminist studies, Education, Ecology, Peace Studies, Philosophy/ Ethics, Arts and Humanities, Mindbodyspirit Medicine. As such, caring science is rapidly becoming an Interdisciplinary or Transdisciplinary field of study. It has relevance to all the health, education, and human service fields and professions. The Implications of Caring Theory The caring model or theory can also be considered a philosophical and moral/ethical foundation for professional nursing and part of the central focus for nursing at the disciplinary level. A model of caring includes a call for both art and science; it offers a framework that embraces and intersects with art, science, humanities, spirituality, and new dimensions of mindbodyspirit medicine and nursing evolving openly as central to human phenomena of nursing practice. I emphasize that it is possible to read, study, learn about, even teach and research the caring theory; however, to truly "get it," one has to personally experience it; thus the model is both an invitation and an opportunity to interact with the ideas, experiment with and grow within the philosophy, and living it out in one’s personal/professional life. The ideas as originally developed, as well as in the current evolving phase (see Watson, 1999), provide others a chance to assess, critique and see where, how, or if, one may locate self within the framework or the emerging ideas in relation to their own "theories and philosophies of professional nursing and/or caring practice."
This work, in both its original and evolving forms, seeks to develop caring as an ontological and theoretical-philosophical-ethical framework for the profession and discipline of nursing and clarify its mature relationship and distinct intersection with other health sciences. Nursing caring theory based activities as guides to practice, education and research have developed throughout the USA and other parts of the world. Watson’s work is consistently one of the nursing caring theories used as a guide. Nurses’ reflective-critical practice models are increasingly adhering to caring ethic and ethos. Because the nature of the use of the caring theory is fluid, dynamic, and undergoing constant change in various settings around the world and locally I am not able to offer updated summaries of activities. Earlier publications seek to provide examples of how the work is used, or has been used in specific settings. The Future of Nursing
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Transpersonal
caring calls for an authenticity of being and becoming, an ability to
be present to self and other in a reflective frame; the transpersonal
nurse has the ability to center consciousness and intentionality on
caring, healing, and wholeness, rather than on disease, illness and
pathology.
The dynamic of transpersonal caring (healing) within a caring moment is
manifest in a field of consciousness. The transpersonal dimensions of a
caring moment are affected by the nurse’s consciousness in the caring
moment, which in turn affects the field of the whole. The role of
consciousness with respect to a holographic view of science have been
discussed in earlier writings (Watson, 1992, p. 148) and include the
following points:
caring
science perspective is grounded in a relational ontology of
being-in-relation, and a world view of unity and connectedness of All.
Transpersonal Caring acknowledges unity of life and connections that
move in concentric circles of caring - from individual, to others, to
community, to world, to Planet Earth, to the universe.
If
one chooses to use the caring perspective as theory, model, philosophy,
ethic or ethos for transforming self and practice, or self and system,
the following questions may help (Watson, 1996, p. 161): Is there
congruence between (a) the values and major concepts and beliefs in the
model and the given nurse, group, system, organization, curriculum,
population needs, clinical administrative setting, or other entity that
is considering interacting with the caring model to transform and/or
improve practice? What is one’s view of human? And what it means to be
human, caring, healing, becoming, growing, transforming, etc. For
example: In words of Teilhard de Chardin: "Are we humans having a
spiritual experience, or are we spiritual beings having a human
experience?" Such thinking in regard to this philosophical question can
guide one’s worldview and help to clarify where one may locate self
within the caring framework. Are those interacting and engaging in the
model interested in their own personal evolution? Are they committed to
seeking authentic connections and caring-healing relationships with
self and others? Are those involved "conscious" of their caring-caritas
or non-caring consciousness and intentionally in a given moment and at
an individual and system level? Are they interested and committed to
expanding their caring consciousness and actions to self, other,
environment, nature and wider universe? Are those working within the
model interested in shifting their focus from a modern medical
science-technocure orientation to a true caring-healing-loving model?
Nursing’s
future and nursing in the future will depend upon nursing maturing as a
distinct health, healing and caring profession that it has always
represented across time, but has yet to actualize. Nursing, thus
ironically, now is challenged to stand and mature within its own
paradigm, while simultaneously having to transcend it and share with
others. The future already reveals that all health care practitioners
will need to work within a shared framework of caring relationships;
mindbodyspirit medicine; embracing healing arts, caring practices, and
processes; and the spiritual dimensions of care much more completely.
Thus, nursing is at its own cross road of possibilities, among world
views, paradigms, centuries and eras; invited and required to build
upon its heritage and latest evolution in science and technology; but,
to transcend itself for a postmodern future yet to be known. However,
nursing’s future holds promises of caring and healing mysteries and
models yet to unfold as opportunities for offering compassionate
caritas service await at individual, system, societal, national and
global levels for self, profession, and the broader world community.
