Abstract

This paper explores and examines how caring is defined. A central emphasis is placed upon
theoretical frameworks of human caring developed by a number of scholars in the field of
nursing and the social sciences. In particular, the espoused theories of Milton Mayeroff, Jean
Watson, Kristin Swanson, Sr. Simone Roach, Madeleine Leininger, Anne Boykin and Savinia
Schoenhofer, Virginia Knowlden, Sigridur Halldorsdottir, Marilyn Ray, and Delores Gaut are
compared and analyzed. Within this exploration to define caring, the lens or perspective
through which each theorist views the concept of caring will become more evident, providing
the nurse with a greater depth and breadth of knowledge that can be directly applied to
practice.

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 Introduction

Developing a theoretical description of caring that is adequate in the 21st century continues to
be a difficult task for scholars in the nursing and health science profes- sions. Gaut (1983)
discussed the very spe- cial place that caring takes in nursing discourse by stating that
“nursing has tradi- tionally been concerned not only with the caring needs of individuals, but
also with caring as a value or principle for nursing ac- tion” (p. 1). Swanson (1991) suggested
that a universal definition or conceptualization of caring does not exist and that “contro-
versy exists within and outside of nursing as to the role of caring in personal and profes-
sional relationships” (p. 161). Wolf (2002) similarly commented that it is difficult to define
nurse caring, despite increased scien- tific inquiry into the science of caring over the last 2
decades where scholars have ex- plored topics including caring as a con- struct, the
experience of caring, the outcomes of caring, and the development of instruments to measure
caring.

In 1995, the American Nurses Association expanded the definition of nursing to include the
provision of a caring relationship, placing a greater emphasis on the importance of caring
theory within the profession of nursing. Additionally, there has been a continued
investigation into the experiences, perceptions, and meanings that are associated with both
provider and recip- ient of caring (Lee, Larson, & Holzemer, 2006).

Kyle (1995) discussed a rise of interest in the concept of caring, especially in the United
States, with the “growing realization that caring is the central core of all that is nursing” (p.
506). This increased level of in- terest and the heightened emphasis envelop- ing the
conceptual and theoretical aspects of caring provides the inspiration and founda- tion upon
which the author will explorehow caring is defined within the nursing profession.

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 Purpose of Study

In this study, 10 individual theories are identified and discussed within the context of nurse
caring and caring theory. These in- clude Mayeroff’s On Caring, Watson’s Transpersonal
Caring Theory, Swanson’s Middle-Range Theory of Caring, Leininger’s Theory of Culture
Care Diversity and Universality, Gaut’s Theoretically Adequate Description of Caring,
Knowlden’s Communication of Caring in Nursing, Halldorsdottir’s Theory of Caring and
Uncaring Encounters within Nursing and Health-Care from the Patient’s Perspective, Boykin
and Schoenhofer’s Nursing as Caring, Ray’s Theory of Bureaucratic Caring, and Roach’s
Caring: The Human Mode of Being.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract..................................................................i

Introduction..............................................................................................................................ii

Purpose of Study.....................................................................................................................iii

Contents

 Theories and Conceptualizations of Caring...............................................................1

 Theoretical Framework: Milton Mayeroff................................................................1
 Theoretical Framework: Jean Watson - Transpersonal Caring Theory................2
 Theoretical Framework: Kristin Swanson –Middle-Range Theory of Caring......7
 Theoretical Framework: Madeleine Leininger - Theory of Culture Care..............8
 Theoretical Framework: Delores Gaut - Theoretically Adequate Description of
Caring..........................................................................................................................14
 Theoretical Framework: Virginia Knowlden - Communication of Caring in
Nursing........................................................................................................................17
 Theoretical Framework: Anne Boykin and Savina Schoenhofer - Nursing as
Caring..........................................................................................................................22
 Theoretical Framework: Marilyn Ray - The Theory of Bureaucratic
Caring..........................................................................................................................24
 Theoretical Framework: Sr. Simone Roach - Caring, the Human Mode of
Being............................................................................................................................26

Conclusion...............................................................................................................................28

References...............................................................................................................................30

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