Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Out line:
1. Introduction.
2. Definition.
4. Antecedent of love.
5. Consequences of love.
7. References.
Complete or a whole picture and understanding of the concept looks like, causes, and
characteristics. After that how I can apply this concept in the clinical area [15].
Introduction:
Love is one of the most important concepts in the world. It is not a new concept.
There are many stories, poems, real event was happened, and there are many heroes.
this stories was used by our grandmother, fathers, and teachers to give us lessons or to
take the aim to help us in our life and practice such as help others , honest ,
commitment and other meaning that transferred to us because it carry the real
meaning of love. Now love is widely used in the media, literature and art but most of
author point to love as sex [10]. So the significance and importance of this analysis
comes from these conflicting with sex. Because there are many people not enter or
intimate any sexual relationship and this dose not mean they didn’t love before .
I can see love as a magic, incredibly deep emotion that travels with person's life as a
beautiful event most of people may die before feel or live it. Also I can see love as:
1. multidimensional concept
4. commitment.
5. ability to live
6. Love is endless.
7. Power.
8. Motivation.
My goal is to redefining the love concept, to give more understanding to all aspect of
the concept. what is other concept that may understood as love . And how I can use it
care.
Definition of love:
According to Oxford Dictionary 1( p. 450) define love as '' a very strong feeling of
something , or a thing in which you are very interested '' such as husband loves his
God is the source of love in Christian. Which is mean every one must love god
strongly from all heart, and mind. God invite them to love each other, as every body
loves her/his self, to respect others, and to be unselfish. But love between both sexes
(male and female) is derived from Greek culture [2]. Whish classically divide into
Eros (exciting and sexual), agape (altruistic love), and pure love that seeks nothing as
maternal love [3]. AL-Ishq is the word that was used; also it is still used in Arabic
culture which mean love and purity. AL- Hub AL-Othree is another word used
frequently in Arabic stories, pomes …. . In Islam god (Allah) has 99 names. One of
these is AL-Wadud which means fully loving and kindness. Herbrew is a Jewish
ward mean love. It used for both love god, and interpersonal love [2].
There are different ways; signs, icon and symbol represent love. Cupid in ancient
roman culture (Latin) is one of those symbols [10]. Which is mean god of love .
Heart symbol is a traditional European symbol representing love. But the arrow is to
symbolize the relationship between two persons. In other word it represents the
Scientific views:
single definition [4]. Social scientists like Watson defined love as '' an innate emotion
So we can say love is a sensory stimulation. This is what [5] emphasis it when define
love as '' stimulation that is desired by the individual'' and it achieved by contact. Also
it starts in early stage. The earliest one is contact in utero. Then when individual
contact with mother. And it differentiates later to other physical and other symbolic
''the emotional bond with a person for whom one yearns, as well as having sensory
stimulation that one desires"[Komisaruk 5 p.927]. Wile behavioral schools say love is
a positive reinforcement [3]. like Swenson definition '' love is behavior such as giving
gifts, sharing activities and disclosing intimate information '', and Rubin definition ''
attitude held toward another which predisposes one to think , feel and act in certain
way toward that person''. But Fromm saw love as "a device used to reduce one's sense
understanding, and truth role as Rogers view. While psychoanalytic theorist focused
on true self development [3]. Other scientists in biology and neuroscience said love
[ 2,5,6].
Love as ethics '' divine or the humanity in human beings'' [Erksson 9 p.43, as cited
from Arman 9 P.8]. Charity was used to mean love historically. It was described
Differentiation;
There are many words in its meaning are very close to love, and sometimes used
rather than it. So it is important to know the differences between those words that
contrasted with love. Some these concepts are: sex, commitment, attachment, passion,
increased heart rate, loss of appetite, and sleep disturbances are occurred [2, 5, 6].
But most people see sex form their view or thinking is love. They concentrate on the
experience it self and they forget the deep meaning behind it. Sexuality may happen
without love, but this experience has a chance to develop and be love. This chance
will help sex to become more nature and inherent. If this happen sexuality will be the
along with intimacy and passion. It includes the initial decision that one loves another.
Then the long term commitment is maintain that love [4]. Through this theory
contact … . While what refers to drives that lead to sexual activity and physical
all of the human love. It can exist in the absence of love, but love never happen
without It., and both of them can lead to reproduction. Also it defines attraction as the
love characteristics
The opposite concept of love is hate which means feeling of hatred, unpleasant and
Antecedent of love:
It is the causes, condition that coming before love. Or what perceived and that help
us to expect love occurrence. Many people believe that there is no condition, causes,
explanation or rhythm for love. They believe if there any cause or condition, love will
lose its shiny, specialty, purity, and it will be as other undesirable thing. Also if there
are reasons for love that mean individual maybe love unlovable things as lovable
thing. which mean love become as sale thing [7]. But other people think there are
nothing happens from nothing you maybe fall in love, for many reasons such as
beauty, charity, parenthood, morals, value, smiling, humanistic, justice, and truth.
Also many things characterized, come before and facilitate love [4,2,7] such as:
1. Warmth relationship.
2. Trust , security
3. Jealousy
4. Care
8. Unselfish.
13. Supportiveness.
14. Unconditional.
15. Commitment .
19. Increased heart rate, Loss of appetite, Sweating , and Sleep disturbances.
Love measurement:
Love can be measured in the same way as intelligence, self-esteem, and other
groups .
evaluate.
measures like heart rate, sexual arousal, cutaneous sweat secretion etc.
such that used in [11] to compare friendship with love by using five sub-
scales :
5- Satisfaction (happiness).
scale built on Rubin, Lee, Hatfield, and Sternberg. This proved through tow
Consequences of love:
Love can built a bridge when you walk to cross it you will reach to the bright side
of love, when it applied in all fields as it must. It starts at individual level then spread
to the family, and community. When the person loves her/his self it will help to
prevent harm, and try to built your self, achieve all your dreams. When you provide
love to your family. It will return this love for you, also it will respect, support you
when any problems happens with your friends. Commitment, warmth, safe life,
will be happen as a result to love [4]. When love become un- healthy and change it
will be lead to anxiety, stress, weakness, hate, unhealthy jealousy, and maybe suicide
1. Survival.
2. Responsibility.
3. Scary, anxiety
4. Help.
6. Comfort.
7. Understanding.
9. Contentment.
Positive Negative
affective (tone( anxiety
tone( happines)
Social support
( comfort,
Physiological supportiveness
Component(HR) Love
Behavior
Lack of
)helping(
inhibition
Cognitive ( feel relax,
helpin
activities )openness
g
( thinking of
)other
Implication in nursing:
Many everyday nursing action, caring, and assumption based on love. but often
nurses not explicit that. Love helps nurses to engage in meaningful therapeutic
Rogers proposed if clients or patients could feel accepted and valued, they could grow
and change, as a result to nursing dealing, and communication with them by empathic
positive equally love, we can understand that roger remove love term from absolute
without love. A cording to that mutually loving one therapeutically means; fall in love
with clients within therapeutic boundaries. This is called a mature love as formm
Because applying love in nursing is an art. The question that will develop is how to
love? Fromm proposes a framework or what we can call it; general requirement for
practicing love. These are concentration, practice, concern, and activity [3, 9]. With
some accommodation and adaptation to this component we can apply the art of
practicing love in nursing. Need to develop the loving with patient needs in a
discipline way, through commitment and allow our self to touch love feeling in our
work, then the need to reflect theses experiences. This will help the nurse to see and
act within the world differently, which promote nursing self awareness. When the
nurses reflect their practices art of love it will help them to be more concentrate and
don't make mistakes in the next practice. Concentration also will help the nurses to
determine the safe therapeutic boundaries that derived from past experiences, and how
to apply it in the next practicing love with patient [3]. this is what supported by
council for healthcare regulatory excellence (CHRE) in it's document that put clear
boundaries to protect patient against abuse , and to regulate nurse's life to maintain
professional standards [ 13 ]. Through the concern which is mean deal with patient as
a whole, therefore nurse promote healing process by using love in their care as
providing physical care. This will provide genuinely care, which is the core of nursing
activity. While considering that no rapid result in developing when enter it inner
personal philosophy or development is the patient, also this is found in any art
practice [3]. There are many barriers, and reasons may give an explanation why
nurses fear to apply love in their caring or practice. Such as shortage, economic
resources, technology which decrease contact time with the patient (e.g. nurses apply
care by pressing buttons or monitor some waves and digital signal in some area), male
attitude, rewards of loving are invisible, and colleagues fear of threaten when see
other give optimal and creative care. This fear leads them to label practicing love as
weak and unprofessional care [3, 9]. Actual nurse's opinion is the best answer for this
group. From these examples what nurses sent to Colin parish about what their job
means to them. For example Daniel said '' I cherish hands-on care because nothing
replaces the feeling of caring for a patient and waving goodbye to them on their
discharge.'', she said also '' I love it and I really could not see myself doing any other
job. You may never have an inflated salary but if you love the job and work in an
environment that allows you to function, you will be one of the richest people on the
planet.'' Also Emma said '' I love the fact that I can do a lot for a person simply by
relieving pain. I think my job stands for all that is best about humanity. '' But jenny
feeling was '' I like to feel I can make a difference to individual care and act as the
I see use love correctly in nursing will enhance reputation and image of our
Therefore more respect for the profession and public voice will be changed [14].
I will prove through a model, to present a simple implication for love in nursing.
Model Case:
Amal is 12 year old female child newly diagnosed as leukemia. She was admitted to
the hospital to receive chemotherapy as treatment. At the first dose nurse came to start
it. Her facial expression hasn't any comfortable, smiling, but it mean I want to finish
my work. She didn’t honest. She was informed amal that chemotherapy as other
medication. But amal has many side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and alopecia.
At every time she came to apply any procedure she didn't keep her privacy, and didn't
respect amal or other children. There no warm relationship between her and children.
She always delays in her caring, and complaining of work without concern or respect
children. Amal became more depressed, not contentment to her self and life. She lost
the hope to cure and survive. She became isolated from other children. Refuse to take
medication and always crying. Amal spent until now three weeks in the hospital.
during that Sara who is a new nurse was employment in the same floor that amal
admitted to it. During her work Sara always hears amal crying. So she decides to
receive her case. when she entered the room. She was smiling, with comfortable facial
expression. Sara put her hand on Alma's head and said how are crying while your
name is full of hope. She started to make dollies from gloves, and syringes, to
amal.
Then she started to apply something new in every day for her in discipline way. She
was very careful (concentrate) to fall in mistakes that may harm her as other
done. she appear as supportive , caring, understanding to amal need .she has amal's
trust . Amal was happy with her, waiting Sara to come to speak with her. Sara always
concern on amal well being, respect her questions and answer it honestly so amal with
time start take her medications, has hope to cure, contentment in her condition. After
amal finished her chemotherapy she comes at every clinic visit to see Sara.
At the end I still see love a vast concept, so difficult to collect all human feelings,
and experiences. It helps us to learn, know, and develop. It creates self facing to reach
to the pure, brilliant love that all one want to have it. May be what has been said '' life
is the school and love is the lesson'' [suplee10, p19] prove that.
References:
1- Oxford Word power dictionary. 5th Ed. New York: Warn H. 2002.p
450.
2- Love concept [online]. 2008 [cited 2008 Nove 28]. Available from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love
3- Stickly T, Freshwater D. The art of loving and the therapeutic
relationship. . Nursing Inquiry. 2002; 9 (4): 250–256.
4- Fehr B. Prototype Analysis of the Concepts of Love and Commitment.
JPSP.1998; 55(4): 557- 579.
5- Komisaruk B, Whipple B. LOVE AS SENSORY STIMULATION:
PHYSIOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ITS DEPRIVATION AND
EXPRESSION. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 1998; 23(8): 927-944.
6- Carter C. NEUROENDOCRINE PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL
ATTACHMENT AND LOVE. . Psychoneuroendocrinology. 1998; 23(8):
779-818.
7- David C. Why Do You Love? Available on
http:/www.leaderExcel.com.
8- Yela C. The Evaluation of Love. EJPA. 2006; 22(1):21-27.
9- Arman M, Rehnsfeldt A. The Presence of Love in Ethical Caring.
Nursing Forum. 2006; 41(1): 4-12.
10- Suplee A. Could You Be Loved?. Positive Health .2007; 14-19
11- Hendrick C, Hendeich S. Research on Love: Dose it Measure up?
JPSP. 1989; 56(5): 784-794.
12- Masuda M. Meta-analyses of love scales: Do various love scales
measure the same psychological constructs? Japanese Psychological Research.
2003; 45(1):25-37.
13- Cayton H. We are not here to regulate love. Nursing Standard. 2007;
22(4):12-13.
14- Parish C. Why we love to nurse. Nursing Standard. 2004; 18(42): 14-
15.
15- Meleis A. A model for evaluation of theories: Description, Analysis,
Critique, .Testing, and support. Chapter 14.p 245-278. 1997.