Caring in the practice of nursing may be described as a process of communicating by the nurse to the patient (Radsma, 1994, pp. 444-449). Within this context, empathy, sympathy, love, and understanding may be viewed as components of caring (Wheeler & Barrett, 1994, pp. 230-236). Caring is a component of most major theories of nursing.
Bevis and Watson (1989, pp. 51-60, 354-359) emphasize that nursing should be based on a theory of caring by the nurse. In this theory of nursing, the underlying assumptions are that (1) care and love comprise the primal and universal psychic energy, and (2) care and love are requisite for our survival and the nourishment of humanity.
The theory of nursing described and explained by Bevis and Watson (pp. 51-60, 354-359) posits a holistic conception of mind and body. As posited by this theory, nursing interventions related to human care are referred to as carative factors and include: (1) a humanistic-altruistic system of values, (2) faith and hope, (3) sensitivity to self and others, (4) helping and trusting in human care relationships, (5) expressing positive and negative feelings, (6) developing and applying a creative, problem-solving caring process, (7) transpersonal teaching and learning, (8) the development and maintenance of a supportive, protective, and/or corrective mental, physical, societal, and spiritual environment in which care is provided, (9) human needs assistance, and (10) existential and phenomenological spiritual forces.
Goal attainment, a holistic perspective, patient autonomy, interaction between nurse and patient, and adaptation are common to both the theory of nursing described by Bevis and Watson (pp. 51-60, 354-359) and other major theories of nursing. Orem's theory of nursing is commonly known as the self-care deficit theory of nursing (Chinn, Jacobs, & Huether, 1991, p. 190). The theory includes "(1) self-care deficit, (2) self-care, and nursing system" (Chinn, ...