The Importance Of The Fourth Caritas Process In Nursing

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In the field of Nursing, the role of caring is an important, if not the most critical, aspect involved to ensure that the patient is provided with the most proficient healthcare plan possible. Jean Watson developed a series of theories involved with transpersonal relationships and their importance, along with caring, in the restorative process of the patient and healing in general. Although all of Watson 's caritas processes are crucial to the role of nurses and patient care, the fourth process is incredibly essential as it outlines the importance of the caring nurse-patient relationship. This paper serves to identify Watson 's fourth caritas process, how it can be integrated in nursing care and how it can be developed by current nursing …show more content…

This may be affected more in some fields of nursing than in others due to the amount of time each nurse can be spent with each patient, but should always be incorporated as much as possible. Potter et al. mentions that "by establishing a caring relationship, the understanding that develops helps the nurse to better know the patient as a unique individual and choose the most appropriate and efficacious nursing therapies" (2013, p. 85). By getting to know your patient, it makes your routine slightly easier as you can engage in practice knowing how that patient reacts, thinks and copes with different situations. It also allows that bond of comfort and trust to exist that will have the patient open up to personal feelings and other necessary subjective data needed to fully care for the individual as well as develops credibility when patient education is initiated. This is something that may develop over time but in the acute setting can be established by simply remembering the name of the patient, sometimes that may be all that is necessary for the patient to feel known by the nurse. Just reciprocating conversation about life, their experiences, their fears, and their thoughts on health is substantial for developing a caring moment and incorporating the fourth caritas process between the patient and …show more content…

A study by Norman, Rutledge, Keefer-Lynch and Albeg (2008b) shows that among nurses in the clinical setting, the fourth caritas process was used almost a majority of the time despite what the circumstance may be. One of the ideas they use to incorporate this process in their nursing care is emphasizing the importance of following through on actions and to report to the patient as quick as possible. This is crucial to sustaining the trust of the patient and keeping that relationship strong. Some other examples of implementing this caritas process include not appearing that you are too busy or mentally occupied when caring for the patient and to steer away from confronting too harshly patient ideas or behaviors (Norman et al., 2008, p. 327). These examples tie in with focusing on the present with the patient and assuring them they aren 't bothersome. A focus should be placed on talking through situations and never discouraging the patient through harsh

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