Nurses' perceptions of caring as documented in theory and research

Caring represents an essential human need and the fundamental component of the nursing profession. A deep understanding of caring and the way it is expressed will help nurses to provide high-quality services and, more importantly, to understand nursing itself. This review of the literature indicates the importance of examining caring both conceptually and operationally. Based on theoretical and research accounts, it also presents the wide variety of ways in which caring is conceived and expressed within the professional field. Caring is examined from anthropological, philosophical and psychosocial perspectives. In this paper implications for practice and research are outlined.