Ethical components of caring

The meanings of caring that emerge from the ethics literature are professional value; personal value; understanding humankind's existence; understanding meaning of values, choices, and priority systems; moral decision making; dignity; worth; healing powers within; being treated as a person; and partners in treatment. These meanings of caring are incorporated into the practice realm of critical care nurses. Clients in the critical care units demand a nurse who will treat them with respect, understanding, dignity, worth, partnership; provide choices; understand their values; guide them in moral decision making; and empower their healing capacities. As technology continues to explode, more and more ethical dilemmas will evolve and the critical care nurse will need to bridge the advancing technology with human caring. Then her expert nursing care will make the empowering difference in the client's care.