Caring Science as a Mature Solution to Global Healthcare Challenges.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Systems
• Caring Science

Background:

• COVID-19 highlighted healthcare's disconnect, exposing gaps in compassionate care and equitable access.
• Nurses faced challenges maintaining human connection amidst resource shortages and isolation protocols.
• Advanced medical treatments alone are insufficient for holistic health, encompassing physical, emotional, spiritual, and social factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the global responsibility and urgent need for integrating caring practices into healthcare systems.
• To argue for a fundamental shift prioritizing human experience through Caring Science principles in nursing.
• To address the global healthcare crisis of disconnection and the overemphasis on efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Drawing on peer-reviewed studies, contemporary research, and theories of human caring.
• Analyzing Caring Science through relational, organizational, and global dimensions.
• Utilizing Watson's Theory of Human Caring and current research to examine caring relationships and innovation.

Main Results:

• Evidence supports Caring Science as an effective strategy for transforming healthcare organizations.
• Thoughtful innovation, guided by Caring Science, can enhance caring relationships.
• Technology integration, when prioritizing human connection, improves nurse empowerment and patient outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Caring Science offers a mature, evidence-informed framework for complex healthcare challenges.
• 'Sacred activism' is called for, balancing essential caring dimensions with beneficial innovation.
• Nursing is positioned to lead healthcare transformation by integrating the art and science of care, honoring human dignity.