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The concept of care is probably one of the least understood ideas used by professional and nonprofessional people, yet it is probably one of the most important concepts to be understood by human groups. It is a word with multiple social usages in the American culture, and has other meanings in other world cultures. The terms care, caring, and nursing care have both symbolic and functional meanings as they are used by caregivers and care-recipients. Nursing care also has a general, special meaning to nurses, and is often taken for granted in nurses' thoughts and action patterns. It is time that we study the implicit and explicit meanings associated with the concepts of care and caring so that we can reduce their ambiguities. Furthermore, the humanistic, scientific, and linguistic meanings related to nursing care and caring behaviors in any culture remain a most fascinating area of study for nurses.
Jean Watson
Jean Watson, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, is distinguished professor emerita and dean emerita of the School of Nursing at the University of Colorado. She is the founder of the Center for Human Caring in Colorado, a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, and a past president of the National League for Nursing. Dr. Watson is a widely published author and recipient of several awards and honors, including an international Kellogg Fellowship in Australia, a Fulbright Research Award in Sweden, and five honorary doctoral degrees, including Honorary International Doctor of Science awards from Goteborg University, Sweden, and Luton University, London. Dr. Watson's caring philosophy is used to guide new models of caring and healing practices in diverse settings worldwide. At the University of Colorado, Dr. Watson holds the title of distinguished professor of nursing, the highest honor accorded its faculty for scholarly work.
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