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10: Conscious Dying: Human Caring Amid Pain and Suffering

DOI:

10.1891/9780826133892.0010

Authors

  • Rosa, William
  • Estes, Tarron
  • Hope, Stephanie
  • Watson, Jean

Abstract

Caring Science is an extant theory of human relationship, guiding the profession of nursing with the understanding and application of a moral-ethical praxis that promotes, protects, and provides human dignity throughout the life continuum. It has transformed nursing by calling for a heightened ethos of human dignity in how nurses practice, educate, research, and evolve the profession. This chapter discusses Conscious Dying, a framework rooted in a human caring ontology, which strives to deepen the nurse healer’s awareness in tending to a patient’s dying and death. It helps the caring-healing nurse to embrace Conscious Dying principles amid complex pain and suffering. The chapter also helps the reader to self-reflect on Caring Science, Conscious Dying, and self-transcendence as elements of creating a healing environment for the dying one. It provides reflective inventories to illustrate the connections between Caring Science and Conscious Dying.