Authentic presence is generally understood to be an interaction between a nurse and a patient which utilizes behaviors such as a quiet tone of voice, carefully chosen words, physical closeness, eye contact, and therapeutic touch to come to know the patient as an individual, not as just a diagnosis. Through authentic presence, patients’ calls for nursing can be heard and answered, leading to improved outcomes for nurses and patients alike. The theoretical and philosophical origins of authentic presence are examined, and they are found to support the idea that authentic presence is a crucial component to the practice of nursing as an art and a profession.

The purpose of this article is to make connections between caring and the support that occurs among nurses who are making an educational journey and who are in practice. The authors believe that webs of caring and support are formed, which make a stressful journey in higher education and practice tolerable. As faculty members it is imperative that we encourage this support and caring in our students and in each other. Interpretive themes originating from doctoral dissertation studies and lived experiences of being in a writing circle form the foundation of this article.

This study was conducted to examine the nurse’s perception of being cared for in the hospital work environment. A survey design was used with a modified questionnaire based on Watson’s (2008) caring theory. Physical needs, spiritual needs, intellectual stimulation, and authentic relationships were domains measured. Results indicated an overall perception of caring (5.27 on a 7-point scale); however, there is significant variation in perception of caring among units within the hospital. Additional research is recommended for tool refinement and the development of a language of caring to help promote more meaningful communication among staff and patients.

It is interesting to examine the concept of family care when describing relatives’ experience. This article presents a model of caring from relatives’ perspectives; it was developed using an abductive design composed of induction, deduction, and abduction. Reaching the infinite through the abductive process, it is possible to describe a model of caring from relatives’ perspectives being in the atmosphere of community where someone who really knows how it is, is present. Amodel named Terra Caritatis, through which suffering is alleviated in an atmosphere of solidarity, is developed and is presented in this article.