Emotional caring and curiosity are associated with exceptional patient care. Combined, the characteristics form empathetic curiosity. Little is known about nursing students' curiosity. Our quantitative research study provides insight into connections between caring and curiosity of nursing students both early and late in their programs of study. Students early their program perceived more caring from others toward them than the students late in the program. The students did not differ in their curiosity or caring levels for others. Our findings indicate a positive relationship between caring and curiosity. Nursing student curiosity may be reflective of their preparation as professionals.

The nursing as caring theory asserts that knowing emerges from within the nursing situation and that knowledge can be transformed for nursing purposes into nursing science, which evolves from nurturing persons living caring and growing in caring. The purpose of this paper is to describe research-as-praxis methodology, as it was applied to the nursing as caring theory in a recent study, as an effective way to simultaneously engage in research, practice, and theory application. Because caring is a central exemplar of nursing, it is appropriate to consider the usefulness of this research-as-praxis methodology to examine questions that emerge from within any nursing situation, and it is cogent to suggest that this research methodology would be applicable and appropriate for generating nursing knowledge using the broad expanse of nursing theoretical perspectives.

This paper describes an innovative model for nursing education grounded in caring (MONEC). Based on nursing theory, the model and its online application in nursing education is supported by both the nursing and interdisciplinary research. Part I describes model underpinnings of the theory of, nursing as caring, the dance of caring persons as organizing pedagogy, and intentionality in nursing as transformative in aesthetic knowing. Part II describes an application of the model in creation of an online course and challenges in developing a unique, aesthetically wallpapered environment. Student responses to the environment are presented and implications for research and education are discussed.

Communication between a nurse and a patient is a shared process that forms the basis for the professional relationship that is foundational for enhancing patient care and affecting patient outcomes. Both hermeneutical and descriptive methodologies were used to examine nurse-patient communication dimensions and identify patient-preferred nurse behaviors. Patients in three age groups participated in an interview and survey questionnaire. Use of the Nurse-Patient Communication Assessment Tool recognized a one-dimension model of patient-nurse relational communication comprised of calm, comfortable, caring, interested, sincere, accepting, and respectful. Responses to the Health Communication Interview questionnaire identified preferred behaviors patients want and expect from nurses as caring, warm/friendly, professional, competent, empathy, listens, and honest/sincere.

Each day of a nurse’s life presents opportunities for courage, growth, and caring. Although some opportunities are subtle and some are extraordinary, they all have their strongest impact on those who dare to enter into them with a heart open to the experience. The essence of this special and humbling moment that occurs when nurses risk entering “the between”—the empty spaces in the human heart caused by suffering, courage, and commitment—to answer calls for nursing. This paper presents a comparative analysis of caring from the perspectives of Mayeroff, Roach, and Paterson and Zderad and concludes that the intention of assisting the other to grow results in personal growth for the caring giver.