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.

Nurse caring in hospital settings may be demonstrated without direct intention and without the language to express caring actions. Therefore, nursing students educated in a curriculum grounded in caring may not recognize the transformation of theory to the practice environment. This manuscript describes the baccalaureate student perspective of caring behaviors of nurse preceptors. Athematic analysis of unstructured, qualitative interview data revealed six themes: welcoming presence, demonstrating empathy, encouraging growth, patience and time as compassionate care, building relationships, and communicating therapeutically. In addition, students as role models and caring for each other emerged as themes related to student-student caring behaviors.