The meaning of postpartum sexual health for women living in Spain: a phenomenological inquiry.

BACKGROUND: Sexual health is a multidimensional phenomenon constructed by personal, social, and cultural factors but continues to be studied with a biomedical approach. During the postpartum period, a woman transitions to mother, as well as partner-to-parent and couple-to-family. There are new realities in life in the postpartum period, including household changes and new responsibilities that can impact the quality of sexual health. This phenomenon is understudied especially in the context of Spain. The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experience of postpartum sexual health among primiparous women giving birth in Catalonia (Spain). METHODS: This was a phenomenological study with a purposive sample of primiparous women. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews until saturation. Analysis followed Colaizzi's seven-step process with an eighth translation step added to limit cross-cultural threats to validity. Also, the four dimensions of trustworthiness were established through strategies and techniques during data collection and analysis. RESULTS: Ten women were interviewed from which five themes emerged, including: Not feeling ready, inhibiting factors, new reality at home, socio-cultural factors, and the clinician within the health system. Returning to sexual health led women to engage in experiential learning through trial and error. Most participants reported reduced libido, experienced altered body image, and recounted resumption of sexual activity before feeling ready. A common finding was fatigue and feeling overloaded by the demands of the newborn. Partner support was described as essential to returning to a meaningful relationship. Discussions about postpartum sexual health with clinicians were described as taboo, and largely absent from the care model. CONCLUSION: Evidence-based practices should incorporate the best evidence from research, consider the postpartum sexual health experiences and preferences of the woman, and use clinician expertise in discussions that include the topic of postpartum sexual health to make decisions. As such, human caring practices should be incorporated into clinical guidelines to recognize the preferences of women. Clinicians need to be authentically present, engage in active communication, and individualize their care. More qualitative studies are needed to understand postpartum sexual health in different contexts, cultures, and countries and to identify similarities and differences through meta-synthesis.

Evaluating Changes in Caring Behaviors of Caritas Coaches Pre and Post the Caritas Coach Education Program.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine program effectiveness in changing Caritas leadership, self-caring behaviors, and perceptions of coworkers of participants who completed the Caritas Coach Education Program (CCEP). BACKGROUND: The CCEP has been a highly successful education program for individuals who wish to intellectually and experientially learn to teach, live, and practice human caring theory. METHODS: A pretest-posttest descriptive design was used to evaluate changes in perceptions of self-caring, caritas leadership, and coworker behaviors after completion of CCEP. RESULTS: The mean scores of all measures improved significantly. CONCLUSIONS: After completion of CCEP, participants demonstrated statistically significant changes in 3 caritas measures: leadership, coworker, and self-rating. Caritas Coach participants exhibited the greatest change in their self-caring scores.

Academic caring pedagogy, presence, and Communitas in nursing education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Strong faculty academic human caring presence is paramount during the exponential use of asynchronous, remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to provide a holistic, theoretical foundation for evidence informed-caring pedagogical practices. METHODS: Watson's (2008; 2018) Unitary Caring Science theoretical approach offers one pedagogical caring framework for advancing teaching-learning in the digital age. DISCUSSION: Examples to humanize the virtual classroom and remote or online teaching include narrative, theory-guided pedagogical approaches, such as creation of caring spaces and other modalities to transcend physical distancing and nurture Communitas (caring community) among of faculty and students. CONCLUSION: A theory-guided, holistic caring pedagogical approach supports the needs of both faculty and nursing students.

Effects of a Mindfulness Activity on Nursing Service Staff Perceptions of Caring Behaviors in the Workplace.

Research on caring in nurse-to-nurse relationships is not extensive, but studies have shown that health care workers can experience incivility in the workplace and unhealthy relationships can increase stress and influence nurse retention. The current study examined nurse perceptions of caring in the workplace and the effect of a mindfulness activity. A mixed method design was used, and data were collected on 164 nursing staff members after a 1-minute mindfulness activity. Pre- and post-survey growth in caring behavior indicated a statistically significant positive effect for the treatment group. Qualitative reports showed that after completing a mindfulness activity, staff members were more focused, and willing to set a good example, off er help to others, and encourage a positive overall work environment. Mindfulness activities can improve nurse-to-nurse caring and reduce incivility in the workplace. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 57(11), 28-36.].

Social Justice and Human Caring: A Model of Caring Science as a Hopeful Paradigm for Moral Justice for Humanity.

The only true standard of greatness of any civilization is our sense of social and moral responsibility in translating material wealth to human values and achieving our full potential as a caring society. -The Right Honorable Norman Kirk, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand.

The phytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles on wheat varies with soil properties.

Zn is an essential element for plants yet some soils are Zn-deficient and/or have low Zn-bioavailability. This paper addresses the feasibility of using ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) as soil amendments to improve Zn levels in the plant. The effects of soil properties on phytotoxicity and Zn bioavailability from the NPs were studied by using an acidic and a calcareous alkaline soil. In the acid soil, the ZnO NPs caused dose-dependent phytotoxicity, observed as inhibition of elongation of roots of wheat, Triticum aestivum. Phytotoxicity was mitigated in the calcareous alkaline soil although uptake of Zn from the ZnO NPs occurred doubling the Zn level compared to control plants. This increase occurred with a low level of Zn in the soil solution as expected from the interactions of Zn with the soil components at the alkaline pH. Soluble Zn in the acid soil was 200-fold higher and shoot levels were tenfold higher than from the alkaline soil correlating with phytotoxicity. Mitigation of toxicity was not observed in plants grown in sand amended with a commercial preparation of humic acid: growth, shoot uptake and solubility of Zn from the NPs was not altered by the humic acid. Thus, variation in humic acid between soils may not be a major factor influencing plant responses to the NPs. These findings illustrate that formulations of ZnO NPs to be used as a soil amendment would need to be tuned to soil properties to avoid phytotoxicity yet provide increased Zn accumulations in the plant.

Evaluation of Authentic Human Caring Professional Practices.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to present an instrument and comparative database designed to evaluate patients' perceptions of caring behaviors of caregivers. BACKGROUND: Acute care leaders are under pressure to improve publicly reported patient satisfaction scores. Some nurse leaders have implemented professional practice environments based on human caring theory, whereas others have used scripting to standardize communication between staff and patients. METHODS: The Watson Caritas Patient Score (WCPS) is collected quarterly from a random sample of patients who are admitted to acute care hospital units. RESULTS: The WCPS was able to discriminate across unit types and hospitals. Items were related to publicly reported nursing communication scores. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in research based on human caring theory has given nurse leaders the opportunity to evaluate effectiveness of professional practice environments. It may provide the opportunity to focus staff communication with patients more authentically and in a way that enriches the experience for both.

Revisiting 'Discipline' in Relation to Caring Science as Sacred Science: Revisiting Discipline of Nursing.

The purpose of this manuscript is to invite a revisiting of the concept of the "discipline" of Nursing, with attention to the spiritual consciousness of "Nurse" within the sacred concept of self-caring and caring-healing consciousness. The notion of including the spiritual, evolving consciousness of "Nurse," in harmony with evolution of Professional Nursing, is congruent with a mature disciplinary matrix of caring science as sacred science. This congruence between Nurse/Nursing contributes to the evolution of Nursing, Holistic Practices and Era III unitary transformative disciplinary thinking.

Watson's View of Nursing Science Quarterly's 35th Anniversary.

This paper celebrates NSQ over the past 35 years, acknowledging its role in advancing and sustaining nursing as a distinct discipline, guided by unique knowledge, theories, and a maturing nursing science paradigm. A play on the number 35 can be considered significant and symbolic in numerology-as 35 represents the number 8. Eight represents wholeness, infinity, harmony, and leadership-all characteristics that NSQ has stood for as a leading nursing science publication.

Nursing Is the Light in Institutional Darkness: A Dialogue With Dr. Jean Watson.

The year 2022 is Nursing Science Quarterly's 35th year in publication, and we are interested in dialoging with some of the discipline's nurse theorists. We hope to uncover some influences and origins of their theoretical thinking and hear about their current projects related to nursing science. In this Scholarly Dialogue column, we dialogue with Dr. Jean Watson, nurse theorist, director of the Watson Caring Science Institute, and Distinguished Professor/Dean Emerita of University of Colorado Denver, College of Nursing.

Nursing Administration: Watson's Theory of Human Caring.

Watson's human caring theory is widely used in nursing clinical practice, education, and research; however, further discussion on the application of this theory in administration is needed. The authors in this article aim to substruct Watson's theory of human caring for nursing administration. Major elements of the theory-transpersonal caring dimensions, caring competencies, and caring moments-are presented in a model of substruction that links the theoretical basis to methodology. In conclusion, this theory can be used as a framework or a conceptual model in nursing administration within an organization.

A unitary caring science resilience-building model: Unifying the human caring theory and research-informed psychology and neuroscience evidence.

Resilience is the psychological capability to recover from difficulties quickly. Healthcare professionals are especially vulnerable to job-related stress and burnout. Unitary Caring Science is the framework for Watson's Human Caring Theory, providing a philosophy of practice in healthcare. With the high rates of clinician burnout and psychological issues, it will be significant to unify the human caring theory with research-informed psychological and neuroscience evidence to develop clinicians' resilience-building strategies. The purpose of this article is to introduce a Unitary Caring Science Resilience Model and explain the science behind the core strategies based on Unitary Caring Science philosophy and the psychological and neuroscience research. This model includes six strategies: Embracing loving-kindness for self and others; Nurturing interpersonal and intersubjective connections/relations; Deepening a creative use of self and sense of belonging; Balancing self-learning, self-awareness, and an evolved self-consciousness; Valuing forgiveness and releasing negativity; Inspiring and maintaining faith-hope. The caring-theory guided resilience-building strategies are proven to alleviate the depletion of clinicians' energy and emotions. Healthcare practices are challenging but rewarding. Clinicians can be emotionally, psychologically, and physically exhausted if they always consider themselves 'giving' and 'doing' institutional tasks without a sense of purpose or fulfillment. The practice can be rewarding if it becomes more aligned with clinicians' value to serve humanity. Through the unitary caring science resilience strategies, clinicians can build resilience as an antidote to clinician burnout and depletion.

COVID-19: An Organizational-theory-guided Holistic Self-caring and Resilience Project.

Purpose: In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global human caring crisis, this article describes an innovative, theory-guided, holistic practice project at a major academic medical center in Northern California. The purpose of this theory-guided COVID-19 project was to address the self-care needs of caregivers so they could better care for patients/families who are confronting daily pandemic demands. Study design: The organization's professional practices are guided by Watson's theory of human caring and Caritas Processes. This setting has 16 Caritas Coaches® who have acquired expertise in human caring from an accredited program of the Watson Caring Science Institute (www.watsoncaringscience.org). Methods: Caritas Coaches® were mobilized to implement holistic caring-healing modalities such as aromatherapy and mindfulness meditation throughout the organization. Findings: By addressing the self-care needs of caregivers, the organizational culture shifted from fear, fatigue, stress, and burnout, to more intentional conscious, mindful, caring presence, gratitude, and purpose. Conclusion: This study has implications for other institutions regarding theory-guided practice and system responses to self-care needs of staff. This study provides an overview of the project from its origin to implementation and outcomes.

Topology of cyclo-octane energy landscape.

Understanding energy landscapes is a major challenge in chemistry and biology. Although a wide variety of methods have been invented and applied to this problem, very little is understood about the actual mathematical structures underlying such landscapes. Perhaps the most general assumption is the idea that energy landscapes are low-dimensional manifolds embedded in high-dimensional Euclidean space. While this is a very mild assumption, we have discovered an example of an energy landscape which is nonmanifold, demonstrating previously unknown mathematical complexity. The example occurs in the energy landscape of cyclo-octane, which was found to have the structure of a reducible algebraic variety, composed of the union of a sphere and a Klein bottle, intersecting in two rings.

Embodying Caring Science as Islamic Philosophy of Care: Implications for Nursing Practice.

Despite the diversity and complexity of nursing theories, including those embedded with a philosophy of caring, few if any have aligned their assumptions with an Islamic philosophy of caring. To do so would call into question the compatibility of such caring for some Muslim scholars. The purpose of this article is to understand how and why an Islamic philosophy of care can be taken up through an application of Watson's caring science. In doing so, a broader understanding of caring is provided for nurses and other health care providers who work with Muslim communities in the context of care provision.

Nursing Theory in the Quest for the Sustainable Development Goals.

The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are intended to promote a safe, healthy, and equitable world by the year 2030. Nurses are at the forefront of realizing the 2030 agenda through concerned citizenship and professional leadership. Nursing theory informs knowledge development and theory-guided practice essential for nurses working in all domains and in all nations. Although all extant nursing theories are relevant, a select few are discussed in detail to make explicit the links between theory and SDG realization. Middle-range theories are also valuable in helping to contextualize nursing practice through the lens of the SDGs. The SDGs address five themes - People, Planet, Peace, Prosperity, and Partnership - and theory remains vital to ensure nurses working in all settings are equipped to meet the needs of humanity and the world, now and in the future.

From theory to practice: caring science according to Watson and Brewer.

Caring science is presented by Jean Watson and Barbara Brewer through an interview and dialogue format. Jean Watson presents caring science and its philosophy and evolution and the impact of her model on nursing and other disciplines. Barbara Brewer addresses the implementation of the model in a Magnet hospital setting and describes how her leadership facilitated implementation.

Caring science and human caring theory: transforming personal and professional practices of nursing and health care.

This article explores some of the latest developments of the emergence of Caring Science as the moral, theoretical, and philosophical foundation for nursing, leading to transformative personal/professional practices. Through nurse's taking responsibility for advancing nursing qua nursing, practitioners, patients, and systems alike are witnessing a revolution in nursing, which is restoring the heart of nursing and health care through theory-guided philosophical practices of heart-centered love and caring as the foundation for healing.