The core of Katie Eriksson's caritative caring theory - a qualitative study from a postdoctoral perspective.

BACKGROUND: For about 40 years, Katie Eriksson developed the caritative caring theory at Åbo Akademi University in Finland. However, a description regarding the most substantial concepts and the relationships between these is lacking and thus needs to be explored. AIMS: The aim of the study was twofold: to explore and describe central concepts in the development of caritative caring theory from a postdoctoral perspective and to uncover and explore the relationships between the concepts. METHODOLOGY: The design of the study was qualitative with a mixed method approach. The material was collected from a postdoctoral group (n = 38) mainly through electronic questionnaires. The texts were interpreted through manifest and latent content analysis. FINDINGS: The analyses generated five main categories including subcategories. The main categories were 'Caring' 'Ethos', 'Suffering' 'Health' and 'The human being'. The relation between the main concepts compiled as 'A tentative synthesis of the main concepts and the relationships between them'. CONCLUSION: This study contributes to an understanding of the most fundamental and valuable concepts in the development of caritative theory during its first 40 years according to postdoctoral researchers' perspectives. This study also displays that the concepts ethos and caring have the strongest relationship followed by that between caring and health, indicating the inner core of ethos and love within caring which bears the potential of enhancing the patient's well-being and health.

Ethos: The heart of ethics and health.

BACKGROUND:: Ethics in nursing care are traditionally discussed in terms of moral norms or principles. When taking an ontological approach to ethics, ethics is about ethos. Ethos involves both an internal and an external side of ethics. Considering ethics and health from an ontological perspective can provide a different understanding of ethics and health in caring and nursing. AIM AND RESEARCH QUESTION:: The aim of this study is to deepen the ontological understanding of ethics and health in caring and nursing. The research question is as follows: What is the ontology of health and ethics in caring and nursing? RESEARCH DESIGN:: The study follows a hermeneutical design inspired by Gadamer. Participants and research context: essays about ethics and health were gathered from PhD students in nursing and caring sciences. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS:: The research follows Responsible conduct of research guidelines provided by the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity. FINDINGS:: An ethos with the values of freedom and responsibility seem to ontologically be important for ethics and health. These values allow a movement between the internal and the external sides of ethics that is important for health. DISCUSSION:: The ethos of freedom and responsibility that is essential for ethics and health can provide the current ethical debate a new starting point that previous research asks for. CONCLUSION:: Ontologically, an ethos of freedom and responsibility is essential for ethics and health in nursing and caring.