1. CARITAS LEADERSHIP: CREATING AN AUTHENTIC CARING ORGANIZATION
RESULTS
“I am now a more caring, compassionate nurse/leader/human being.”
Observations: In the morning Leadership Huddle all department representatives contribute to the reflection. More & more hospital leaders appear to be working from a humanistic perspective. Nurse managers use Caring Science to guide their efforts.
Comment provided during 360° performance review process: “Being a Caritas Champion, there has been a noticeable change in her energy and spirit for the better."
PROCESS
PURPOSE
Our healthcare systems are in need of transformative nurse leaders to provide vision and reform. We must create a caring and holistic model that is based in national nursing standards which:
Includes the body, mind, and spirit
Is guided by compassion, teamwork, and a patient- and family-centrism to provide a humanistic care.
Inspires transformative leaders who are guided by a spiritual journey of caring and healing, and results in transforming self and system (Watson, 2005).
The purpose of this project was for Caritas Coaches to assume accountability for a culture of caring and implement intentional strategies to increase caritas consciousness, creating a biogenic caring organization through leadership presence and practice of the Caritas ProcessesTM within self and system.
Within Self : Developed Caritas Literacy: Caring as a way of being/becoming/doing/knowing and
care for, heal, & touch the human spirit (Anderson, 2014)
CONCLUSION
Staff Nurse
Nurse Leaders
System
The Caritas Coach Educational Program deepens nurse leaders’ understanding of the Theory of Human Caring, providing a transformative experience to enable nurses to lead by example and create a more humanistic environment and improved care experience for patients.
Partnering with another throughout the process supports learning and being in Caritas Consciousness.
Integrated Caring Science into educational program on Authentic Hourly Visitation (AHV)
Piloted the Nyberg Caring Scale, Caring Intention Scale, & Watson Caritas Self-Rating Scale (modified)
Obtained photo albums for all units to place patient/family thank you cards for staff reflection
Renovated select break rooms with healing color paint, relaxation chair, and reflections
Created book of nurse’s “caring moments”
Caring Science as an agenda item at Patient Care Services bi-monthly meeting
Presented an overview of Caring Science to the Patient Care Services (PCS) leaders
Join in centering prior to historically biocidic, high-conflict meetings
Communicate using Caring Science key terms, including a focus on biogenic, high energy words
Implemented reflection at end of daily inter-department leadership huddle
Changed daily hospital text to leaders
Implemented Human Caring Theory into the interview & hiring processes
Involvement of spiritual care to add this sacred dimension
FUTURE PLANS
We will continue to model Caritas Consciousness and deepen our understanding of the Theory of Human Caring through reading, practice, encouraging each other, and coaching others in Caritas Literacy.
We will study one Caritas Process TM each week with our leadership team.
We will encourage others to take this journey, and disseminate our work widely.
DJ Morton, RN MLDR
Michelle Camicia, MSN CRRN CCM FAHA
Northern California/Vallejo
Anderson, J. (2014) Unpublished dissertation: Exploring application of the caritas coach role in nursing practice. Abraham S. Fischler School of Education and Human Services, Nova Southeastern University. Kaiser Permanente National Kaiser Permanente National Patient Care Services (2015). Kaiser Permanente Professional Practice Model, Introduction to the Voice of Nursing.
Watson, J. (2005). Caring Science as Sacred Science. Philadelphia PA: F.A. Davis Company.