Nursing as caring sets forth nursing as a unique way of living caring in the world. This theory provides a view that can be lived in all nursing situations and can be practiced alone or in combination with other theories. The domain of nursing is nurturing caring. The integrity, the wholeness, and the connectedness of the person simply and assuredly is central. As such, this is perhaps the most basic, bedrock, and therefore radical, of nursing theories and is essential to all that is truly nursing. The dynamic, living idea of nursing as caring must be expressed knowledgeably. Perhaps for this reason, the book presents the essence of the idea and encourages its careful study and understanding in full hope for further development. In this regard, many questions come to mind in thinking about this work and its importance for the discipline and practice of nursing. * What distinguishes this nursing theory from others? * In what ways does this work add to the body of nursing knowledge? * In what new and distinct ways are we to view theories of our discipline and practice? * What are new descriptions of processes for development, study, and appraisal of nursing theories? * How will new relationships among nursing theories be discovered and described? As earlier theorists brought words and ways of other bodies of knowledge to help nurses know and articulate nursing, so some of the language of this new theory has been drawn from philosophy. Generally, the language used to express the theory of nursing as caring is everyday language. This model is a clear assertion of and for nursing--it distinguishes nursing knowledge, questions, and methods from those of other disciplines. It helps us explore ways to use nursing knowledge and knowledge of other disciplines in ways appropriate to nursing. This volume offers rich illustrations of nursing that will immediately seem familiar to most nurses. Many nurses will come to know new possibilities for nursing practice, teaching, administration, and inquiry more fully. In trying to open the door of this book and invite the reader to explore the Nursing as Caring model, I am personally aware that the living of nursing and the commitment nursing calls forth cannot be fully measured. Each of us is part of the ongoing creation of nursing as we share our experience of nursing. These attempts to share our nursing are a major part of the development of nursing as a discipline and professional practice. Our expressions about nursing are continually challenged as part of the creating process.