Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Jun 18.
doi: 10.1111/2047-3095.70014. Online ahead of print.

Transformative caring theory: A theoretical synthesis

Kerry A Richardson  1 , Mary K McCurry  1 , Susan Hunter Revell  1
Affiliations

Transformative caring theory: A theoretical synthesis

Kerry A Richardson et al. Int J Nurs Knowl. .

Abstract

Purpose: To develop an integrated nursing educational theory using Walker and Avant's theoretical synthesis methodology.

Data sources: Watson's Theory of Human Caring, Mezirow's Transformative Learning Theory, and nursing literature related to undergraduate nursing students' perceptions of caring.

Data synthesis: Key concepts from these theories were synthesized in the formation of the transformative caring theory.

Conclusions: The transformative caring theory provides a framework for nurse educators to foster nursing students' development of caring behaviors and caring competencies through emancipatory and transformative education.

Implications for nursing practice: To assist undergraduate students to gain an understanding of the importance of developing new caring meaning perspectives and caring attributes in their becoming contemporary, caring, compassionate professional nurses. Harnessed with this knowledge, students can become empowered as patient advocates through humanistic, emancipatory, and relational caring praxis to potentiate health, reduce human suffering, and address issues of social injustices and health inequities.

Keywords: Mezirow; Watson; caring; nursing students; theory.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

REFERENCES

    1. Ambrosi, E., Canzan, F., Mortari, L., Brugnolli, A., Mezzalira, E., Saiani, L., & Heilemann, M. V. (2021). Caring in process: A 3‐year qualitative longitudinal study of nursing students. Nurse Education in Practice, 55, 103116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103116
    1. American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (2021). The essentials: Core competencies for professional nursing education. https://The/New/AACN/Essentials(aacnnursing.org)
    1. American Nurses Association. (2025). Code of ethics for nurses. American Nurses Association.
    1. Begum, S., & Slavin, H. (2012). Perceptions of “caring” in nursing education by Pakistani nursing students: An exploratory study. Nurse Education Today, 32(3), 332–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2011.10.011
    1. Blum, C. A., Hickman, C., Parcells, D. A., & Locsin, R. (2010). Teaching caring nursing to RN‐BSN students using simulation technology. International Journal of Human Caring, 14(2), 40–49. https://doi.org/10.20467/1091‐5710.14.2.40

LinkOut - more resources