Compassionate Knowing: Building a Concept Grounded in Watson’s Theory of Caring Science

Abstract

One of the most fundamental concepts in Buddhism is the idea that as sentient beings, we cannot escape the inevitable suffering that will occur in our lives (Hanh, 1999). Poet Mark Nepo (2012) echoed that philosophic ethos when he wrote, "the truth is that life will break us and burn us at some point on the journey. This is not being pessimistic or cynical but descriptive of the geography of being alive" (p. 115). Similarly, nurse theorist Jean Watson (2005) wrote that suffering is part of being human; without it, we would not develop depth, humility, or a compassionate nature. However, it is because we have the capacity to live compassionately that we can alleviate suffering and create peace and joy (Hanh, 1999). According to the Buddha, compassion (one of the Four Immeasurable Minds, or brahmaviharas) is what gives us the means to deal with and overcome our own suffering and suffering in the world (Dalai Lama & Chodron, 2014). The philosophical stance that compassion can be used to abate suffering is critically important for those in the healing professions. The purpose of this paper is to introduce compassionate knowing, a concept grounded in Watson's (2005) theory of caring science, as an additional form of knowing and contribution to the profession's epistemology. The paper is formatted in the context of Liehr and Smith's (2018) 10-step concept-building process, which was used as a guide in developing compassionate knowing. The steps outlined in this paper include identifying the practice story or critical incident that spurred investigation into the phenomenon or concept, the process of naming the concept and defining its core qualities, reviewing relevant literature, contextualizing the concept within a theoretical framework, and summarizing findings from a nurse-interview on the concept Liehr and Smith (2018).

Narrative Inquiry as a Caring and Relational Research Approach: Adopting an Evolving Paradigm

“…Healthcare professionals grounded in the philosophical and ontological underpinnings of Unitary Caring Science are invited to participate in knowledge development by embracing all patterns of knowing. These patterns of knowing include empirical, personal, ethical, socio-political, emancipatory, aesthetic, spiritual, compassionate, noetic, and unknowing (Carper, 1978; Chinn & Kramer, 2018; Constantinides, 2019; Munhall, 1993; Willis & Leone-Sheehan, 2019).…”

To a Centrality of Compassion

“…The emancipatory theory of compassion proposes that through introspective compassionate practice, nurses have the ability to alleviate suffering meanwhile creating peace and joy 1,10. While commonly cited qualities of compassion include empathy, selflessness, altruism, equanimity, and authentic presence, the emancipatory theory of compassion defines compassion from an Eastern/Buddhist perspective as the “sympathetic consciousness of one's own or another's distress with a desire to alleviate it.”1 (p1) ,9–11 Georges described compassion and compassionate practice as an “active consciousness, a way of being ... mindfulness and honoring of the other persons ... (and) a capacity for connectedness with others.”8 (p59) Compassion is central to the theoretical construct of emancipatory practice , which is described as a manifestation of compassionate nursing practice that seeks to empower the other, meanwhile dissolving the power relations and biopolitical spaces that cause suffering 1,8…”

“…Based off Georges' previous investigations into the nature of human suffering and informed by an Eastern/Buddhist philosophic ethos, the emancipatory theory of compassion was born from a desire to expand the 116 ADVANCES IN NURSING SCIENCE/APRIL-JUNE 2022 profession's narrative to one that included an epistemology and ontology of compassion, which is an empathetic feeling and accompanying selfless actions to alleviate the suffering of the other. 1,8,11 The central theme of the emancipatory theory of compassion suggests a paradigmatic shift: compassion is viewed as the essence of nursing. 8 While some theories have discussed compassion, Georges' work conceptualizes it differently.…”

Conectarnos con la compasión para preservar el cuidado humanizado

“…En su propuesta argumenta que el cuidado es un ideal moral de la enfermería, cuyos fines son preservar y proteger la dignidad humana, enmarcados en un proceso estructurado por diez factores que posteriormente derivan en el proceso denominado caritas. Aquí se explica cómo los enfermeros pueden optar por valorar, apreciar, prestar atención especial, acercarse a las personas de forma respetuosa y con conciencia plena, para crear una relación de cuidado transpersonal en la que se expresa preocupación por la vida del otro, e interés por generar un encuentro en el que se produzca una transacción de humano a humano que permita un momento auténtico de cuidado, lo cual tiene que ver con la profundización de nuestra humanidad, con nuestro proceso de llegar a ser más humanos, conscientes y compasivos (36).…”