title: Toward a caring culture in professional nursing.
abstract: Nursing is a profession founded on the traditional value of caring. Faced with rapid and tumultuous change in the health care system, nurses are finding the environment of practice more stressful and less supportive. The ideal of nursing as a caring community is at risk because of economic and political forces. The authors review the impact of managed care and reaffirm the notion of the caring community in the nursing profession. Specific assessment guidelines and recommendations for the caring community are set forth for practitioners working in a variety of organizational settings. Organizational culture is emphasized as the context for caring practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Professional Roles and Mental Health Nursing, East Tennessee State University College of Nursing, Johnson City 37614-0658, USA.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rayman
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Ellison
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Holmes
mesh_terms: D004645:Empathy; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D015279:Organizational Culture