This text examines a variety of nursing rituals in the context of caring science and evidence-based practice and demonstrates how understanding and incorporation of such rituals can have a transformative effect on contemporary nursing practice.

Table of Contents

• Foreword - Jean Watson, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN
• Preface
• Prologue: Rituals in Nursing: Underpinnings and Importance
• Ritual Foundations, Definitions, and Elements
• Nursing Literature on Ritual
• Section I: Rituals of Nursing Practice
• 1. Interpersonal Caring Ritual and Interpersonal Relationships
• Nurse—Patient Relationship: Opportunity for Caring and Ritual
• Traditions, Beliefs, and Definitions
• Interaction Ritual and Interpersonal Caring Ritual
• Caring Theories as Framework for Caring Ritual
• Relationship and Ritual
• Initiation to Interpersonal Relationships
• Artistic Interpersonal Relationships
• Research on Caring Relationships
• Interpersonal Caring Ritual and Symbols
• Summary
• 2. Bathing Patients: Nursing Ritual in Transition
• Traditions, Beliefs, and Definitions
• Bodywork and Dirty and Clean Work: Pollution and Purification
• Initiation to Bathing Patients
• The Art of Bathing Patients
• Research on Bathing and Hygienic Interventions
• Baths, Bathing, and Symbols
• Summary
• 3. Postmortem Care: The Last Nursing Care
• Predicting and Caring for Patients in the Last Hours of Life: Immediate Context
• Traditions, Beliefs, and Procedures
• Initiation to Postmortem Care
• Artistic Performance
• Postmortem Care as Bodywork and Dirty and Clean Work: Pollution and Purification
• Summary
• Appendix A: Excerpt From Tudor (1890)
• Appendix B: The Body Flute
• 4. Medication Errors and Medication Administration: Ritualistic Prevention
• Traditions, Beliefs, Practices, and Definitions
• Initiation to Medication Administration
• Art of Medication Administration
• Research on Preventing Medication Errors
• Medication Errors: Ritual Objects as Symbols and Ritual Protection From Error
• Summary
• Appendix A: Affirmation
• Section II: Rituals of Socialization
• 5. Change-of-Shift Report: Rite of Passage for Professional Nurses
• Traditions, Beliefs, and Definitions
• Initiation to Change-of-Shift Report
• Artistic Performance of a Change-of-Shift Report
• Research on Change-of-Shift Reports
• Change-of-Shift Reports and Symbols
• Summary
• 6. Nursing Ceremonies: Transitions Into and in Celebration of Professional Nursing Work
• Nursing Ceremonies as Initiations
• Nursing Ceremonies in Celebration of Nurses—Work
• Other Recognition Events
• Summary
• Appendix A: Nightingale Pledge Revised
• Appendix B: Nightingale Pledge
• Appendix C: VA Maryland Health Care System Observes National Nurses Week With Awards Ceremony
• Epilogue: Nursing Rituals
• Glossary
• References