Embracing the Focus of the Discipline of Nursing: Critical Caring Pedagogy.

PURPOSE: To present a theoretical model that grounds teaching and learning in nursing in the focus, values, and ideals of nursing as a discipline.

ORGANIZING CONSTRUCTS: The critical caring pedagogy model was formed by integrating Falk-Rafael's theory of critical caring in public health nursing, Noddings' philosophy of caring education, and Chinn's theory of peace and power.

METHODS: The model of critical caring pedagogy was developed by logical analysis of the three organizing constructs and the conceptual relationships between and among these constructs. The analysis was informed by the authors' experiences implementing the theoretical constructs in teaching and learning.

CONCLUSIONS: When nurse educators ground teaching and learning practice in nursing's own theoretical and philosophic foundation, they teach nursing in powerful ways that show nursing values and ideals through action, revealing deeper meanings of the words that form texts, lectures, and objectives set forth in a curriculum outline.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Nursing students who experience education that is grounded in nursing's own disciplinary focus acquire an appreciation of nursing's disciplinary knowledge grounded in experience, paving the way for grounding their eventual practice in nursing theoretical perspectives.