Learning Objective #1: Understand important components of caring in nursing, and their processes in the Islamic perspective

Learning Objective #2: Apply this theoretical framework while caring for clients in practice settings

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The purpose of this study was to discover the key components of caring and their processes in the Islamic context using the conceptual level of inquiry. The outcome of the study was the formulation of a substantive theory. Seven participants who could contribute to the theory development were selected purposively. Three were Muslim scholars and four were Muslim nursing scholars. The study utilized the grounded theory methodology to discover caring processes in nursing from an Islamic perspective. Data were collected using unstructured interviews which were audio taped and transcribed after informed consent. Repeat interviews were conducted to clarify the codes and emerging themes. Transcribed interviews were coded and analyzed using the N-Vivo qualitative software. Codes were abstracted through constant comparative analysis to form theoretical constructs. Literature was simultaneously searched for support of emerging concepts and used as data to fill in gaps in the emerging theory. The concepts emerging from the theory of caring from an Islamic perspective were presented in the form of five dimensional categories and five anecdotal categories. They are physical, ethical/moral, ideological, spiritual and intellectual dimensions of human personality. The five antecedents emerging from the data were the five R's: response, reflection, relationship, relatedness, and role modeling. Balancing emerged as the core category. It was discovered that caring in nursing from an Islamic perspective was the act of balancing all the five dimensions of human beings through five antecedents. Implications for future caring tool development and modification of the caring theory from different caring theories and disciplines were presented together with recommendations for further research.