The Effect of the Mindful Caring Education Program on Nurses' Intentionality

Intentionality is defined as the property of being about or directed toward a subject, as inherent in conscious states, beliefs, or creations of the mind. In nursing science, intentionality has been conceptualized as a dynamic and evolutionary antecedent of transpersonal caring in the mutual healing process. Intentionality is an ongoing process of discovering the nurse's self, purpose, and mission in life. The nurse's intentionality is a dynamic concept that evolves continuously. The nurse's cultural and ethnic background, philosophical and religious beliefs, life experiences, capacity for reflection, and self-awareness influence intentionality development and expression. It is recommended that nurses be encouraged to foster self-care and seek mentors and those who will support intentional care and healing practices. Also, breathing techniques, meditation, mindfulness, and self-reflection are recommended exercises for developing intentionality. Mindfulness is one way to cultivate personal knowing, awareness, and intentionality to facilitate growth and development in a transpersonal caring relationship. However, no research has been found to increase the nurse's mindful awareness or improve intentionality in the caring relationship. In this context, this research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of mindful caring education on nurses' intentionality.

Intentionality is defined as the property of being about or directed toward a subject, as inherent in conscious states, beliefs, or creations of the mind. In nursing science, intentionality has been conceptualized as a dynamic and evolutionary antecedent of transpersonal caring in the mutual healing process. Person experience stress, trauma, loss, and crisis in their lives in a caring relationship. These situations precipitate a need for healing. Intentionality enhances presence and brings a more profound strength and focus to each interaction. Authentic presence allows the nurse to hear the call. A nurse's goal and purposeful thought activate intentionality. The intentionality focuses on caring-healing consciousness. The nurse and person enter the caring moment. The nurse and the person enter a shared consciousness field.

Intentionality is an ongoing process of discovering the nurse's self, purpose, and mission in life. The nurse's intentionality is a dynamic concept that evolves continuously. The nurse's cultural and ethnic background, philosophical and religious beliefs, life experiences, capacity for reflection, and self-awareness influence intentionality development and expression. It is recommended that nurses be encouraged to foster self-care and seek mentors and those who will support intentional care and healing practices. Also, breathing techniques, meditation, mindfulness, and self-reflection are recommended exercises for developing intentionality. Mindfulness is one way to cultivate personal knowing, awareness, and intentionality to facilitate growth and development in a transpersonal caring relationship. Mindfulness is consistently paying attention to what is happening in the present moment. Mindfulness helps support full attention, deep understanding, and immediacy in caring practice. Practicing mindfulness, the nurse becomes fully available to see, understand, love, and care. Mindfulness facilitates attending to one's thoughts and actions in each moment to extend compassion to self, others, the world, and beyond.

Evidence shows that mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) help to reduce work-related stress, psychological distress, depression, burnout, and compassion fatigue. Also, MBI positively affects self-care awareness, emotion management, empathy satisfaction, professionals' receptivity, motivation, and responsiveness to others. However, no research has been found to increase the nurse's mindful awareness or improve intentionality in the caring relationship. The study aimed to explore nurses' perceptions of intentionality in caring relationships and the effectiveness of the mindful caring education program based on the Theory of Unitary Caring Science. In this context, the research questions are as follows:

Research Question 1. What are nurses' perceptions of intentionality in the caring relationship? Research Question 2. What are the facilitators of intentionality in the caring relationship? Research Question 3. What are the impediments to intentionality in the caring relationship? Research Question 4. Is a mindful caring education program effective in improving nurses' intentionality?

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* At least 1 year of working experience in the clinic, willingness to participate in research.

Exclusion Criteria:

* The exclusion criteria were that the participants wanted to quit at any research stage and did not complete the education program.