The purpose of this chapter is to describe and
explain “knowing persons as whole,” a framework
of nursing guiding its practice and grounded in the
theoretical construct oftechnology competency as
caring in nursing(Locsin, 2004). This framework of
practice illuminates the harmonious relationship
between technology competency and caring in
nursing. In this model, the focus of nursing is the
person, a human being whose hopes, dreams, and
aspirations are to live life fully as a caring person
(Boykin and Schoenhofer, 2001).
Introducing the Theory
As a model of practice,technological competency as
caring in nursing(Locsin, 2004) is as valuable today
as it has been and will continue to be in the future.
Advancing technologies in health care demand ex-
pertise with technologies. Often, such expertise is
perceived as noncaring. It is the view of this chap-
ter, however, that being technologically competent
is being caring. As such, in appreciating this prac-
tice model, the following assumptions are posited:
- Persons are whole or complete in the moment
(Boykin and Schoenhofer, 2001). - Knowing persons is a process of nursing that
allows for continuous appreciation of persons
moment to moment (Locsin, 2005). - Nursing is a discipline and a professional prac-
tice (Boykin and Schoenhofer, 2001) - Technology is used to know persons as whole
moment to moment (Locsin, 2004).
The ultimate purpose of technological compe-
tency in nursing is to acknowledge that wholeness
of persons is a focus of nursing and that various
The ultimate purpose of technological
competency in nursing is to acknowledge
that wholeness of persons is a focus of
nursing.technological means can and should be used in
nursing in order for nursing to realize the whole-
ness of person more fully. This acknowledgment
brings together the relatively abstract concept of
wholeness of person with the more concrete con-
cept of technology. Such acknowledgment compels
the redesigning of processes of nursing—ways of
expressing, celebrating, and appreciating the prac-
tice of nursing as continuously knowing persons as
whole moment to moment. In this practice of nurs-
ing, technology is used not to know “what is the
person?” but rather to know “who is the person?”
Appropriately, answers to the former question al-
ludes to an expectation of knowing empirical facts
about the composition of the person; the latter
question requires the understanding of an unpre-
dictable, irreducible person who is more than and
different from the sum of his or her empirical self.
The former question alludes to the idea of persons
as objects; the latter addresses the uniqueness and
individuality of persons as human beings who con-
tinuously unfold and therefore require continuous
knowing (Locsin, 2004).PERSONS AS WHOLE AND
COMPLETE IN THE MOMENT
One of the earlier definitions of the word person
was evident in Hudson’s 1988 publication claiming
that the “emphasis on inclusive rather than sexist
language has brought into prominence the use of
the word ‘person’” (p. 12). The origin of the word
personis from the Greek word prosopon, which
means the actor’s mask of Greek tragedy; in Roman
origin,personaindicated the role played by the in-
dividual in social or legal relationships. Hudson
(1988) also declares that “an individual in isolation
is contrary to an understanding of ‘person’” (p. 15).
A necessary appreciation of persons is the view
that human beings are whole or complete in the
moment. As such, there is no need to fix them or
to make them complete again (Boykin and
Schoenhofer, 2001). There is no lack or anything
missing that requires nurses’ intervening to make
persons “whole or complete” again, or for nurses to
assist in this completion. Persons are complete in
the moment. Their varying situations of care de-
mand calls for creativity, innovation, and imagina-
tion from nurses so that they may come to know
the persons as “whole” persons. The uniqueness of
the person is relative to the response called forth in
particular situations.
Inherent in humans as unpredictable, dynamic,
and living beings is the regard for self-as-person.
This appreciation is like the human concern for se-
curity, safety, self-esteem, and actualization popu-
larized by Maslow (1943) in his quintessential
theoretical model on the “hierarchy of needs.” MoreCHAPTER 24 Technological Competency as Caring and the Practice of Knowing Persons as Whole 381