Empowerment, Human Dignity and Caritative Caring in Katie Eriksson’s Theory

Abstract

This study analyzed empowerment in nursing from Katie Eriksson’s theory of caritative caring in order to deepen its relationship with human dignity, the relief of suffering, and the humanization of care. A reflective theoretical review, narrative in nature and guided by a hermeneutic-interpretive approach, was conducted using scientific and philosophical literature in Spanish and English identified through Google Scholar, SciELO, Scopus, and PubMed, with priority given to recent publications and foundational texts on caring science, dignity, patient participation, therapeutic presence, and ethics of care. The analysis showed that empowerment, understood as inner and relational strengthening rather than isolated functional autonomy, fostered respectful therapeutic relationships, increased patient participation in possible decisions, preserved identity and personal meaning, and reduced suffering associated not only with illness but also with depersonalized care practices. It was also found that empathic communication, therapeutic presence, the ethical inclusion of the family, and staff training in dignity-in-care were key conditions for sustaining truly person-centered care. It was concluded that Eriksson’s theory provided a strong foundation for understanding empowerment as an ethical, relational, and humanizing process within contemporary nursing practice.