The Theory of Nursing as Caring proposes that to be human is to be caring. The foundation of the theory is that all humans are caring persons, that to be human is to have an innate caring nature. This directs nurses to respond to calls for nursing with an authentic presence.
As a nurse, the latter is consistent with what I presume caring to be, as active listening is a very important trait in the craft of nursing.
However, the definition differs in the sense that I do not believe humans are caring by nature. For example, Maslow's Hierarchy of needs are all personal needs that have to be met first in order for a person to begin to consider someone else. So, no, I do not believe caring is innate in humans.
However, similarly, I think a nurse has to be caring with a genuine interest for human kind with out prejudice in order to be a responsible health care provider.
The MSN essential that I correlate with caring is Essential VIII: Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving Health. Which states a master's-prepared nurse applies and integrates broad, organizational, client-centered, and culturally appropriate concepts in the planning, delivery, management, and evaluation of evidence-based clinical prevention and population care and services to individuals, families, and aggregates/identified populations.
This essential is unbiased and is fundamental in nursing.
Reference:
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2011)."The Essentials of Master's Education in Nursing". Washington DC.
Parker, M. E., & Smith, M. C. (2010).
Nursing theories and nursing practice. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Co.