Introduction: The scope of the term "care" and of related "caring" and "nursing care" is implicated in the range of relevant research. By measuring variables assigned to structural elements of care it is possible to undertake empirical verifications.
Objective: This work was undertaken to present and analyze the existing research tools used for measuring care/caring in nursing.
Methods: Our analysis of the existing research tools for measuring care/caring was done according to the criterion of specificity and distinctiveness.
Results: Research tools used for measuring care/caring in nursing comprise items belonging to two basic--technical and emotional--dimensions. Data are collected from the patient, the nurse, or the observer.
Conclusions: The comparability of measurements of care variables is achievable only if reliable tools are used in nursing research.