Jean Watson, an American nurse theorist and professor, was born as Margaret Jean Harmon in small town in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia in the 1940. Jean graduated from the Lewis Gale School of Nursing in Roanoke, Virginia in 1961, and then continued her education at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she earned her bachelor 's degree in 1964, a master 's degree in psychiatric and mental health nursing in 1966, and a Ph.D. in educational psychology and counseling in 1973. In 1961 Margaret Jean Harmon became Jean Watson when she married Douglas Watson after completing nursing school (Nursing Theory, 2013). Jean Watson is a distinguished figure in the nursing world where she is a nursing professor and a theorist. She held an endowed chair in caring science at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, is the founder of the original Center of Human Caring in Colorado, is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, served as Dean of Nursing at the University Health Sciences Center, and was the President of the National League for Nursing (Short & Williams). Not only has Jean made all of these wonderful achievements in nursing, but she is also the author and co-author of more than twenty books and is the recipient of many awards and honors. She holds ten Honorary Doctoral Degrees, including 7 International Honorary Doctorates (Watson Caring Science Institute & International Caritas Consortium, 2014). Some of her awards include The Fetzer Institute
Florence Nightingale, considered the founder of modern nursing, first began to establish nursing as a profession during the Crimean War. Since then, nursing theorists have continued to expand on the thought that patients are made up of more than just the symptoms they present with, Abraham Maslow, Carl Jung, Dr. Larry Dossey and Dorothy Johnson, but none more so than Jean Watson. She developed a theory of human caring that contained several core concepts, these concepts lay forth the ground work for how we, as nurses, should care for a patient. These concepts included transpersonal caring relationships (going beyond ego to higher “spiritual” caring
Jean Watson’s theory of human caring is one that elevates nursing from being merely a clinical
Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring. The theory can be described as an expanded view of
Jean Watson is a very accomplished member of the nursing community. Her emphasis on nursing as a science as well as an art of caring has shifted the professions gaze back to the nurse-patient relationship.
She was a Distinguished Professor and Dean Emerita, University of Colorado Denver College of Nursing Anschutz Medical Center campus where she received and held the nation’s first Chair in Caring Science for 16 years (Watson’s Caring Science Institute, 2017). Dr. Watson founded the original Center for Human Caring in Colorado and was a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (Watson’s Caring Science Institute, 2017). She was President of the National League for Nursing and a founding member of International Association in Human Caring and International Caritas Consortium as well as the Founder and Director of non-profit foundation, (Watson’s Caring Science Institute, 2017). Dr. Watson developed the Theory of Caring in 1979 with the latest revision occurring in 2008 (Watson’s Caring Science Institute, 2017). Finally, Dr. Watson taught for many years at the University Health Science Center in Denver, Colorado and has written and contributed to several books and peer-reviewed scholarly articles (Watson, 2008). She retired in 2013, but still speaks publically from time to time. She has several Youtube videos available for viewing.
As stated by Butts & Rich (2015, p 502) Jean Watson’s caring theory states that the disease might be cured, but illness would remain because without caring, health is not attained. Butts & Rich (2015, p 502) continue that caring is the essence of nursing and the relationship between the nurse and the person and that caring can assist the person to gain control, become knowledgeable, and promote health
Jean Watson’s theories of nursing are instrumental in today’s structure of nursing. Watson’s theories are being practiced in various health care setting all over the world. One of these theories in the nursing process. This entails first assessing patient, planning, intervention and evaluation. There is multitude of research proving these theories to be effective in treating and caring for patients with this consistent approach. In this paper I will dissect her different carative factors learned and that
The caring theorist, Jean Watson, first developed her theory and published the philosophy and science of caring in 1979 (Current Nursing, 2011). She describes nursing as a process of caring not curing, and that it is effectively practiced and demonstrated interpersonally only. Her theory also “suggests that caring is a different way of being human, present, attentive, conscious, and intentional” (Wafika, Welmann, Omer, & Thomas, December 2009, p. 293). Watson believed that “caring is central to nursing and the unifying focus for [our] practice (Blais, Hayes,
She believes effective caring promotes health and the core to nursing is ‘nurse-patient relationships that result in a therapeutic outcome’ (Watson, 2002). A nurse’s attitude and competence can affect a patient’s world, making it bigger or smaller, threatening or secure. Watson believes these moments transformed the nurse and the patient and they were connected together.
Jean Watson, PHD, RN, AHC-BC, FAAN is a recognized professor of nursing, and beneficiary of the Murchinson-Scoville Blessed Seat in Caring Science, at the College of Colorado in Denver, Colorado. She is a researcher, creator, instructor, and originator of the Watson Caring Science Establishment, a worldwide, non-benefit establishment that is devoted to supporting, growing and augmenting the hypotheses and practices of human caring in social insurance (Watson Caring Science Organization, n.d). Jean Watson has six privileged doctorates and has gone all through the world developing, showing and operationalizing the theory of human caring in the work of medical nurses and social insurance. Jean Watson was conceived in West Virginia in July of 1940. She moved on from nursing school in 1961 in Virginia and afterward went to the College of Colorado to finish her BS, and MS in nursing and her Ph.D. in 1973.
She is the first nursing theorist to support the idea of soul and to accentuate the spiritual dimension of human existence. Watson describes nursing as an art and a human science with the major focus being the process of a human care for individuals, families and groups. According to her beliefs, body, mind and soul are distinquished from each other. Nevertheless, Watson also states that harmony is required among the three to be the highest form of health and that it is the nursing goal to help people to reach this equanimity. This goal can be accomplished through transpersonal relationship.
Jean Watson’s nursing theory, the Philosophy and Science of Caring, and the theory of exclusive breastfeeding contributing to cognitive development go hand-in-hand with one another. This grand range theory attributes ten factors to nursing success through a caring manner. One can take these ten caritas processes into account throughout any field of nursing care.
Born in West Virginia theorist Jean Watson has had a very distinguished career, as a nurse educator and researcher in the area of “human caring and loss” (Nursing Theories, 2012, p.1). Beginning her education with a BSN from University of
My personal philosophy aligns with that of Jean Watson Theory of Human Caring in nursing. Nursing is more than treating an illness. Jean Watson mentioned Caring Sciences involved the Humanity, Arts and Sciences. My attitude is one of caring, compassion, and service. I feel extremely satisfied when I care for others and make a difference in their lives. It is interesting to know that Jean Watson Theory of Human Caring in nursing is used by most clinical nurses and academic programs worldwide. Her Caring Theory has made a
Jean Watson's theory of nursing is based on the ideas of a number of philosophers and psychologists, including Carl Rogers, most specifically on his "phenomenological psychology and philosophy" (Tourville and Ingalls, 2003, p. 21). Her theory evolved over at least two decades of diverse experiences. Watson's theory is referred to as Transpersonal Caring because it emphasizes unity in the world (Tourville and Ingalls, 2003). Watson proposed that caring is a natural act for humans and it becomes a moral principle at the point when a patient and a nurse share a caring experience (Watson 2007). According to Watson, the goal of nursing is to help the patient achieve harmony of mind, body and spirit (Watson, 2007).