Jean Watson’s Caring Theory

The 21st century healthcare culture has increased demands for quantity and efficiency, which has caused increased stress on practitioners and staff within health care (Dudkiewicz, 2014). This causes distance between healthcare providers and patients leading to unsatisfied holistic needs. Jean Watson created the theory of human caring to emphasize the importance of connectedness between all humans through holistic care, and nourishing others and one’s self in a personal and professional way (Sitzman & Watson, 2014). The obstacles Jean Watson faced led her to create and revise her theory on the philosophy and science of caring, which then evolved and adapted in hospitals, and continues to shape the nursing practice today.

Human caring is what sets nursing apart from other professions. As Watson (1998) stated, “care and love are the most universal, the most tremendous and the most mysterious of cosmic forces: they comprise the primal universal psychic energy. Caring is the essence of nursing and the most central and unifying focus for nursing practice” (p. 32-33). It is important to establish a good nurse-patient relationship in order to create a healing environment that would meet patient’s needs on all levels including physical, mental/emotional and spiritual, promote recovery, maintain health, and create positive outcomes. Jean Watson emphasized the importance of human

Jean Watson’s Theory of Caring has six explicit assumptions. The first assumption is, ontological assumptions emphasizing on the oneness or the connectedness of the human beings. The nurse’s experiences and values are key points to the first assumption. The second is an epistemological assumption which states that there are many ways of knowing. This includes topics as oneself and patients to abstract topics and concepts in nursing. The third assumption mentions that there are diverse methods of knowing and that the collection of information is in various forms. This includes learning about cultures, talking to patients etc. The fourth assumption makes the diverse perspectives explicit in the caring model.

According to Fawcett and DeSanto-Madeya (2013), Watson’s Theory of Human Caring can be categorized as a middle- range theory due to its focus on the relation between use of the clinical caritas processes and the building of a transpersonal caring relationship within the context of caring occasion and caring consciousness. Theory of Human Caring honors the unity of the whole human being, while also attending to creating a healing environment (Watson, 2006). Caring is acknowledged as transpersonal, in that it goes beyond the ego-oriented human; it involves the one caring as well as the care receiver, and is mutual, intersubjective, and reciprocal (Watson, 2006). The integrity and usefulness of the theory will be evaluated based on Fawcett’s (2005) criteria. Why it can be argued that the Theory of Human Caring meet the Fawcett’s evaluation criteria, there is evidence of confusion and lack of simplicity.

Caring can mean different things to different people, however, there are a few principles that are important to all such as empathy, compassion, respect and trust. The act of caring is shown initially by our exterior presence but our actions and personality is what portrays our caring ways. Growing up in a family with morals and beliefs, has taught me to be an approachable friendly person, having strong qualities of respect and compassion for others. Knowing one 's self, the acceptance of others comes naturally and eases formation of relationships. Understanding the caring needs of others, I will establish the nurse-patient relationship. Jean Watson, and many other nursing theorist, have defined caring as the central concept of nursing. Despite the unique and personal needs of each individual patient – there are key characteristics that the profession upholds. Throughout this paper, I will talk about what caring is and how it is different in the nursing industry.

Jean Watson is a nurse born on Jun 10, 1940 in West Virginia, Southern United States. She developed her human caring theory which focuses on providing quality nursing care in the hospital setting. The main focus of her theory revolves around the principle of caring. Watson stated in her theory, disease is cure, but illness would remain because without caring, health cannot be attained (Dr Hicks lecture 2016). Watson believes caring is the essence of nursing and connotes responsiveness between the nurse and the person. The nurse becomes a coparticipant with the client. In Watson’s theory there are four concepts which are highlighted, and they are as follow: person, health, environment, and nursing (The Seven Assumptions). Watson stated

Jean Watson is one of the most influential nurse theorists of the 21st century. Her development of Caring Science/Human Caring Theory have put greater importance of a patient as a whole being, and a nurse’s role in care. Through her 10 caritas process, Watson has developed ways for nurses to foster a positive, caring relationship with their patients to aid in healing and development. The Watson Caring Science Institute as well as the Watson Caring Science Center continue the development and integration of these theories into the workplace, thus allowing nurses to provide better patient-centered care.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze and summarize the philosophy of nursing and how nursing theory guides this nurse’s practice. Information used to do this paper was retrieved from the online database, Nursing and Allied Health Source and CINAHL through the SJR State Library. Our textbook, The Conceptual Foundations and the Merriam- Webster Dictionary website was also used. Some of the search phrases used were Jean Watson theory of human caring, philosophy of nursing, and Watson’s philosophy and theory of human caring in nursing on the online database. The word philosophy was also searched on the Merriam- Webster Dictionary website. There was an abundance information throughout my research on

Watsons theory describes excellent nursing practice as a caring nurse and a caring environment being vital nursing practices to support the healing process. According to Watson showing a caring attitude can explain the increase of health and equilibrium (Cherry & Jacob, 2014). Utilizing this nursing theory predicts excellent nursing practice by incorporating a holistic approach

Nursing theories began more than a century ago with Florence Nightingale and began to flourish around the 1800’s, when education became the central focus of nursing (Current Nursing, 2012). Although several definitions and variations of theories exist, generally speaking nursing theories guide nurses in their daily practice and serve as evidence based foundations for clinical decisions and outcomes (Petiprin, 2016). Additionally, theories aim to improve quality of care for our patients and enhance nursing as a profession by inviting application of critical thinking and reasoning towards patient care (Current Nursing, 2012). Caring Science, as a theory has been quietly evolving for years (Rosa, Estes, & Watson, 2016). Dr. Jean Watson

“Nursing is concerned with promoting health, preventing illness, caring for the sick and restoring health” (Jean Watson Nursing Theory, 2013). This mainly focuses on health promotion and treatment of disease. She believes in holistic health care which is the center of practice for nursing. One that identifies and integrates the principles of holistic healing into everyday life is consider being a holistic nurse. “Holistic nursing encourages nurses to integrate self-care, self-responsibility, spirituality, and reflection in their lives” (Klebanoff, 2013). She defines nursing as “a human science of persons and human health-illness experiences that are mediated by professional, personal, scientific, esthetic and ethical human transactions” (Jean Watson Nursing Theory, 2013). In Watson 's model, “she makes seven assumptions that caring can be effectively demonstrated and practiced only interpersonally” (Jean Watson Nursing Theory, 2013). The assumption consists of Carative factors that result in the satisfaction of human needs and effective care that stimulates health individuallyor family growth. Caring for patient helps the growth of the

Nursing theory is assumed as the body of information, which is used to assist the nursing practice. Nursing models are created with theories and perceptions. They are used to assist nurses assess, plan and implement patient care by delivering an outline within which to work. Nursing models also assist the nurses to accomplish consistency and unified care. This presentation shall examine the importance of Dr. Jean Watson’s theory of caring in today’s nursing practice, its relation to metaparagidm concepts and how the theory help us to improve the current nursing practices.

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.

Watson’s theory of caring is related to the nurse recognizing the patient and his needs as the priority, with regards to his body mind and spirit. Regardless of the setting, hospital, clinic, or community, care should be rendered to the patient with knowledge and skill while creating an interactive relationship that allows challenge and growth for both parties. It is not just the nurse completing tasks or treatments as ordered by the physician.

Therefore, in determining a nursing theory in which GRMC could implement a professional practice model, it is pertinent to review the mission and vision statements in order to determine a common concept by which to follow. The apparent theme to the organizational mission in which to establish a theory-based nursing practice is- caring. Caring is noted at the beginning of the mission statement as providing care and compassion for all patients and is repeated through out these statements as quality care, cooperative spirit, and compassionate service (GRMC, 2009). Jean Watson’s Caring Theory would be an excellent choice in