Jean Watson the Theory of Human Caring Emily Deloa, Sharon N. Guerra, Dakota Ramsey Point Loma Nazarene University Jean Watson the Theory of Human Caring 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. Jean Watson experienced two challenges in her life that reinvented her perspective. She lost one of her eyes in a traumatic event, which lead to her seeing the world differently (Watson, 2015b). Throughout her life, she was a teacher and provider of wisdom that expressed caring, but she had yet to live out her own life through her teachings. However, after losing her eye, she became a student of her theory. She learned to be still, let go, and experience a sense of openness, which got her through difficult times (Watson, 2015b). Another challenge Watson faced was losing her husband, who
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
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.
The Theory of Human caring is a middle range theory developed by Jean Watson with the 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. The Theory of Human Caring honors the unity of the whole human being, while focusing on creating a healing environment (Watson, 2006). Watson had preference for human science, and clearly shunned the mechanistic and reductionist word view (Watson, 1985, as cited in Fawcett & DeSanto-Madeya, 2017). According to Watson, person is “an experiencing and perceiving spiritual being” (Watson, 1999, as cited in
When asked to develop a personal nursing philosophy caring was found to be the main component. Jean Watson’s Caring Science as Sacred Science reflects this philosophy in which caring is the predominate component needed in nursing. This paper will provided basic information on the Caring Science as Sacred Science Theory. The paper will further provide a personal example of a patient experience in which this theory shaped the care and healing of the patient. The personal experience to be shown in this paper involves a patient with complex chronic illness. The patient had been hospitalized for over a month. Patients with chronic illness and in the hospital often experience feeling powerless, scared, distant, and confined (Kay Hogan & Cleary, 2013). When these feelings persist they overcome the patient and do not allow the patient to concentrate on healing or being an active member of the healthcare team. Patients in this situation need caring and psychosocial support before moving on with medical care. However, this can often be hard for the healthcare team. When a patient has complex complications often treating these issues is all the team has time for due to patient load and institutional demands. Jean Watson (2009) recognizes this in her work Caring Science and Human Caring Theory: Transforming Personal and Professional Practices of Nursing and Health Care. Watson (2009) recognizes nurses are often torn between values of human caring
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.
The caring theory was grounded on a humanitarian perspective and is found on a humanistic approach toward human caring programs and experiences. It acknowledges that life with individuals and their community to the surrounding environment are somehow connect and affects wellbeing of everything involved. The nature of the theory caring implies that it embraces reflective investigations as well subjective and interpretative inquiries. The nursing profession uses nursing theories as the framework and foundation for practice. Many people find nursing theories to be meaningless and of no use to the
A caring moment can be defined in many different ways by many different people. To me a caring moment between a patient and a nurse is when a nurse gives the patient their undivided attention. The nurse should take the time to listen to the patient and provide appropriate feedback reassuring the patient that they are being heard and the information as well as them are important. If the patient will allow the nurse to touch them this can be a very comforting gesture even if it is just a brief touch to the hand. Also repeat what
The human caring theory is based on and practiced through, Watson’s 10 Caritas Process (Sitzman & Watson, 2014). These Caritas pertain to many different aspects of what Watson feels are necessary to appreciate and give loving, compassionate care to patients. The 10 Caritas Process is a lifelong journey. In 2014, Sitzman and Watson laid out the each of the Caritas as will be stated next. In the first Carita, Watson wants to highlight the compassion and helping nurses can offer to a patient, but that nurses must also help their own selves to provide quality care. The
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
The purpose of this paper is an overview of Jean Watson’s Theory of Caring. This theory can be taken into account as one of the most philosophicaly complicated of existent nursing theories. The Theory of Human Caring, which also has been reffered to as the Theory of Transpersonal Caring, is middle – range explanatory theory. (Fawccett, 2000) The central point of which is on the human component of caring
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.
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
6) Caring is more healthogenic than is curing. A science of caring is complementary to the science of curing.
In order to effectively guide practice, it is essential that nurses understand and critique different theories to evaluate them for use in practice. For this paper I have selected Jean Watson’s Human Caring Theory: