Jean Watson Essay

2100 Words9 Pages
Dr. Watson’s Theory of Human Caring is based upon her views of persons and human existence. The persons are more than just objects, mental, physical, and emotional parts. Dr. Watson looks at the person’s inner self, spirit, and essence. She believes in a value system that places high regard’s in a person’s autonomy and freedom of choice. The experience and perceptions of the subjective inner world of a person and the one who cares for that person are of high value to Dr. Watson’s theory. According to Dr. Watson, “nursing is a human-to-human caring process that responds to each person’s unique inner world” (McNamara, 1995, p. 378). Dr. Watson’s Theory of Human Caring is a guide to assist nursing in goals to heal the inner self through; self healing, self actualization, self care, and to achieve harmony. Dr. Watson’s theory unlike many theorists includes caring for the caregiver not only the cared-for. The theory also provides a foundation to preserve and uphold the professional roots in nursing.

Jean Watson was born in the 1940’s in a small town along the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia. In 1961, Watson a graduate from Lewis Gale School of Nursing in Virginia continued her education in nursing at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She earned a B.S. in 1964, and her M.S. in psychiatric and mental health nursing in 1966. Watson then pursued a higher degree accomplishing a Doctor of Philosophy in educational psychology and counseling in 1973 (“Jean Watson’s philosophy of nursing”, 2010). Currently, Dr. Watson is a renowned Professor of Nursing at the University Of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Watson is the founder of the Original Center for Human Caring in Colorado. Previously, Dr. Watson acted as Dean of Nursing at the University Health Sciences Center and was also a past President of the National League for Nursing. Throughout her
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