Watson’s caring philosophy is used to guide transformative models of caring and healing practices for nurses, different healthcare professionals, caregivers and patients worldwide. Watson believes that it is possible to read, study, learn, research, teach about the theory, but to truly understand one has to personally experience it. (Sitzman & Watson, 2014). According to Jean Watson health is defined as high level of physical, social and mental functioning. Watson indicates throughout her work that all human beings have inherent needs to participate in caring exchanges, both as giver and receiver and that nursing holds the essence of this fundamental need.
The theory has undergone evolution for several years, but its root principal remains outstanding. The theory stresses on the concept of humanistic issue of nursing in conjunction to scientific knowledge. She modeled the theory in a way that it clearly brings out the implication and focus to nursing as a different health line of work. She believed that caring is a backing and support of the identity of nurses (Delaune, 2002). She added on that the identity of medicine is that of caring because nurses deal with patients and medicines; the same should describe their character.
Jean Watson is someone who cares for patients and believes that they should be treated with respect. Jean Watson created a philosophy for ten carative factors for patient care and how the role of being a nurse should be. Watson believes that it is the way to satisfy certain human needs. (http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/Watson.html) The ten carative factors deal with being fair and to respect yourself and others. She believes others should have hope and faith when modern medicine can do no more to help the patient.
Watson's Theory of Human Caring Deborah Bahador NUR/403 August 30,2010 Kimberly Frommel Watson's Theory of Human Caring Dr. Jean Watson developed a theory of human caring that I believe is essential to nursing. Caring is at the core of nursing and if nurses don’t care for our patients than they shouldn’t be nurses at all. With this our jobs become a gratifying profession as opposed to an ordinary job. According to Cara, (1991), “Upholding Watson’s caring theory not only allows the nurse to practice the art of caring, to provide compassion to ease patients’ and families’ suffering, and to promote their healing and dignity, but it can also contribute to expand the nurse’s own actualization (p. 51) According to Bailey, (2009), “Watson’s theory of human care proposes that caring might transform health care and preserve human dignity in the health care system (p. 19). If nurses are applying Watson’s theory to their practice, the result should be a continual transformation in health care.
Malinowski & Leeseberg (2002) discuss Watson’s views on caring and quote Watson (1988) as stating “that the goal of nursing is to help persons gain a higher degree of harmony within the mind, body, and soul which generates self-knowledge, self-reverence, self-healing, and self-care processes while allowing increasing diversity” (p. 49). Watson’s caring theory was originally composed of three main elements when it was first developed. Cara (2003) quotes Watson (2001), and explains “the major elements of her theory are (a) the carative factors, (b) the transpersonal caring relationship, and (c) the caring occasion/caring moment” ( p. 51). Cara (2003) continues by stating, “she used the term carative to contrast with conventional medicine’s curative factors” (p. 52). They were meant “to honor the human dimensions of nursing’s work and the inner life world and subjective experiences of the people we serve” (Watson, 1997b, p. 50).
People trust and depend on nurses, and I will have the ability to win their trust and become their healer. My main focus will be caring for people, I agree with Nightingale’s theory of nursing; she focused on caring and helping people coping with their environment and situation (Potter, Perry, Stockert, & Hall, 2011, p. 44). Also, I highly agree with Peplau’s theory, this theory emphasizes the importance of patient and nurse interpersonal relationship and determines its importance for caring patient (Potter et al., 2011, p. 44). These two theory guides me to achieve my values and belief towards nursing which are altruism which is a act of selfless care and developing strong bond between my patient and me helps my patients become dependable and make me accountable and responsible towards them. My definition of nursing has not changed; it is basically caring for people and being able to connect
From the understanding of how a person can adapt the human body and mind to a present scenario/situation to Watson’s Human Caring Theory, theories have been the back bone of all nursing education. The correct applications of theoretical models have known to create positive ripples in a health care plan. “A caring environment is one that offers the development of potential while allowing the person to choose the best action for himself or herself at a given point of time, the appropriate establishment of a caring environment will promote health, individual, and family growth,” (Wastson, 2012). The humanistic approach of the health profession as well as its’ roots are the values that are followed by heath care providers when providing care to those in need. The caring practice of healthcare personnel is directed toward providing compassion to ease patients and families distress levels and to promote their wellness.
Watson’s Theories of Human Caring NUR /403Theories and Models of Nursing Practice Priscilla Ricardo Introduction. Watson defined therapeutic nurse-patient relationship as, “ Nurse’s are expected to portray and act professionally, legally and ethically in order to established an effective nurse-client relationship. The significance of an effective nurse patient’s relationship is critical to maintenance, promotion and recovery of patients in every aspect of life. It is central to meeting the patients care needs and therefore communication between the nurse and patients is the foundation on which this relationship is built. The techniques to establish a warm and mutual nurse-client relationship are vital to understand and needless to say important in practice in order to come up with healthy and quality outcome for the patient as well as the nurse.
Nightingale believed that her nursing career was a calling from God. She utilized her attributes of love, compassion and veracity to promote quality care of the patient. Nightingale proved to be a provider of care, as she integrated holistic human needs in the provision of safe and effective nursing care. The holistic approach to medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body. I thoroughly believe that a person’s social, mental, and physical conditions all contribute to the healing process.
Watson’s Theory of Caring Kimberly Feehan Watson’s Theory of Caring Jean Watson’s first published her theory of caring in 1979 as a basic nursing text for baccalaureate students and it has continued to evolve over the years (Rafael, 2000). Watson’s theory addresses caring relationships among humans and life experiences and experience translates through multiple layers of awareness (Jesse, 2010). Caring is a different way of living, present, attentive, conscious, and intentional. Watson defines caring as the moral ideal of nursing that has interpersonal and humanistic qualities (Jesse, 2010). Caring is a complex concept involving knowledge, experience, and communication (Jesse, 2010).