Comparison and Contrast: Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring and Rosemarie Parse’s Theory of Human Becoming Nursing theory, according to Florence Nightingale, helps to describe and explain what nursing is and what it is not. Nursing theory is important because it assists the profession of nursing to develop and understand nursing practice (Parker, 2006). Two nursing theorists, Jean Watson and Rosemarie Parse, share some common themes and perspectives as well as some significant differences in their theories. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast these two theories in order to understand these similarities and differences as well as to examine the similarities of other nursing theories to Watson and Parse’s theories.
She is a nurse, writer, professor, and a theorist. The death of her husband made her develop the caring theory. The basis of Watson’s theory is caring for the person holistically. Watson supports the idea of humanistic and holistic care; focus is on “caring”, promoting health, and preventing illness (Duncan & DePew, 2005). Watson also characterizes nursing as a healing art and science dedicate to the pursuit of harmonious and sacred relationships (George, 2011).
The theorist’s background and perspectives will be explained and lastly the theory will be discussed as to how it can serve as an underpinning and improve nursing practice. Concepts for the Grand Theory When comparing a grand theory to a middle range theory, a grand theory is much more abstract that uses a wide scope to explain and define broad issues. A middle range theory is more specific, focused and concrete (Eldridge, 2014). Watsons’s theory of human caring is a good example of a grand theory. Watson’s theory takes on a holistic approach to providing care for the patients all around wellbeing.
It is also important to know where and how theories can best apply to current nursing practice. Compare and Analyze a Common Core Concept A common core concept among Virginia Henderson’s need theory and Dorothea Orem’s self-care deficit nursing theory is nursing. Both theorists use the nursing concept in their theory to define the role of nursing. Henderson defines nursing as the unique function of a nurse to help a person sick or well in the performance of activities contributing to health or its recovery that the person would perform unaided if he or she had the necessary strength, will, or knowledge. Nursing can also consist of assisting an individual to a peaceful death.
Critique of Virginia Henderson: Need Theory Many theorists have come up with conceptual models that tried to define and explain nursing, one of which is by Virginia Henderson (1966). In this model, she stated that “the unique function of the nurse is to assist the individual, sick or well, in performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery (or peaceful death) that he/she would perform unaided if he/she had the necessary strength, will or knowledge. And to do this in such a way as to help him/her gain independence as rapidly as possible” (Henderson, 1966). This paper presents an analysis and evaluation of Henderson’s nursing theory using Fawcett`s framework of analysis and evaluation of conceptual models of nursing (2000). The person as defined in Henderson’s model is all encompassing; it applies to the sick, the well and the dying.
Nightingale’s approach was patient-centered care; she viewed the person as multidimensional with intellect made up of "biological, psychological, social, and spiritual components” (Current, 2012). Nightingale viewed all people equally and wanted to help the masses that were suffering. She believed nursing was a service to God and that nursing care aided in maintaining or restoring patients through the alteration of a patient’s environment (Alligood, 2010, p. 99). Florence Nightingale’s nursing theory began laying the groundwork for subsequent nursing theorists. One theorist who followed in her footsteps and adopted her philosophy regarding nurse caring behaviors is Jean Watson.
Watson's Theory of Human Caring Blanca Castellon University of Phoenix THEORIES AND MODELS OF NURSING PRACTICE NUR/403 Michelle Dorin May 5, 2014 Watson’s Theory of Human Caring Caring and nursing have always been thought to go hand in hand. For the most part individuals choose this profession for their desire to help and care for other people. Caring as a fundamental concept has led to the development of several caring theories. In this paper I will be discussing Jean Watson’s theory of human caring. I will be describing the major concepts of Jean Watson’s theory and I will be applying Jean Watson’s theory to my own nurse/ patient relationships and describe the caring moments that took place.
In this paper I will discuss the importance of a framework of praxis, it’s application to the APN, what influences the framework and employing the framework into context. Praxis Overview Praxis has been defined in a number of ways for different disciplines. For the discipline of nursing it has been described as the art of the coming together of science and practice and linking practice and theory (Kilpatrick, 2008). Praxis can arise at an individual or a group level. At the individual level it is recognizing and reflecting on an issue that restricts one’s abilities and experiences, then taking action to change the issue for themselves and others affected (Chinn & Kramer, 2011).
Abstract Comfort is an important concept in nursing practice that must be used as a guide in providing holistic care to improve patient’s health status. In the history of nursing practice, the concept of comfort is vague and is often times linked to end of life situations only. Dr. Katharine Kolcaba, a teacher and a nurse researcher, developed the theory of comfort with the goal of improving the patient’s experience and overall satisfaction as well as to promote higher hospital integrity and better institutional outcomes. This paper informed the reader of the concept of Comfort Theory, its strengths and weaknesses including the barriers and challenges met when using the theory, its application and implication to critical care setting, and its relevance to healthcare professionals and to the health care system. Further on, the plan to implement the theory in critical care nursing was presented.
Heritage assessment offers an affirmative holistic structure for measurement and provision for racially proficient care. Health tradition evaluation form visualizes health as “the state of equilibrium inside the body, mind, and spirit, and with the family, community, and the powers of the natural world (Spector, 2004b). It helps nurses detect one’s classification with hereditary traditions. At first, nurses need to understand their own beliefs in order to respect each individual’s wishes to facilitate communication that can lead to healing process. Nurses intermingle with people from diverse branch of the world with a mixture of civilizing practices, so cultural alertness seems essential in creating a patient-nurse relationship during the interview phase of the health assessment, initial step of the nursing process.