Caring Theory of Nursing Dr.

Jean Watson

NURSNURS-2022 Allison Maynard Christopher Mabe Kaitlan McCain

Dr. Jean Watson Background

Dr. Jean Watson was born in 1940 in West Virginia, she received her BSN, MS and her PhD at the University of Colorado. She also has 6 Honorary Doctoral Degrees. Her research has been in the area of human caring and loss. She is the only Nursing Theorist to emphasize the concept of the soul and the spiritual dimension of human existence. Watson states that her philosophical orientation is existentialphenomenological, spiritual and based in part upon Eastern philosophy. According to Dr. Jean Watson she developed this theory to bring meaning and focus to nursing as a distinct health profession with its own unique values, knowledge, practices, and its own ethic and mission to society.

Overview of the ten primary Carative factors

Caritas comes from the Latin word meaning to cherish, to appreciate, to give special attention. It conveys the concept of love. 1. The formation of a humanistic-altruistic system of values. 2. The instillation of faith-hope. 3. The cultivation of sensitivity to ones self and to others. 4. The development of a helping-trust relationship 5. The promotion and acceptance of the expression of positive and negative feelings. 6. The systematic use of the scientific problem-solving method for decision making. 7. The promotion of interpersonal teaching-learning. 8. The provision for a supportive, protective and /or corrective mental, physical, socio-cultural and spiritual environment. 9. Assistance with the gratification of human needs. 10. The allowance for existential-phenomenological forces.

The Person (Patient)

According to Watsons theory, the person is viewed holistically as a unity of mind-body-spirit-nature, in which each part is a reflection of the whole, yet the whole is greater than, and different from, the sum of the parts. The patient/person is a functioning whole, there is no division among the mind, body and spirit. Both the nurse and the patient enter into a relationship as persons who participate and grow from the nurse-patient encounter. Transpersonal caring conveys a concern for the inner life world and subjective meaning of another who is fully embodied, but transpersonal goes beyond the ego self, reaching to the deeper connections to spirit and with the broader universe.

Mind

Body

Spirit

The Environment
Watsons theory states that the patient is directly influenced by their external environment and believes in creating a healing environment at all levels; physical and nonphysical. According to Watson, caring (and nursing) has existed in every society. Chromotherapy the healing power of color. Feng Shui the art of placement. Ultimately the nurse is responsible for creating the environment.

Health
In Watsons Theory, health is defined as unity and harmony within the body mind, and soul; a harmony between the self and others, and between the self and nature; and openness to increased possibility. According to Watson, illness is not necessarily a disease, but rather a subjective disharmony within the spheres of the person. Disease, in turn, creates more disharmony.

Nursing
Dr. Watson defines nursing as..a human science of persons and human health-illness experiences that are mediated by professional, personal, scientific, aesthetic and ethical human transactions. According to Watsons theory, nursing is concerned with promoting health, preventing illness, caring for the sick and restoring health. Gallup's annual survey of professions. The burden lies on us as potential nurses to live up to this reputation.

Theory Utilization in Nursing

In recent years, healthcare has become so complex, many nurses feel they are too busy or stressed to remember why they chose nursing. Once you apply this theory to nursing the ideas become instantly familiar: listening to patients, seeing the person behind the disease, paying attention to what they themselves are doing moment to moment, learning to take care of themselves. When nurses really listen to patients, they usually spend less time running to a room to answer a call buzzer. If youre able to make that connection with the patient, youre going to become more efficient because youre not guessing what the patient needs. Some Nurses who practice Watsons theory say its a reminder that their primary purpose as healthcare professionals is not to assess vital signs, fill out forms or insert IVs, but also to help real, living people heal and provide comfort.

Summary of Theory
To summarize, the key philosophical elements of the theory are soul, dualism, harmony, causality and time, spiritual evolution and self-transcendence, actual caring occasion and self. It is when we include caring and love in our work and our life that we discover and affirm that nursing, like teaching is more than just a job; it is also a life-giving and life-receiving career for a lifetime of growth and learning. Maybe this one moment, with this one person, is the very reason were here on Earth at this time.
- Jean Watson, The Caring Moment

References

Alligood, M. R. (2002). Nursing theory utilization & application. (3rd ed., pp. 97-121). St. Louis: Mosby. Masters, Kathleen (2011). Nursing theories: a framework for professional practice. (1st ed., pp. 310-311). Boston: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Parker, Marilyn E. (2010). Nursing theories and nursing practice. (3rd ed., pp. 344-350). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company. Reed, Pamela G., Shearer, Nelma C. & Nicoll, Leslie H. (2010). Perspectives on nursing theory. (4th ed., pp. 55-64). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.