As stated, the interviewee strongly identified with transformational leadership as a guiding theory. Most interestingly this view had evolved from previous identification with Watson’s Nursing Theory of Caring. The interviewee made a profound statement on the importance of addressing those you lead as a person first: ‘you are working with people, not widgets. If you do not see or treat them as a whole person how can they be inspired by you to accomplish great work? You are not there to direct them, nor be their friend, but bring them to the point that they see the impact of their work and are inspired to do greater work still’. While transformational leadership does speak to addressing individuals as whole beings, Watson’s theory addresses …show more content…
Elements speak to the importance of viewing clients as whole beings in order to establish true caring moments (Watson, 2012). It is through the multiple ways of knowing in nursing; science, art, aesthetic, intuitive, and ethical that allows nurses to establish a therapeutic transpersonal caring relationship (Watson, 2012). When applying this to leading, the same professional transpersonal caring relationship can be established with followers. This connection allows for a meaningful relationship to be established supporting followers in their needs as whole beings and identifying their driving factors. While transformational leadership has been criticized for lacking clarity on how a leader accomplishes transforming followers and themselves, Watson’s theory provides this foundation. Ten “Caritas Processes” within the theory, occasionally referred to as “Caring Practices” exist to achieve human caring which are further broken down into competencies to achieve each Carita (Wagner, 2010). Through the use of the Caritas competencies leaders can establish the same meaningful transpersonal relationship transcending the level of motivation of both leader and follower and accomplishing greater outcomes. Nurse leaders may find incorporating Watson’s theory into their leadership practice quite beneficial. Other healthcare leaders may also find this approach useful but may experience unfamiliarity with the theory due to its focus in nursing. Knowledge translation beyond nursing leadership may be warranted in order to address
One of the most influential and widely accepted nursing theorist of today is Jean Watson. Her nursing theory Philosophy and Theory of Transpersonal Caring was developed to help foster the caring compassionate side of nurses. The theory is focused around ten carative factors and transpersonal healing and caring relationships. “We are the light in institutional darkness, and in this model we get to return to the light of our humanity” (Alligood 2014). This quote gets at the core of what Jean Watsons’ nursing Theory of Transpersonal Caring aims to achieve
Dr. Jean Watson is a scholar, nurse, humanitarian and more. She is currently a professor at the University Of Colorado Denver School Of Nursing and has many distinguished titles such as Dean of nursing at the University Health Science Center as well as president of the National League of Nursing. She has earned her degrees, both graduate and undergraduate, in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing and has excelled to the point of receiving various prestigious awards and writing her own award winning books.
Jean Watson’s “caring science and the science of unitary human beings: a trans-theoretical discourse for nursing knowledge development is a scholarly article in which she intended to explore integration, convergence, and creative synthesis of caring science (CS) and the science of unitary human beings (SUHB); while maintaining the integrity of the theories. Of all the articles recommended to read for the philosophy course in nursing, Jean Watson’s article was the most challenging and intriguing article to read. I have been studying quantum physics, quantum healing, and holistic medicine as a dilettante researcher for the last five years; which enticed me to pursue a research career to disentangle the final healing process and bring that process
Vincent nurses, provides a framework for professional nursing practice guided this research. As the business of healthcare is about taking care of people, the model starts with the patient, and their family, as the central focus. Surrounding the patient, are the concepts of mind, body and spirit, which cause us to think holistically regarding the care provided. Finally, the core values/ faith based practices, guide us in managing our patients in a way that is consist with our culture/ values, supportive of our professional growth, encourages the use of best practices, that result in better outcomes, and makes us productive in a way the encourages giving back outside the hospital as well (Stone, 2011).
Watson first published her theory of caring in 1979 in a book titled, Nursing: Human Science and Caring. Watson and other researchers have built upon this theory and caring theory should continually be evolving as the delivery of patient care evolves. This theory focuses on care between the nurse and the patient. This interaction is defined as setting mutual tasks, how a spiritual force may help the interaction and when caring in the moment of true healing may occur. When the nurse and patient are on the same level spiritually self-awareness and self-discovery occur. There are ten themes identified in this article essential to caring in
Inspiring creativity, motivation and being able to lead a team and patients towards a goal is essential. It will be part of my everyday job to create attainable, measurable goals for patients to achieve, and I will be able to do this through the attributes and behaviours learned from transformational leadership.
The leadership clinical preceptor that I have had the opportunity to work with throughout the semester considers herself to be a transformational leader (J. P., personal communication, March 23, 2014). The preceptor displays transformational leadership behavior characteristics such as showing charisma, inspiring and motivating the unit, viewing each employee as an individual (Yoder-Wise, 2011). For example, she makes an effort to get to know each employee individually by gaining knowledge about their personal lives such as likes, dislikes, hobbies, and family life front the point of hiring the employee (J. P., personal communication, March 23, 2014). She also promotes and encourages her unit employees to function as a team not as individuals (J. P., personal communication, March 23, 2014).
Leaders will act as role models to inspire their followers. Besides, the leader will challenge the followers to take a greater ownership of their work. Transformational leaders normally understand follower’s strength and weakness so that the leader will not affect their performance when allocating task for them. Nevertheless, transformational leadership can inspire or motivate followers to achieve a better result compared to originally planned (Mihhailova, 2014).
Nursing educators and researchers developed theoretical frameworks for the nursing practice that are used to validate application of nursing knowledge and skills, and the theory gives a professional identity for nursing practice. Watson’s caring theory provides guidelines in transformational nursing practice, and stimulates nursing when profession experiencing shortages, decline, crisis in care, safety and healthcare reform. Nurse staffing issue creates potential challenge for nursing profession; therefore, nursing leadership should be involved, and actively participate to resolve it (Peterson, S, J. & Bredow, T. S., 2013).
Jean Watson is a well-respected American nursing theorist who created the Theory on Human Caring. Watson’s concept on caring for a human being is simple, yet has much depth and meaning, and holds strong for nurses to work with compassion, wisdom, love, and caring. The Theory on Human Caring is necessary for every nurse, as it is our job to care for others in a genuine and sensitive way. The theory is extensive; its core foundation is based on nine concepts all interrelated and primarily focused on a nurse giving a patient care with compassion, wisdom, love, and caring (Watson, J., 1999). The nine essential aspects consist of: values, faith-hope, sensitivity, trust, feelings, decision-making, teaching-learning, environment, and human needs. Watson also created the Caritas Process consists of ten different ways of giving care:
Leadership is described as the behavior of an individual when directing the activity of a group towards a common goal (Al- Sawai, 2013). Healthcare system involves multiple related, interconnected relations with other departments and health care professionals from various cultural backgrounds; therefore, the understanding of individuals’ behavior and group dynamics within the healthcare organization is imperative for a leader and or organization to be successful (Bukowski, 2009). A transformative leader has the attributes that are necessary for twenty- first century leader to have to be an effective leader in a changing nursing service organization and the healthcare system. A transformative leader is a type of leader that collaborates, encourages, and motivates people adapt to changes with charisma (University of Kent, n.d). Study shows that some leaders fail because of
Turkel, M. C. (2014). Leading from the heart: caring, love, peace, and values guiding leadership. Nursing Science Quarterly, 27(2), 172-177. doi:10.1177/0894318414522663
Dr. Watson’s caring theory was known as her Caritas Model, it was the intervention that framed it all. For Watson, the practice of caring is the central to nursing and is its unifying focus. It was originally purposed for her human caring interventions carative factors and later changed to the caritas processes (Nelms and Jones, 2011). The caritas was to restore love, compassion, and heart-centeredness; adopted by many hospitals in the United States. These practices focus was benefit of the patient and their
One must have the full desire to help and care for people in order to have an enjoyable career as a nurse. Nurses are known for the care and compassion shown to the patients and this is comforting for both patients and their families. Caring for a patient can raise their spirits and can inspire a better outlook on their situation. As a nurse, I want to care for all my patients with the hope of improving their health and outlook on their life. I chose Jean Watson because she understands that caring is the core of nursing and believes caring promotes a better health than only performing medical care. She was the first grand theorist that focused on the aspect of caring for the patient while also caring for yourself as the nurse. Watson’s theory
According to Yoder-Wise (2015), a leader can be defined as, “an individual who works with others to develop a clear vision of the preferred future and to make that vision happen” (p 35). As employees, we often have our own ideal of a good leader, which may be influenced by experiences and perception of workplace norms. While one’s opinion of an effective leader may vary, there are several recognized leadership theories. The following will focus on the transformational leadership approach.