Analysis, Evaluation, and Application of the Theory of Caring Jean Watson’s theory of human caring looks at how the nurse and the patient connect to enhance the wellbeing of each other. Watson’s theory is at the center of nursing beliefs as well as important within the concept of patient centered care. This paper will analyze, evaluate the theory, and discuss an application of the theory as it applies to psychiatric nurse practitioners (PMHNP). Analysis of the Theory Jean Watson’s theory of caring stems from a diversified set of pioneering nurses as well as those in philosophy and psychology. Watson has generated a humanistic theory approach to nursing care, which reflects upon the nurse’s understanding of his- or her-self to go past the objective …show more content…
The desired outcome of the theory is the creation a transpersonal relationship between the nursing and the human (patient). This relationship is based on respect and a genuine connection to provide optimal health for both parties. The components of the theory according to Watson (2012) are the carative factors that provide structure for nursing care and assist nurses in providing loving care (Watson, 2012, p. 239). The carative, or caritas, are the foundation of the caring spirit which the nurse is the build upon. The factors include the nurse being: humanistic, authentic in the moment, spiritual, sensitive, trusting, supportive, informative on the patient’s level, making the environment healthy, supportive to basic needs, and maintaining an open mind (Watson, …show more content…
Interacting with patients within the mental health field requires flexibility to build an authentic and trusting relationship with the patient. According to Gleeson and Higgins (2009) the nurse is required do their best to utilize other caring techniques and knowing when to utilize sensitivity, or a boundary, compared to therapeutic touch (p. 387). The client must still be respected as a human being. Although relationships may be harder to establish, it is the role of PMHNP to treat the patients with a positive and supportive experience. As Barker, Reynolds & Stevenson (1997) stated “It is the duty of the psychiatric nurses to give up the notion of a disease (such as schizophrenia) and to think exclusively of patients as persons“(Barker, Reynolds & Stevenson, 1997,
Both theories use communication as the backbone to their theories and in developing an environment conducive to promote healing. Although communication is the framework for both theories, types of communication is looked at different in each theory. In Watson’s theory, she that communication is a spiritual occurrence. The focus is on nonverbal as well as verbal expressions. She also involves personal experiences and growth, art, religious practices. Watson uses the concept of care as the center of nursing care. The goal of the Human Care Theory is for the patient and nurse to gain a higher degree of harmony within themselves, cultivating a wholeness of mind/body/spirit (Watson Caring Science Institute, 2010, p.
This may be affected more in some fields of nursing than in others due to the amount of time each nurse can be spent with each patient, but should always be incorporated as much as possible. Potter et al. mentions that "by establishing a caring relationship, the understanding that develops helps the nurse to better know the patient as a unique individual and choose the most appropriate and efficacious nursing therapies" (2013, p. 85). By getting to know your patient, it makes your routine slightly easier as you can engage in practice knowing how that patient reacts, thinks and copes with different situations. It also allows that bond of comfort and trust to exist that will have the patient open up to personal feelings and other necessary subjective data needed to fully care for the individual as well as develops credibility when patient education is initiated. This is something that may develop over time but in the acute setting can be established by simply remembering the name of the patient, sometimes that may be all that is necessary for the patient to feel known by the nurse. Just reciprocating conversation about life, their experiences, their fears, and their thoughts on health is substantial for developing a caring moment and incorporating the fourth caritas process between the patient and
Every person’s needs must be recognized, respected, and filled if he or she must attain wholeness. The environment must attuned to that wholeness for healing to occur. Healing must be total or holistic if health must be restored or maintained. And a nurse-patient relationship is the very foundation of nursing (Conway et al 2011; Johnson, 2011). The Theory recognizes a person’s needs above all. It sets up the conducive environment to healing. It addresses and works on the restoration and maintenance of total health rather than only specific parts or aspect of the patient’s body or personality. And these are possible only through a positive healing relationship between the patient and the nurse (Conway et al, Johnson).
Watson, J. (2001). Jean Watson: Theory of human caring. In M.E. Parker (Ed.), Nursing theories and nursing practice (pp. 343-354). Philadelphia: Davis.
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
Stockmann. C. (2005) A literature review of the progress of the psychiatric nurse-patient relationship as described by Peplau. Issues In Mental Health Nursing. 26(9). 911-919
In conclusion, Jean Watson’s theory of caring, a middle-range theory, provides essential framework and guidelines in nursing shortage problem. Nurses who exposed to caring theory have moral and ethical obligations to care for others during challenging situations. Patients, families and other professionals depend on nursing profession, their expertise and knowledge for best patient
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:
Jean Watson’s Theory of Caring. Since its establishment as a profession more than a century ago, nursing has been a source for numerous debates related to its course, methods and development of nursing knowledge. Many nursing definitions and theories have evolved over time. Furthermore, it is in a constant process of being redefined.
When I became a nurse, in my heart, I knew that I was a caring person; however, I did not have a caring theory driving my practice. After studying Watson’s Human Caring Science Theory, the theory is consistent with my values, which emphasizes a holistic approach with mind, body, and spirit through a caring nurse patient relationship in an environment that promotes healing, comfort, and dignity. Human Caring Science gives the privilege of viewing human life with wonder, respect, and appreciates small and large miracles, which allows the inner world of the patient and nurse to come together in a unique human relationship, in the here and now moment (Watson, 2012, p. 24).
She proposed that caring and love are universal and mysterious (Wagner, 2010). Watson believes that health professionals make moral, social, and scientific contributions to humanity and that a nurses' caring ideal can affect human development (Wagner, 2010). Watson believes that it is imperative in today's society to maintain a caring ideology in practice (Wagner, 2010). Caring is a concept that focuses on having a respectful, non-judgmental, supportive attitude that contributes to the healing process. Watson's theory, in relationship to the metaparadigm of nursing, focuses on the relationship between the nurse and the patient (Wagner, 2010). According to Watson's theory, the nurse and patient form a caring relationship where both the patient and the nurse promote healing (Wagner, 2010). In general, the theory of caring reminds us that a nurse can have a great impact on the life of a patient. If I were to add a new conceptual metaparadigm, it would be the concept of caring since I firmly believe that without caring it will be almost impossible to have wellness at all. If I were to choose one metaparadigm concept to eliminate, I would opt to remove the concept of health since I think that in the concepts of caring and nursing the individual's health should be fully
Watson’s Theory of Transpersonal Caring is considered a philosophy; therefore, it is very broad and general in scope. Included in the theory are ten caritas the nurse should practice promoting a meaningful nurse-patient relationship (Sitzman & Wright Eichelberger, 2017).
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
Nursing is not just a profession where a nurse uses the latest and the greatest of medical advancements to provide the best of care for his or her patients. The use of electronics and ever advancing technology seems to have pushed the “personal” aspect of nursing to the background. Nurses today have to preform a complex balancing act to incorporate both the science and the spirituality of nursing to provide the best care for their patients. Nurses are to care for the “inherent respect, worthy of honor, high regard” the dignity of our patients. (Parse, 2010, p. 257) Watson’s Theory of Human Caring emphasizes the need for nurses to create a healing environment by finding the “caring moment” and
“Nursing encompasses an art, a humanistic orientation, a feeling for the value of the individual, and an intuitive sense of ethics, and of the appropriateness of action taken’, said Myrtle Aydelott (Hammarskjold, 2000). Nurses have our patients trust with their lives every day. These patients have needs that must be understood and met, whether; physical, psychological, or emotional. Nurses must provide nonjudgmental care to those in need, regardless of culture, religion, lifestyle choices, financial status, or hues of the human race. To quote Jean Watson, nursing theorist, “I am here to care for others, regardless of where they came from” (Hammarskjold, 2000). I believe that the nursing profession chose me because I have always had a calling to help those in need. Nursing