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Jean Watson - Theory of Human Caring
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Jean Watson's
Theory of Human Caring
Karen Strickland
NURS608 - Athabasca University
Jean Watson
About
Jean Watson
Dr. Jean Watson was born in West Virginia in 1940. After she graduated from the Lewis Gale School of Nursing she went on to complete a Bachelor of Science in 1964, a Master of Science in psychiatric and mental health nursing in 1966, and a PhD in educational psychology and counseling in 1973.
Dr. Watson is a distinguished Professor and Dean Emerita at the University of Colorado, Denver.
She holds fifteen Honorary Doctoral degrees from various countries.
The Solution
Jean Watson is the founder and director of the Watson Caring Science Institute.
https://www.watsoncaringscience.org/
She has written over 30 books related to caring and her theory is used in practice and in academic centers worldwide.
Core Concepts
Watson's Theory of Caring was developed between 1975 and 1979 and has undergone several revisions over the years.
Watson developed the theory to counter medicine's concentration on disease and biomedical science models and to help define the role of nursing as a discipline and caring science.
Caring
Caring
Watson defines caring as the "...moral ideal of nursing [consisting of] transpersonal human-to human attempts to protect, enhance, and preserve humanity and human dignity, integrity and wholeness. It does this by helping persons to find meaning in illness, suffering, pain and existence and helping another gain self-knowledge, self-control, self-caring, and self-healing. Within this, a sense of inner harmony is restored, regardless of the external circumstances" (2012).
Metaparadigm
Nursing Metaparadigm
Person - "...a valued person in and of him or herself to be cared for, respected, nurtured, understood and assisted; in general a philosophical view of a person as a fully functional integrated self. He, human is viewed as greater than and different from, the sum of his or her parts" (Watson, 1999). This can be extended to families.
Health - "...unity and harmony within the mind, body and soul". Health is subjective and is linked to "the degree of congruence between self as perceived and the self as experienced". Illness is attributed to disharmony within a person (Watson, 1999).
Nursing Metaparadigm
Environment - Watson advocates for a "supportive, protective, and/or corrective mental, physical, societal, and spiritual environment" (1999). Health is influenced by the person's internal and external environments.
Nursing - "a human science of persons and human health -illness experiences that are mediated by professional, personal, scientific, aesthetic, and ethical human care transactions" (1988). Caring begins when a nurse and patient choose to make a caring connection.
Assumptions
Assumptions
Caring is based on an ontology and ethic of relationship
and connectedness, and of relationship and consciousness.
Caring consciousness, in reaction, becomes primary.
Caring can be most effectively demonstrated and practiced interpersonally and transpersonally.
Caring consists of "caritas" consciousness, values, and motives. It is guided by carative components (carative factors).
A caring relationship and a caring environment attend to "soul care"; the spiritual growth of both the one-caring and the one-being-cared-for.
Assumptions
A caring relationship and a caring environment preserve human dignity, wholeness, and integrity; they offer an authentic presencing and choice.
Caring promotes self-growth, self-knowledge, self-control, and self-healing processes and possibilities.
Caring accepts and holds safe space (sacred space) for people to seek their own wholeness of being and becoming, not only now but in the future, evolving toward wholeness, greater complexity and connectedness with the deep self, soul and the higher self.
Each caring act seeks to hold an intentional consciousness of caring. This energetic, focused consciousness of caring and authentic presencing has the potential to change the "field of caring", thereby potentiating healing and wholeness.
Assumptions
Caring, in ontology and consciousness, calls for ontological authenticity and advanced ontological competencies and skills. These, in turn, can be translated into professional ontologically based caring-healing modalities
The practice of transpersonal caring-healing requires an expanding epistemology and transformative science and art model for further advancement. This practice integrates all ways of knowing. The art and science of a postmodern model of transpersonal caring-healing is complementary to the science of medical curing, modern nursing, and medical practices.
Watson, 1999
Major Elements
Watson's Theory of Caring has three major elements:
- the caritas processes
- the transpersonal caring relationship
- the caring occasion/caring moment
Caritas Processes
Caritas Processes
Watson views the 'caritas processes' as central to her theory. The caritas serve as a guide for nursing as they help define nursing knowledge and practice.
The word 'caritas' originates from the Greek word 'to cherish' and Watson defines it as "appreciating and giving special, if not loving, attention to patients" (Watson, 2008).
Being authentically present, and enabling and sustaining the deep belief system and subjective life world of self and the one-being-cared for.
Cultivation of one's own spiritual practices and transpersonal self, going beyond ego self, opening to others with sensitivity and compassion.
Being present to, and supportive of, the expression of positive and negative feelings as a connection with deeper spirit of self and the one-being-cared-for.
Practice of loving kindness and equanimity with context of caring consciousness.
Developing and sustaining a helping-trusting, authentic caring relationship.
The Person
The Person
The Caritas Processes
Creating healing environment at all levels (physical as well as non-physical), subtle environment of energy and consciousness, whereby wholeness, beauty, comfort, dignity, and peace are potentiated.
Assisting with basic needs, with an intentional caring consciousness, administering "human care essentials", which potentiate alignment of mindbodyspirit, wholeness, and unity of being all aspects of care; tending to both the embodied spirit and evolving spiritual emergence.
Opening and attending to spiritual-mysterious and existential dimensions of one's own life-death: sound care for self and the one-being-cared-for.
Creative use of self and all ways of knowing as part of the caring process: to engage in artistry of caring-healing practices.
Engaging in genuine teaching-learning experience that attends to unity of being and meaning, attempting to stay within other's frames of reference.
Watson, 2001
Transpersonal Caring
"...characterizes a special kind of human care relationship, and as such, the nurse goes beyond objective assessment toward the patient's subjective and deeper meaning (Bayou, 2017).
Transpersonal Caring
Caring Moment
Caring Moment
This occurs when a caring connection is made between nurse and patient. Both are active participants in a reciprocal relationship with the goals of healing through self-awareness and self-discovery.
This involves trust, consciousness, intentionality and authentic presence (Lukose, 2011).
Watson's Theory of Caring can be easily used in daily practice and can help nurses find meaning and satisfaction in their work.
Applying the theory "..not only allows the nurse to practice the art of caring, to provide compassion to ease patient's and families suffering, and to promote their healing and dignity but it can also contribute to expand the nurse's own actualization" (Cara, 2003).
Theory in Practice
Strengths and Weaknesses
Critique
While the theory was initially simple it has evolved over the years from a straightforward framework to one that relies on philosophy and phenomenology. The complexity of the principles may make it difficult to comprehend.
It is difficult to empirically measure the impact of caring. Additional research is required to demonstrate the validity of the caritas processes.
The theory is broad in scope and can be applied to all areas of nursing and many different populations.
Jean Watson's Theory of Caring Meditation
Video
Video by Cindy Taylor
Conclusion
References
References
Bayou, J. (2017). Application of Watson's theory of human caring to end of life care in the burns intensive care unit: A case report. International Journal for Human Caring, 21(3), p. 142-144.
Cara, C. (2003). A pragmatic view of Jean Watson's caring theory. International Journal for Human Caring, 7(3), p. 51-61.
Lukose, A. (2011). Developing a practice model for Watson's caring theory. Nursing Science Quarterly, 24(1), p. 27-30.
Pajnkihar, M., McKenna, H., Stiglic, G., & Vrbnjak, D. (2017). Fit for practice: Analysis and evaluation of Watson's theory of human caring. Nursing Science Quarterly, 30(3), p. 243-252.
Taylor, C. (2013, June 13). Jean Watson's theory of caring meditation [video file]. Retreived from https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=jen+watson+theory+on+caring+meditation&view=detail&mid=4722949A4B514389418D4722949A4B514389418D&FORM=VIRE
Watson, J. (1988). Nursing: Human science and human care. A theory of nursing, 2nd printing. New York: National League for Nursing.
Watson, J. (1997b). The theory of human caring: Retrospective and prospective. Nursing Science Quarterly, 10(1), 49-52.
Watson, J. (1999). Nursing: Human science and human care: A theory of nursing. Boston, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Watson, J. (2012). Human caring science: A theory of nursing (2nd ed.). Sudbury, Ontario, Canada: Jones & Bartlett Learning.