Jean Watson's Theory of Human Caring or Caring Science involves exercising core practices/principles. "Watson's theory of human caring focuses on holistic care and the authentic relationship between caregivers and patients" (Lukose, 2011, p. 27). The evolution from Carative to Caritas involves five principles. These are practice of equanimity and loving-kindness, enabling deep faith of other like colleague, family, or patient (otherwise known as authentic presence). The other is cultivation of one's own "spiritual practice" lending towards completeness of mind/spirit/body, a beyond the ego experience. The fourth is "Being" or the caring-healing environment. Lastly, openness to miracles or inexplicable life events.
The core concepts or ideas of the theory include a relational sense of caring for the self and of others. Transpersonal caring relationship or going beyond ego is the second one. The third is caring moment/caring occasion. This means heart-focused encounters with other people. The fourth is multiple ways of knowing through aesthetic, ethical, art, science, and several others. The other is mediative/reflective approach meaning defining one's self as a person, nurse, self, nursing in general. The next is caring is circular, inclusive, and expansive. The last is caring changes other, self, and the culture of environments/groups.
Watson's ten Carative factors or the Caritas processes allows one to put heart-centered/love caring practice into action. A caring moment is a heart-centered meeting with another individual. Specifically, when two individuals, each with their own phenomenal background/field unite in a human-to-human transaction that gives meaning, authenticity, intention, as well as honoring the person. It is a sharing human experience, expanding each individual's perspective and spirit, leading to a new discovery towards an improved sense of self and other novel life possibilities. "Watson's Theory of Human Caring was selected as the framework of this study due to its holistic and comprehensive nature for application in nursing practice. It covers not only physical aspect of care, but also covers spiritual aspect" (Hattakhit, Boonyun & Engebretson, 2014, p. 1).
Both individuals may define patient-nurse interactions as a caring moment in the sense that enables growth and learning. The patient may learn how to improve his or her health through the nurse teaching or educating the patient. The nurse may learn about the patient's history and empathize. In the end, each person takes something positive from the experience. It is both a learning and growing experience that if positive, can lead to alteration of perception for both individuals.
Patients often feel alone when they are faced with a hardship like chronic pain or chronic illness. If a nurse shows him or her kindness, it relieves the tension and anxiety the person may be feeling. This is in a way a caring moment because both parties show they can relate to each other by sharing experiences and responding to those experiences. People sometimes need a social connection, in order to get through hard times. They need to feel as though they are not alone.
During my interaction with one patient that was ill and had developed multiple sclerosis, she was under a lot of stress and pain. She told me she was surprised she received the news since she was older than the average age of development for such a disease. She began crying and she did not know what she would do with the information she received. She felt hopeless and lacked any sort of vitality.
I saw the way she acted and I myself gave her a story of my life back when I was feeling very depressed and full of despair. I told her of my misgivings in my youth and how I grieved and had to overcome that grief to live a better life. I told her that pain was a part of life and it enabled spiritual growth in the person. That just like death is a part of life, so are unexpected circumstances. I provided some information on various cases I myself have seen of multiple sclerosis where people remained healthy for years after diagnosis. I educated her on what she could do to improve her chances for reducing disability and increasing mobility.
At first, she did not seem like she wanted to listen. However, eventually she began seeing things from a different perspective and she began feelings better. She looked as though she had a renewed sense of hope that she would pull through this. She thanked me for my suggestions and advice. I felt we both has a different outlook from that one encounter.
A way I could have improved the encounter was to have better background knowledge on the disease. So many times people are not fully aware of what they can do to improve their chances of dealing with such a progressively debilitating...
Nutrition for instance, plays a key role in alleviating the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. Many patients with the disease have several deficiencies, particularly B12, vitamin D, and magnesium. I could have coached her on proper supplementation, which foods contain these key nutrients.
I also could have told her of who she could come in contact with to provide her with a thorough nutritional breakdown of foods. Board certified nutritionists are excellent to discuss with for developing an effective eating plan to manage chronic illness. These specialists enable a deeper understanding of health through nutrition and can monitor patient's nutrient levels more efficiently. In the end, knowledge is power. If I would have educated myself more, she would have received a better amount of quality information that she could then take and implement in her maintenance strategies for better health.
Watson's theory enables recognizing such patters and lack of attention to certain things to help therefore those more in need of assistance. "…a more inclusive theory of bioethics encompassing the standpoints and experiences of women and other marginalized social groups, on the examination of the dominant bioethical discourse that privileges those already empowered, and on the creation of new methodologies and strategies…" (Donchin, 2004, p. 299). Modern society needs a comprehensive approach to care that covers various areas. Without which, lack of care becomes evident.
Watson's theory is a necessary framework for positive impact on patients. "Watson's theory is proposed as a nursing framework that is philosophically congruent with contemporary global approaches to community health and health promotion. An overview of her theory identifies the centrality of caring, holism, and ecology in the theory as it has evolved over the past 20 years" (Falk Rafael, 2000, p. 34). This article explains the importance of caring in the bigger scheme of things as it relates to patient care. Patients require a level of empathy and caring in order to feel as though they are not alone in their struggle to regain their health.
The framework promotes caring in a way that invites evolution and change. "Watson suggests and invites us to consider the nurse as the environment. In this evolved framework we are invited to consider the practitioner and his/her evolved caring consciousness, presence, intentionality, and so forth, as the critical ingredient in the environment" (Watson, 2007, p. 129). These critical ingredients help harness the ability to cover most of the needs of the patient. It also promotes better understanding and cultivation of improved social interaction.
The theory of human caring was developed between 1975 and 1979…It emerged from my own views of nursing, combined and informed by my doctoral studies in educational, clinical, and social psychology. It was my initial attempt to bring meaning and focus to nursing as an emerging discipline and distinct health profession that had its own unique values, knowledge, and practices, and its own ethic and mission to society. The work was also influenced by my involvement with an integrated academic nursing curriculum (Parker & Smith, 2010, p. 322).
Watson's model best described as the nursing metaparadigm, explains the interaction between two human beings, how this interaction can assist the ill realize new information. This knowledge assists with recovery and promotes harmony. The nurse becomes involved in a trust with the patient during the caring development in which the goalmouth is intersubjectivity. Watson clarifies that because nursing is defined as a human science, important moral, mystical and metaphysical mechanisms parlay into a more spiritual connection. In describing the individual, Watson feels that the individual has three elements inside them, being the mind, soul, and body. All of which are then influenced by the self.
A person is both a spiritual and physical being, with an individual existence and experience. Health and the patient's apparent sense of health must remain in balance for true health to become reality.
Watson also discusses a sense of environment in more abstract definitions. Environments must possess a transformative nature. Watson believes that healing and caring must take place in a nurse-generated environment. The nurse assists in regulation of the environment, making sure all influences for healing are current, like support, safety and spirituality.
Watson mentions in her writings the ten central mechanisms called "carative factors" that function as the foundation of her theory. Ten carative factors surpass many of the old-style philosophies of nursing yet suggest the dogma of Nightingale. Some major points…
