Jean Watson's Human Caring Theory: A Personal Nursing Philosophy

Introduction: Foundations of a Personal Nursing Philosophy

My personal philosophy of nursing is based on Jean Watson's (2008) theory of human caring, which is rooted in expressing love, charity, and compassion towards the patient. There are several core principles to this theory, but the central ideas are that the nurse should demonstrate authentic care by embodying and "being" the caring environment. Informed by this theory, my central belief about the individual person is that every person deserves to be cared for, and that the moral and ethical foundation for this concept is found in the Golden Rule and in the commandment of Christ that people should love their neighbors.

Every patient is in need of caring moments that can help them feel a higher quality of care, a higher quality of life, and the sense that they are truly valued as human beings. This is the essence of what it means to care for someone, because it will not always be the case that a patient's sufferings can be wholly alleviated. Yet that does not mean a nurse cannot show the kind of spiritual care recommended by Watson. Care goes beyond the earthly, and when demonstrated with sincere, authentic love it can transform the mind and spirit of the patient, bringing a kind of peace that would otherwise not be found.

Compassionate Care as a Moral Responsibility

My personal worldview aligns well with Watson's theory, and my approach to patients is shaped by a desire to truly provide empathy, sympathy, care, and compassion to each and every individual. As Von Dietze and Orb (2000) point out, compassionate care is a moral dimension of nursing. The response to a patient's problems is more than a natural human reaction; as Von Dietze and Orb (2000) explain, it is a moral choice that the nurse must make, because nursing is ultimately a moral responsibility.

That, I believe, is the essence of Watson's (2008) theory as well: by choosing to become a nurse, one makes a moral choice to support the patient regardless of their needs and to lift the patient up in a manner filled with the essence of charity and love. I therefore try to approach every patient as though I am approaching the concept of love itself. This enables me to remain calm and attentive, oriented always toward what is in the patient's best interest.

The Nurse as Environment and Continuity of Care

What constitutes the environment is my own sense of self and my presence in the moment. As Watson (2008) states, the nurse must be the environment. If the nurse cannot create an environment of compassion, care, charity, and love, the nurse cannot achieve the ultimate effect that the theory of human caring is meant to produce. For that reason, the nurse is responsible for cultivating the care environment from which the patient can benefit most.

In practical terms, however, the environment extends beyond any single nurse or patient, because at some point a shift ends and another nurse takes over. This is why it is important for nurses to share the same fundamental approach: when they are aligned, they can provide greater continuity of care (Haggerty et al., 2003). With continuity of care, the patient moves from one shift to the next without experiencing disruption or confusion over inconsistent standards of attention and quality. Nurses should communicate with one another about their approaches so that they can work together in ways that maximize benefit to the patient and maintain a quality environment from start to finish.