Also known as Caring Science or the Theory of Human Caring, Watson’s philosophy and theory of transpersonal caring is an influential grand theory that has found wide application in education and patient care worldwide, especially by health care facilities. Born as Margaret Jean Harmon, Jean Watson grew up in Welch, West Virginia. According to Gonzalo (2019), Jean grew up with eight siblings surrounded by her extended family and community. In 1961, Watson relocated to Colorado after her marriage to Douglas. In 1997, Watson sustained an injury to her left eye after an accident. She subsequently lost her husband the following year. Watson’s early experiences shaped her the theory development as “attempting to integrate these wounds into my life and work. One of the gifts through the suffering was the privilege of experiencing and receiving my own theory through the care from my husband and loving nurse friends and colleagues” (Gonzalo, 2019, para. 5).
At the center of Watson’s theory of human caring is a deep conviction that nurses play a deep role in ensuring the whole patient receives the care they deserve. Advances in science and technology have enabled the efficient scaling of medical practice through automation of some of the care activities. Unfortunately, the technological substitutions do their work without caring for the patient’s wellbeing (Ratna, 2018). Watson, in formulating her theory of human caring, believes that nurses dedicate their lives to delivering health care services to their patients just like they care for them (Gonzalo, 2019). In other words, Watson diverges from her contemporaries by believing that nurses should care for their patients to effectively meet their needs and help them meet their health outcomes. This paper is a nursing theory analysis paper that focuses on Watson’s theory of human caring. It will describe the theory, evaluate it, and discuss its application in nursing practice.
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Theory Description
Major Concepts of Watson’s Theory of Human Caring
Watson’s theory of human caring comprises of four major concepts: society, nursing, the human being, and health. For instance, society is relevant because it establishes the standard of care. Caring is not encoded in the human genes. Instead, it is a societal construct that is passed down between generations as a cultural practice. On the other hand, the philosophy and theory of transpersonal caring holds that the human being is the center of all activities. They should be
respected, nurtured, understood, and assisted; in general, a philosophical view of a person as a fully functional integrated self. Human is viewed as greater than and different from the sum of his or her parts (Salviano et al., 2016, p.1172).
The third concept in Watson’s theory of human caring is a holistic view of health. According to Gonzalo (2019), the theory describes health as a union of the mind, body, and soul. Health is a congruence off all the aspects that makes a human being, from their physical aspects to mental, and social aspects. Nursing, therefore, becomes a science and practice of human health-illness experiences guided by transactions that are ethical, scientific, professional and even personal (Gonzalo, 2019).
Description of the Major Concepts
The description of the major concepts of the theory are not only theoretically defined, but the author is also consistent in their use when applying them in practice. For instance, the major concepts explicitly account for the essential elements for delivering total care to a patient. Furthermore, the theories are described implicitly, where the care practices are defined to be congruent with the patient’s cultural beliefs and societal practices. Besides, these concepts are tightly coupled. For instance, when delivering care to a patient, it is impossible to do so without understanding their societal beliefs of the care practice and how it impacts nursing practice.
Evaluation
Assumptions the Theory Builds on
Watson’s theory of human caring is built on seven implicit and explicit assumptions. First, it assumes that caring can only be delivered interpersonally. Secondly, the theory assumes that caring is implemented by focusing on the carative factors, whose final outcome is patient satisfaction when their human needs are met (Gonzalo, 2019). Thirdly, the theory assumes that effective care improves individual and family growth. However, there are other aspects besides caring that contribute to the same (non-exhaustive). Fourthly, the theory assumes that integrating caring into practice leads to the acceptance of the patient as they are or as they may become (Yeter, 2015). However, the implicit assumption is that the patient is wholly known or their future potential is subjectively defined.
Besides, the theory assumes that caring is virtually equal to curing. As a result, a caring environment will allow the patient to decide the best course of action to meet their health care needs. However, the implicit assumption is that the patient understands their health care needs. Overall, however, Watson’s theory of human caring holds the premise that caring is central to nursing and the two are inseparable.
Clarity of the Theory
The philosophy and theory of transpersonal theory is very clear at a conceptual level. Furthermore, it is also related to three of the four concepts of the nursing metaparadigm: nursing, health, and the human being (Delliktas et al., 2019). As described previously, these metaparadigms form three of the major concepts that make up the theory. In lieu of the fourth metaparadigm (environment), Watson’s theory of human caring has 10 carative factors. For example, the theory requires that nurses gain the patient’s trust to effectively help them while promoting a supportive environment.
Application
On a personal level, the theory makes conceptual sense in the manner that it gives the nurse a deeper understanding of caring as one of their main responsibilities when practicing. It, therefore, gives the nurse what to do to achieve patient outcomes. For instance, one of the carative factors is that nurses should promote a supportive environment. Without a supportive environment, it would be difficult to gain the patient’s trust. While the theory does not explicitly state how a supportive environment can be promoted, making the nurse aware of that imperative is enough to enhance their practice.
Conclusion
Therefore, I can use Watson’s theory of human caring in my area of nursing by promoting patient engagement in their provision of care. When I continuously engage the patient, especially to educate them on their conditions, what it means to them, how it will impact their lives, and the range of options they have, it will have gained the patient’s trust (one of the carative factors). Having the patient’s trust is also key to helping them understand that while I can meet their health care needs, my role in their lives is limited. It would then be imperative for the patient to start caring for their whole selves, as the philosophy and theory of transpersonal caring espouses.
References
Deliktas, A., Korukcu, O., Aydin, R., & Kabukcuoglu, K. (2019). Nursing Students' Perceptions of Nursing Metaparadigms: A Phenomenological Study. The Journal of Nursing Research , 27 (5), e45.
Gonzalo, A. (2019). Jean Watson: Theory of Human Caring . Nurseslabs. Retrieved 11 December 2020, from https://nurseslabs.com/jean-watsons-philosophy-theory-transpersonal-caring/.
Ratna, C. P., Juwaheer, R., & Pudaruth, S. (2018). Assessing the Impact of Technology Adoption on Human Touch Aspects in Healthcare Settings in Mauritius. Studies in Business and Economics , 13 (2), 164-178.
Salviano, M. E. M., Nascimento, P. D. F. S., Paula, M. A., Vieira, C. S., Frison, S. S., Maia, M. A., & Borges, E. L. (2016). Epistemology of nursing care: a reflection on its foundations. Rev Bras Enferm , 69 (6), 1172-77.
Yeter Durgun Ozan PhD, B. S. N. (2015). Implementation of Watson's theory of human caring: A case study. International Journal of Caring Sciences , 8 (1), 25.
