Jean Watson’s Philosophy and Caring Model
Jean Watson came up with the Theory of Human Caring aiming to bring focus to nursing as a new discipline that was to have its unique values, knowledge, and practices as well as distinct ethics and missions to the society (Alligood, 2014). Jean Watson’s philosophy and Theory of Transpersonal Caring entails the manner unto which nurses provide their care services to the patients and the way unto which the care provided progresses to come up with a plan that promotes health and well-being of an individual and at the same time curb illness development and restore the health of the patient.
According to Watson’s theory, nursing aims at promoting health, preventing illnesses, caring for the sick as well as restoring health. It is evident that this theory concentrates more on the health promotion aspect rather than the medical cure in the management of a patient. Her nursing model recognizes that caring can be demonstrated and practiced via nursing. It also recognizes that caring can enhance growth with caring environment accepting each person as he or she is while checking his or her potentiality in effecting the outcome.
Watson theory encompasses various elements that are significant to the caring process. The theory values society since it provides the values that guide people’s behaviors as well as goals that one should strive to achieve. The theory recognizes the existence of nursing in all the societies since there are various people who have cared for others. It states that unlike other human characteristics, nursing is not passed from one generation to the other via genes but transmitted by a culture that exists in the profession as a unique way of coping with the environment (Alligood, 2014). This can be applied by the fact that nurses need to consider the surrounding that they find themselves in and offer their care as per the communities’ culture. This indicates their knowledge and skills in being culturally competent in being able to adapt to all societies.
Another critical element is a human being which is a valued person that have to be cared for, nurtured, respected, understood and assisted in areas where the capability to carry tasks lack or is inadequate. This gives human being a philosophical view of a person to be an entirely functional integrated being. It is this human that is viewed and regarded higher than the sum of his or her parts (Brousseau, Cara &Blais, 2017). Nurses should also consider persons as human beings that are influenced by various aspects of life and not necessarily the ailing parts. When this is taken into account, holistic approach and patient-centered care will prevail in the patient care.
The theory also has the health aspect referring to unity and harmony that is present in peoples mind, body and soul. This can be a view of being in line with individual perception and experience that turn to be congruent. It can also be viewed as a general adaptive-maintenance level of daily functioning (Willis & Leone-Sheehan, 2017). If all these are to be taken into account, the nurse can use this element to support various aspects of individual needs by doing a comprehensive assessment and holistic care to patients so that they can maintain a high level of physical, mental and social functioning.
The last element of Watson’s theory is nursing referring to a human science of individuals and human health. The model recognizes that patient s need care from trained, professional and esthetic individuals that can carry out the caring transactions. This can be applied in practice by nurses being trained sufficiently to provide care as well as maintaining of nursing ethics to care their practice.
In conclusion, the Watsons theory provides a basis for nursing practice by providing considerations that need to be taken into account while caring for a patient. It emphasizes on the transpersonal concept which focuses on the human to a human relationship that is evident when nurses provide their care to patients. When this connection is good and maintained well, a pleasant surrounding that allows healing is achieved.
References
Alligood, M. R. (2014). Nursing theorists and their work. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Brousseau, S., Cara, C. M., &Blais, R. (2017). A Humanistic Caring Quality of Work Life
Model in Nursing Administration Based on Watson’s Philosophy. International Journal
for Human Caring, 21(1), 2-8.
Willis, D. G., & Leone-Sheehan, D. M. (2017). Watson’s Philosophy and Theory of
Transpersonal Caring. Nursing Theorists and Their Work-E-Book, 66.
