Theory of Caring
Tammy Radford
East Tennessee State University
Nursing Theory Jean Watson’s Theory of Caring is a middle range theory which “focuses on the human component of caring and the moment to moment encounters between the one who is caring and the one who is being cared for, especially the caring activities performed by nurses as they interact with others”. According to Watson, “caring is central to nursing practice and promotes health better than a simple medical cure”. Nursing theories improve patient care, patient outcomes and communication between nurse and patient.
Major Concepts The major concepts of Watson’s Theory of Human Caring are the person and their well-being, environment and nursing care. This theory contains spiritual components that move both the nurse and the patient and lets them relate on a deeper level and rise above the moment. Watson sees caring as the single most important quality that nursing has to offer, yet caring has taken on less importance than any other area of nursing. Watson defines ten components
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The theory becomes much more complex when entering the area of existential- phenomenology, and nurses may lack the education to supply the appropriate groundwork. This theory also lacks research as very few studies have been done to support the theory and more study is needed to evaluate results. Critics also doubt the usefulness of this theory in today’s healthcare setting where the aim of care is to deliver the best quality for the lowest price. Nurses may have difficulty providing individual personal and spiritual relationships when acuity levels are high and when nurse-patient ratio is high. In spite of the change in acuity of healthcare today, Watson claims that this is all the more reason to adopt a caring model in nursing as this vital nursing concept is being jeopardized by such a
This theory emphasizes the importance of individuals taking responsibility for their own health and wellbeing, and the role of nurses in assisting individuals in achieving optimal self-care. Another common nursing theory is the Adaptation Model developed by Sister Callista Roy. This model focuses on the adaptation of individuals to changes in their environment, and the role of nurses in promoting adaptation and health. The Transcultural Nursing Theory developed by Madeleine Leininger emphasizes the importance of understanding and respecting cultural differences in healthcare, and the role of nurses in providing culturally sensitive care to diverse patient populations. Another theory I relate to in my practice is the Theory of Human Caring developed by Jean Watson.
Finally, we will explore if her theory contributes to the discipline of nursing and a summary will be presented of this review. Current Nursing Standards Jean Watson’s Caring theory is consistent with present nursing
Philosophy of Nursing Everyone’s values and beliefs about the profession of nursing are all different. The four concepts of nursing are interrelated and all mean something different to every person, too. Throughout this paper, I will be reflecting on my values and beliefs about nursing through the four concepts while comparing them to a nursing theorist with views that are most similar to my own.
Health is viewed as a part of the whole, is variable and teeters between synchronization and disagreement. Nurses depend on theories and models to promote healing, well-being, and mindfulness when providing care for individuals and interacting with
From these realizations I have concluded that the professional nursing theories which most align with my own philosophy is a combination of Jean Watson’s theory of human caring and Rosemarie Parse’s theory of human becoming. Watson’s theory of human caring outlines the science behind caring as a driving force and framework for practice in nursing. It explores the concept that “humanities address themselves to deeper values of the quality of living and dying, which involve philosophical, ethical, psychosocial and moral issues” (Watson, 2005, p. 2). Within her original text, Watson outlined 10 “carative factors” which help integrate the science of healthcare field with the more holistic nuances of nursing and the phenomena that is the human
It is the person and their physical, emotional, and psychological needs that are the basic focus of nursing’s attention. In order to care for a patient, the nurse must incorporate all these needs. For example, providing reassurance with an anxious patient who just finished hip surgery. Care also plays a major part when taking care of a unique patient. Caring influences my personal philosophy because it is the most important aspect of nursing.
My Personal Philosophy and Values of Nursing Nursing is proving care, support, and serve people who are in need. The purpose of nursing is to improve patient 's health condition to a better life. The goal of this paper is to explain my personal philosophy and clarify some of my values of nursing. Personal Philosophy
These factors provide guidelines for nurse-patient relationship, and the goal of nursing to help persons attain a higher level of harmony within the mind-body-spirit, healing and health. The 10 caritas processes include the practice of loving kindness, equanimity, and belief system for oneself and other. She promotes cultivation one’s world spiritual practices, self-awareness, authentic relationship with the patient, and support patient’s expression of feelings. In addition, she encourage to creatively use the nursing knowledge as part of the caring process, engage in genuine teaching-learning experience, and create a healing environment at all levels. Watson believes that the nurse’s assistance with patient’s basic needs potentiate alignment of the mind-body-spirit.
It is created through analysis of research and construction of concepts and theories (Busso, Poles, & Monteiro da Cruz, 2014). Concept analysis serve a purpose within theory development as it represents continuation of knowledge in nursing profession. When theories and concepts are developed, it must be practiced in a clinical setting to validate research. The caring concept applies to Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring as it creates an environment for healing, bonding, and improving patient outcomes. The concept of caring depicts the attitude of the nurse and the inclination given to meet the needs of the patient from emotional or physical standpoints (Emerson, 2017).
According to Tronto (1993:102), care implies is reaching out to something and generally involves some type of action. In addition, it is not restricted to human interaction with others (can revolve around objects or environment), care varies across cultures, it is an ongoing process and can be regarded as both a practice and disposition (Tronto, 1993:104). Moreover, there are different interconnected phases of caring. Firstly, ‘caring about’ involves the recognition that care is necessary, secondly, ‘taking care of’ involves assuming some level of responsibility for the identified need and ultimately determining how to address it, thirdly, ‘care-giving’ involves meeting the direct needs for care (physical work) and lastly, ‘care-receiving’, recognizes that the particular object of care will respond to the specific level of care it receives (Tronto, 1993:104-107). Nonetheless, in reality, despite care being an integrated and ongoing process, there is likely to be conflict within each of the phases of care and between them (Tronto, 1993:104-109).
Introduction: As a first year student I have very specific goals in mind that I hope to achieve through my work in college. My main hopes for the future are that I pass all of my exams in the coming years, graduate and receive my honours degree in general nursing, become a registered nurse and finally get a job as a nurse. Throughout this essay, I have detailed my strengths and the opportunities that will help me finalise these goals along with my weaknesses and the threats that will hinder my progress. Strengths:
Nursing Theorists and their Theory 1.Florence Nightingale- Nightingale’s theory of the Environment is mainly focused on the environment, she believed that, the environment has a great importance that can be used to improve and encourage healing. With proper ventilation, clean air, lack of noise , proper lighting, and adequate elimination of waste. Are a few factors she believed and can be observed and maintained. 2.Sister Calista Roy- Roy’s Theory is based on, in which the individual views biopsychosocial being, in which a person adapt with the constant change of the environment.
Nursing theories have an impact on nursing practice as they
• A caring relationship relates the 13 sub-concepts together. o The patient is willing to have good health, and so the nurse and the patient will cooperate towards a common goal of restoration of the patient’s health. o The nurse’s role is to prevent any interruptions that may occur during the patient’s restoration process.
The final concept is nursing. To define it, it’s a serving service, and a technology (Dorothea Orem 's Self-Care Theory, 2014). Engagements intentionally designated and executed by the nurses to support individuals below their precaution to sustain or altered disorders (Dorothea Orem 's Self-Care Theory, 2014). This also includes the patient’s viewpoint of health state, the Doctor’s standpoint, and the nursing perspective (Dorothea Orem 's Self-Care Theory, 2014). Nursing’s goal is to concentrate on the patient and how to sustain his or her well-being, life and health (Dorothea Orem 's Self-Care Theory, 2014).