Question

Using the Jean Watson Theory, what are some examples of how you can incorporate human science into nursing student practice?

Answer 1

According to theory of transpersonal caring by jean Watson, caring can be demonstrated and practiced by nurses. Caring for patients promotes growth; a caring environment accepts a person as he or she is, and looks to what he or she may become.

Her theory stresses humanistic aspects of nursing as they intertwine with scientific knowledge and nursing practice.

According to Watson, caring is central to nursing practice, and promotes health better than a simple medical cure. She believes that a holistic approach to health care is central to the practice of caring in nursing.

Watson’s 10 carative factors are: (1) forming humanistic-altruistic value systems, (2) instilling faith-hope, (3) cultivating a sensitivity to self and others, (4) developing a helping-trust relationship, (5) promoting an expression of feelings, (6) using problem-solving for decision-making, (7) promoting teaching-learning, (8) promoting a supportive environment, (9) assisting with gratification of human needs, and (10) allowing for existential-phenomenological forces.

The nursing process outlined in Watson’s model contains the same steps as the scientific research process: assessment, plan, intervention, and evaluation. The assessment includes observation, identification, and review of the problem, as well as the formation of a hypothesis. Creating a care plan helps the nurse determine how variables would be examined or measured, and what data would be collected. Intervention is the implementation of the care plan and data collection. Finally, the evaluation analyzes the data, interprets the results, and may lead to an additional hypothesis.

Briefly, the application of the theory is demonstrated as the practice of loving-kindness, equanimity, authenticity, enabling, cultivating a spiritual practice; developing a relationship that is helping-trusting; enabling the expression of both positive and negative feelings; having a caring-healing practice; a willingness to learn for the caring experience; being able to engage in a teaching-learning experience that is genuine; enabling and creating environments that are healing; caring for basic needs, both spiritual and physical; and, being open to spirituality

In practice, this means that a nurse practitioner engages his/her own emotions in the caring relationship, not being closed to new spiritual and emotional experiences while looking after the physical and health needs of the patient.

the traditional practices of caring and empathy, and encourages a more emotional and open approach to the care of patients in a healthcare practice. Nurses are encouraged to engage authentically and spiritually with their patients and their patient’s families, in order to allow a more positive experience of the healthcare environment for all parties.

Applying this theory:

• Create a caring relationship
• Display unconditional acceptance
• Apply a holistic treatment approach which includes treating the mind, soul, and spirit as well as the body
• Take time to have uninterrupted moments with the patients –Watson refers to this as “caring moments.”
• Use knowledge and intervention to promote health and healing