Nursing Theory 10: Jean Watson

Jean Watson 

(1979) 

The Philosophy and Science of Caring 

 The Philosophy and Science of Caring
• Nursing is concerned with promotion health, preventing illness, caring for the sick, and restoring health.
• Nursing is a human science of persons and human health-illness experiences that are mediated by professional, personal, scientific, esthetic and ethical human care transactions
• She defined caring as a nurturing way or responding to a valued client towards whom the nurse feels a personal sense of commitment and responsibility. It is only demonstrated interpersonally that results in the satisfaction of certain human needs. Caring accepts the person as what he/she may become in a caring environment

Carative Factors:
1. The formation of a humanistic-altruistic system of values
2. Instillation of faith-hope
3. The cultivation of sensitivity to one’s self and others
4. The development of a helping- trust relationship
5. The promotion and acceptance of the expression of positive and negative feelings.
6. The systemic use of the scientific problem-solving method for decision making
7. The promotion of interpersonal teaching-learning
8. The provision for supportive, protective and corrective mental, physical, socio-cultural and spiritual environment
9. Assistance with the gratification of human needs
10. The allowance for existential phenomenological forces

Metaparadigm

Person
• A valued being to be cared for, respected, nurtured, understood, and assisted, a fully functional, integrated self

Environment 
• Social environment, caring and the culture of caring affect health

Health 
• Physical, mental, and social wellness

Nursing 
• A human science of people and human health; illness experiences that are mediated by professional, personal, scientific, aesthetic, and ethical human care transactions.