Dr. Watson’s descriptive theory of caring was released in 1979 and is one of the newest grand theories in nursing today. Her theory emphasizes humanistic aspects of nursing as they intertwine with scientific knowledge and nursing practice. Caring science incorporates spiritual dimensions into nursing practice and interaction which promotes caring and love as cosmic forces that can provide energy affecting healing and human development. Her theory encompasses the nurse/patient interaction and how it can go beyond an objective assessment and develop an essential caring relationship, understanding the other person’s perspective and forming a mutual bond (http://nursing-theory.org/nursing-theorists/Jean-Watson.php). Caring for patients promotes growth and a caring environment accepts a person as he or she is, and looks to what he or she may become.
Watson defines three of the four metaparadigm concepts in nursing including person or human being, health, and nursing
(McEwen & Wills, 2007). They are defined as follows:
Human being: A person of value to be cared for, understood, nurtured and respected.
Health: Unity and harmony of mind, body and soul associated with congruence between perceived and experienced self.
Nursing: A science of persons and health-illness experience that are mediated by professional, personal, scientific, and ethical care interactions. (Watson, 1988).
Watson does not define the fourth metaparadigm concept of environment but instead devised ten caring needs specific carative factors critical to the caring human experience that need to be addressed by nurses with their patients when in a
caring role. (McEwen & Wills, 2007).
Watson’s theory of caring describes ten carative factors that are the basis of the caring science theory: the formation of an altruistic system of values, installation of a sense of faith or hope, sensitivity to self and others, development of a helping-trust relationship, expression of feeling both positive and negative, creative, individualized problem solving, interpersonal
teaching and learning, provisions for a supportive and safe environment, assistance with human needs, and the allowance for existential-phenomenological forces (McEwen & Wills, 2007). The first three factors form the philosophical foundation for the science of caring, and the remaining seven come from that foundation.
Dr. Watson drew parts of her theory from nursing writers like Florence Nightingale as well as from works of psychologists and philosophers. Her theory is one based on the human interactive process that recognizes the spiritual and ethical dimensions relevant to the human care process. Caring science investigations embrace inquiries that are reflective, subjective and interpretative as well as objective-empirical and caring science inquiry includes ontological, philosophical, ethical, historical inquiry and studies. In addition, caring science includes multiple epistemological approaches to inquiry including clinical and empirical, but is open to moving into new areas of inquiry that explore other ways of knowing, for example, aesthetic, poetic, narrative, personal, intuitive, kinesthetic, evolving consciousness, intentionality, metaphysical - spiritual, as well as moral-ethical knowing (McEwen & Wills, 2007).
Watson defines three of the four metaparadigm concepts in nursing including person or human being, health, and nursing
(McEwen & Wills, 2007). They are defined as follows:
Human being: A person of value to be cared for, understood, nurtured and respected.
Health: Unity and harmony of mind, body and soul associated with congruence between perceived and experienced self.
Nursing: A science of persons and health-illness experience that are mediated by professional, personal, scientific, and ethical care interactions. (Watson, 1988).
Watson does not define the fourth metaparadigm concept of environment but instead devised ten caring needs specific carative factors critical to the caring human experience that need to be addressed by nurses with their patients when in a
caring role. (McEwen & Wills, 2007).
Watson’s theory of caring describes ten carative factors that are the basis of the caring science theory: the formation of an altruistic system of values, installation of a sense of faith or hope, sensitivity to self and others, development of a helping-trust relationship, expression of feeling both positive and negative, creative, individualized problem solving, interpersonal
teaching and learning, provisions for a supportive and safe environment, assistance with human needs, and the allowance for existential-phenomenological forces (McEwen & Wills, 2007). The first three factors form the philosophical foundation for the science of caring, and the remaining seven come from that foundation.
Dr. Watson drew parts of her theory from nursing writers like Florence Nightingale as well as from works of psychologists and philosophers. Her theory is one based on the human interactive process that recognizes the spiritual and ethical dimensions relevant to the human care process. Caring science investigations embrace inquiries that are reflective, subjective and interpretative as well as objective-empirical and caring science inquiry includes ontological, philosophical, ethical, historical inquiry and studies. In addition, caring science includes multiple epistemological approaches to inquiry including clinical and empirical, but is open to moving into new areas of inquiry that explore other ways of knowing, for example, aesthetic, poetic, narrative, personal, intuitive, kinesthetic, evolving consciousness, intentionality, metaphysical - spiritual, as well as moral-ethical knowing (McEwen & Wills, 2007).