paper will explore Watson’s theory of caring and how it contributes to nursing practice.

Expert Answer and Explanation

Theory of Human Caring

Nursing theories provide fundamental building blocks that shape the progress and structure of nursing practice. Over time, different experts in the nursing profession have come up with theories that have significantly shaped some of the processes we use in current practice. One such theorist is Jean Watson. This paper will explore Watson’s theory of caring and how it contributes to nursing practice.

Theory of Human Caring

Dr. Jean Watson is one of the nursing theorists who has contributed significantly to the nursing profession. Her theory of human caring is one of the few areas where she has contributed to the profession, other than the several journals she has written and her personal contribution to both nursing education and practice. The theory of human caring focuses on how nurses express their care to patients in a humanistic way and how this expression aligns with the science of nursing practice (Perkins, 2021).

The theory of human caring views patients not as inanimate objects but as beings that interact dynamically with their environment; therefore, their wellbeing is determined by these interactions. The theory focuses on the interpersonal interactions between the caregiver and the patient (Gonzalo, 2023).

The theory of interpersonal caring is built on ten carative factors which include; inspiring hope, cultivating sensitivity to self and others, instilling humanistic and altruistic value systems, using a problem-solving approach to decision-making, balancing teaching and learning to address individual patient needs, developing a relationship based on trust between the patient and their care providers, promoting self-expression of both positive and negative feelings, creating a supportive environment, and assisting in the fulfillment of basic human needs (physical, emotional, and spiritual), and lastly, allowing the manifestation of existential-phenomenological forces (Gonzalo, 2023). From these underlying factors, the theory of human caring is seen to provide a holistic perspective into interpersonal aspects that determine the nature of patient care.

When applying the theory of human caring, the care provider focuses on addressing the various human needs, starting from the lowest hierarchy, which is survival needs, for example, the need for proper nutrition, elimination, and ventilation. For there the hierarchy advances to lower-order psychophysical needs, such as the need for activity and sexuality, then the higher psychological needs, for example, the need for affiliation and achievement (Gonzalo, 2023). The final need is intrapersonal needs, for example, the need to achieve self-actualization.

How Theory of Human Guides Nursing Practice

The theory of human caring is relevant in both nursing education and practice. The theory elaborates on a holistic perspective of human caring, which integrates aspects such as spiritual and cultural care. The theory of human caring highlights the need to shift the perspective of healthcare from an individualistic perspective like it was some time back, where the physician determines the nature of care.

Instead, it emphasizes the need for interprofessional collaboration, with the inclusion of patients to address patient needs (Akbari & Nasiri, 2022). In nursing education, the theory expands on the important aspects that need to be taught to nurses when delivering quality care to patients. The theory can also be linked to the ethical aspects of caring, with an emphasis on altruistic aspects that define nursing ethics and practice.

Conclusion

The theory of human caring is one of the most popular nursing theories applied worldwide. The theory focuses on ten curative factors that determine patient care. It also emphasizes addressing the different human needs, prioritizing the hierarchy of needs in terms of their importance. The structure of the theory makes it relevant in guiding nursing education and practice.

References

Akbari, A., & Nasiri, A. (2022). A concept analysis of Watson’s nursing Caritas process. Nursing Forum, 57(6), 1465–1471. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12771