Jean Watson’s
Theory of Human Caring
Jasper Mukwada
Caroline Haugen
Karla Flanery
Rikki Zissler
Summary of Presentation
 Purpose
 Bio of Jean Watson
 Point of view
 Information and Concepts
 Watson’s Carative Factors
 Uses of this theory
 Research related to Watson’s theory
 References
 Case Study
Purpose
 To introduce and critically analyze Jean Watson’s
theory of Human Caring in an online discussion
 Demonstrate how the theory how fits in today nursing
environment
Dr. Jean Watson’s Bio
 She was born in West Virginia
 BSN, University of Colorado, 1964
MS, University of Colorado, 1966
PhD, University of Colorado, 1973
Dr. Jean Watson is Distinguished Professor of Nursing and holds an
endowed Chair in Caring Science at the University of Colorado
Denver and Anschutz Medical Center Campus.
 She is founder of the original Center for Human Caring in Colorado
 She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
 Her latest activities include Founder and Director of a new non-profit
foundation: Watson Caring Science Institute.
 She has been Distinguished Lecturer and Endowed Lecturer at
universities throughout the United States and around the world.
 She holds the title of Distinguished Professor of nursing at the
University of Colorado.
 She has written over 14 books on caring, her latest books range from
empirical measurements of caring, to new postmodern philosophies
of caring and healing.
 In 2008 Dr. Watson created a non-profit foundation: Watson Caring
Science Institute, to further the work of Caring Science in the world.
 She currently resides in Boulder, Colorado.
Point of View
 Watson’s view of warmth and caring is attributed to
Carl Rogers
 Carl Rogers believed that “nurses are not here to
manipulate others but rather to understand” Tomey,
2010).
 Her theories came from her experiences and her own
life.
 She also believes that that “caring endorses our
professional identity within a context where
humanistic values are constantly questioned and
challenged “(Duquette &Cara, 2000).
Information and Concepts
 Watson views human beings as
the subject of the caring process.
She states that “the nurse
considers the person to be valid
and whole, regardless of illness
or disease” (Kearney-Nunnery,
2008).
 Watson addresses this concept
in one of the clinical caritas
processes when she says that the
nurse has to provide or create
healing environments at all
levels for healing to take place.
These can be in the form of
physical or nonphysical.
Human Being
Environment
Information and Concepts Cont’d
 She addresses this concepts by
including the social, mental and
physical functioning of the body as
it relates to receptiveness of caring.
 Her theory is centered on the belief
that holistic health care is needed
and should be practiced to provide
adequate nursing. Moreover nursing
is concerned with preventing illness
or treating or removing the illness
and restoring health. Practicing
loving kindness is one of form of
nursing concepts she uses to
demonstrate the global concepts.
Health
Nursing
Watson’s Carative Factors
 Watson views the ten factors of caring as a template for
the core of nursing.
 Her carative factors attempt to “honor the human
dimensions of nursing’s work and the inner life world
and subjective experiences of the people we
serve”(Watson, 1997, p. 50)
 These ten factors are listed below
The Carative Factors








Humanistic-altruistic system of value
Faith-Hope
Sensitivity to self and others
Helping-trusting, human care relationship
Expressing positive and negative feelings
Creative problem- solving caring process
Transpersonal teaching-learning
Supportive, protective, and/or corrective mental, physical,
societal, and spiritual environment
 Existential-phenomenological-spiritual forces
 Human needs assistance (Watson, 1988, p.75)
Clinical Caritas Processes Cont’d











Practice of loving kindness and equanimity within context of caring consciousness
Being authentically present, and enabling and sustaining the deep belief system and subjective life
world of self and the one-being-cared-for.
Cultivation of one’s own spiritual practices and transpersonal self, going beyond ego self, opening to
others with sensitivity and compassion.
Developing and sustaining a helping-trusting, authentic caring relationship.
Being present to, and supportive of, the expression of positive and negative feelings as a connection
with deeper spirit of self and the one-being-cared-for.
Creative use of self and all ways of knowing as part of the caring process, to engage in artistry of
caring-healing practices.
Engaging in genuine teaching-learning experience that attends to unity of being and meaning,
attempting to stay within others’ frames of reference.
Creating healing environment at all levels (physical as well as non-physical), subtle environment of
energy and consciousness, whereby wholeness, beauty, comfort, dignity, and peace are potentiated.
Assisting with basic needs, with an intentional caring consciousness, administering “human care
essentials,” which potentiate alignment of mind/body/spirit, wholeness, and unity of being in all
aspects of care; tending to both the embodied spirit and evolving spiritual emergence.
Opening and attending to spiritual-mysterious and existential dimensions of one’s own life-death;
soul care for self and the one-being cared for. (Watson, 2001, p. 347)
Humanistic-altruistic system of value
becomes a practice of
loving and kindness
and equanimity
within context of
caring.
Faith-Hope
becomes being authentically
present, and enabling and
sustaining the deep belief
system and subjective life
world of self and the onebeing-cared-for.
Cultivation of sensitivity to self and
others
becomes cultivation of one’s
own spiritual practices and
transpersonal self, going
beyond ego self, opening to
others with sensitivity and
compassion
Developing a helping-trusting,human
care relationship
becomes developing and
sustaining a helping-trusting,
authentic caring relationship.
Expressing positive and negative
feelings
becomes being present to, and
supportive of the expression of
positive and negative feelings
as a connection with deeper
spirit of self and the onebeing-cared-for
Creative problem- solving caring
process
becomes creative use of self
and all ways of knowing as
part of the caring process, to
engage in artistry of caring
and healing practices.
Promotion of transpersonal teachinglearning
becomes engaging in genuine
teaching-learning experience
that attends to unity of being
and meaning attempting to
stay within other's frame of
reference
Supportive, protective, and/or
corrective mental, physical, societal,
and spiritual environment
becomes creating healing
environment at all levels,
(physical as well as nonphysical, subtle environment
of energy and consciousness,
whereby wholeness, beauty,
comfort, dignity, and peace are
potentiated
Assistance with gratification of human
needs
becomes assisting with basic
needs, with an intentional
caring consciousness,
administering ‘human care
essentials', which potentiate
alignment of mind-bodyspirit, wholeness, and unity of
being in all aspects of care
Clinical Caritas Processes
Watson continued to evolve these concepts of her
theory, and then introduced a new concept of clinical
caritas processes. These processes have now replaced
her former carative factors.
Transpersonal Caring Relationship
 She believed that for caring to happen in an authentic
way, the one being cared for and the care giver should
have a mutual respect for one another.
 When this relationship is allowed to bloom, patients
often have a better turn around in their health status
Uses of this Theory
_
 This model is used
everywhere in healthcare.
 It is used in OB, OR
community nursing and
anywhere where there is a
patient.
 The concepts are easy to
understand because they are
plain and follow a chronologic
order.
Caring Occasion/Caring Moment
 According to Watson (1988, 1999), a caring occasion is
the moment (focal point in space and time) when the
nurse and another person come together in such a way
that an occasion for human caring is created. The
nurse has to also be conscious of her presence in this
moment and her interaction with the patient.
Research related to Watson’s
theory
 Saint Joseph Hospital in Orange, California has selected Jean Watson’s theory
of human caring as the framework base for nursing practice, (Current Nursing,
2010)
 The effectiveness of Watson's Caring Model on the quality of life and blood
pressure of patients with hypertension. J Adv Nursing. 2003 Jan;41(2):130-9.
 This study demonstrated a relationship between care given according to
Watson's Caring model and increased quality of life of the patients with
hypertension. Further, in those patients for whom the caring model was
practiced, there was a relationship between the Caring model and a decrease in
patient's blood pressure. The Watson Caring Model is recommended as a guide
to nursing patients with hypertension, as one means of decreasing blood
pressure and increase in quality of life. (Current Nursing, 2010)
 Mullaney, J. A. B. (2000). The lived experience of using Watson’s actual caring
occasions to treat depressed women . Journal of Holistic Nursing, 18(2), 129-142
 Martin, L. S. (1991). Using Watson’s theory to explore the dimensions of adult
polycystic kidney disease . ANNA Journal, 18, 403-406 (Current Nursing, 2010)
Case Study
A 24 year old woman G1P1 now who is single has just
delivered a 24 week gestation infant. This is her first child
and she is unmarried and is not involved in a relationship
with the father of the baby. Her only support person is her
mother since the patient is originally from out of state and
was here visiting her mother for the holiday season. The
patient’s mother will be her support person during this
new family event unfortunately the patients mother is not
able to be with her that often due to work and other outside
activities she is involved in.
Case study continued
After receiving report you start your day. As you walk into
your patient’s room she is sitting up in the bed and crying.
You assess her and find out that she is crying due to her
newly born infant is not “doing very well”.
1.What are 3 carative factors of Jean Watson’s theory that you
can apply to your situation explain why you chose them as
your personal factors you would use.
2. Out of the 4 informational concepts, which one is most
affected this patient.
Key to case study
Answer to 1.
In any order any of these could be addressed with a reasonable explanation of why
one may feel the carita is necessary.
 Cultivation of sensitivity to self and others
 Developing a helping-trusting human care relationship
 Humanistic-altruistic system of value
 Expressing positive and negative feelings
 Supportive, protective, and/or corrective mental, physical, societal, and
spiritual environment
 Assistance with gratification of human needs
Answer to 2.
Nursing was affected due to the patient needing emotional and spiritual support.
References
Alligood, M.R. & Tomey, A.M. (2010). Nursing Theorists and Their Work (7th ed.) St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier
Duguette, A.&Cara, C. (2000). Le caring et la santé de l’infirmiere. L’infirmiere Canadienne, 1(2), 10-11.
Foster, R. L. (2006). A perspective on Watson’s theory of human caring. Nursing Science Quarterly, 19(40: 332-333.
Retrieved from http://nsq.sagepub.com/content/19/4/332
Kearney-Nunnery, R. (2008). Advancing your career: Concepts of professional nursing. (4th ed.) Philadelphia, PA: F.A.
Davis
Mitchell, G. (2002). Learning to practice the Discipline of Nursing. Nursing Science Quarterly. 15(3), 209-213 doi:
10.1177/08918402015003006
Right, J. (2010). How to integrate Jean Watson's theory of caring into nursing practice. Retrieved November 12, 2010, from:
http://www.ehow.com/how_6644521_intergrate-theory-caring-nursing-practice.html
Watson, J. (1997). The Theory of human caring: Retrospective and prospective. Nursing Science Quarterly, 10(1), 49-52.
Watson, J. (1988). Nursing:Human science and human care. A theory of nursing (2nd printing). New York: National League
for Nursing.
Watson, J. (1997). The Theory of human caring: Retrospective and prospective. Nursing Science Quarterly, 10(1), 49-52.
Watson, J. (1999). Postmodern nursing and beyond. Toronto, Canada: Churchill Livingstone.
Watson, J. (2001). Jean Watson: Theory of human caring. Nursing theories and nursing practice,
343-354. Philadelphia: Davis.
http://www.ana.org
http://caring.org
http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/Watson.html
http://www.watsoncaringscience.org/index.html
Thank you from Jasper, Rikki,
Caroline, and Karla!