JEAN WATSON

Jean Watson was born in West Virginia. She did her B.S. in Nursing in the year 1964 from University of Colorado. Completed her MS in Nursing in the year 1966 from University of Colorado and her PhD in the year 1973 from the same University. She founded nursing center for human beings in Colorado. She had fellowship from American Academy of Nursing. She worked as a Dean in Nursing Department in University Health Sciences Center. She served as a president of National League for Nursing. She has published many nursing articles an awarded many honorary awards like International Kellogg fellowship from Australia and Fulbright Research Award in Sweden. She did research in area of human being caring associated with loss. She published ‘The Philosophy and science of caring’ in the year 1979. Her theory was published in ‘Nursing: Human science and human care’ in the year 1988.

According to Jean Watson nursing is mainly focused in caring. She also alleged that humanistic philosophies and value system developed by nurse should possess strong liberal arts in its background. It is because both humanistic philosophies and value system forms basis for nurse caring science.

Jean Watson’s theory

Jean Watson developed a theory named ‘transpersonal caring’ which is also referred as ‘Theory of human caring’ or ‘The caring model’ in the year 1979. No theories are evolved all of a sudden; similarly Jean Watson theory evolved over a few years.

In her theory, she has quoted seven assumptions about caring and ten primary factors required for caring.

Seven Assumptions

• Effective demonstration and interpersonal practice
• Carative factors satisfy some of the human needs
• Caring improves the health of an individual
• Response to caring is widely accepted
• Development of potential and action
• Science of caring leads to science of curing
• Nursing practice

Carative factors

• Humanistic altruistic value system
• Hope & Faith
• Sensitivity
• Helping trust relationship
• Expression of feelings
• Interpersonal teaching & learning
• Support & protection
• Gratification of human needs
• Phenomenological force

Theory concepts

Four main concepts of proposed Watson theory are

• Human being
• Health
• Environment
• Nursing practice

Watson’s theory

It is an imaginative knowledge gathering. The framework of nursing process is mentioned as follows.

• Assessment
• Nurse care plan
• Intervention
• Evaluation

Role of nurse

According to John Watson’s theory, nurse plays the role as follows.

• Nurse patient relationship
• Holistic
• Unconditional acceptance
• Teaching and learning