Essay on Caring for COVID-19 Patients using Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring

The COVID-19 pandemic, it has destroyed countless families, small businesses and economies. We will
never know if this is a natural freak of nature of it is a bioweapon whose handling went awry.
Nevertheless, nurses continue to partner with Medical Doctors to do one thing for those who have been
stricken and are doing their best to survive: Care.

Nursing is defined by caring. Embracing the theory of Jean Watson’s Caring Science that helps us to
embrace the positive energy that flows from an integrated mind, body and spirit and is mutually
rewarding to both the patient and the nurse. Forged by the vision of Florence Nightingale who asserted
that the “role of a nurse is to put her patient in the best position to be able to self-heal”, nurses are
optimally positioned to be the heart of healing. By actively engaging in caring through authentic
presence and intentionality, the nurse is able to optimize her patient’s ability to heal from within – a
more holistic healing of both psyche and body.

How do we as nurses maintain emotional sensitivity and caring attitudes in an over-stressed and
demanding workplace? Jean Watson contends that caring regenerates life energies and potentiates our
capabilities. The benefits are immeasurable and promote self-actualization on both a personal and
professional level. Caring is a mutually beneficial experience for both the patient and the nurse, as well
as between all health team members. In addition, it is important to remember that Watson emphasizes
that we must care for ourselves to be able to care for others; self-healing is a necessary process for
rejuvenating our energy reserves and replenishing our spiritual bank.

Be the difference that makes the difference. It’s what you say and do, and how you say and do it. Caring,
safeguards and affirms our humanity. It unveils our true thoughts, feelings, and attitudes and allows us
to live more authentically in our relationships. Caring improves patient outcomes and customer
satisfaction. It is contagious and infuses caring-energy into others. It invokes awareness and intuition. It
is positive and inspirational. It is the wonder-glue of enduring relationships and human connectedness.
Caring is what makes Hospital Nurses a special place!

According to Watson (1997), the core of the Theory of Caring is that “humans cannot be treated as
objects and that humans cannot be separated from self, other, nature, and the larger workforce.” Her
theory encompasses the whole world of nursing; with the emphasis placed on the interpersonal process
between the care giver and care recipient. The theory is focused on “the centrality of human caring and
on the caring-to-caring transpersonal relationship and its healing potential for both the one who is
caring and the one who is being cared for” (Watson, 1996).

The structure for the science of caring is built upon ten careative factors. These are:

Embrace: Altruistic Values and Practice Loving Kindness with Self and Others. Because COVID patients
are separated from their relatives or any immediate relative-caregiver in the attempt to control the
spread of the virus, the greatest show of loving-kindness to them would be to extend hugs and warm
assuring pats on the back or hands to be held especially when anxiety-increasing procedures. This
impacts them, more than nurses would ever know how.

Inspire: Faith and Hope and Honor Others, Trust: Self and Others by Nurturing Individual Beliefs,
Personal Growth and Practices. The honouring of individual differences and religious beliefs will always
be integral to healthcare workers and patients who are spiritually conscious. There will always be
doctrinal differences between Christianity’s different denominations, not to mention differing beliefs of
different religions. It is important that healthcare workers respect final rites that are unique to different
faiths, an example of this is how a Protestant Nurse whose soteriological beliefs are Calvinistic holding a
video call between a Roman Catholic priest and a devout Roman Catholic as extreme unction is given.

The list goes on and on: Nurture: Helping, Trusting, Caring Relationships. Forgive: and Accept Positive
and Negative Feelings – Authentically Listen to Another’s Story. Deepen: Scientific Problem Solving
Methods for Caring Decision Making. Balance: Teaching and Learning to Address the Individual Needs,
Readiness and Learning Styles. Co-Create: a Healing Environment for the Physical and Spiritual Self
which Respects Human Dignity. Minister: To Basic Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Human Needs. Open:
to Mystery and Allow Miracles to Enter. Each of these are important in making COVID patients feel cared
for and nurtured inside and out.