JEAN WATSON’S THEORY OF HUMAN CARING psychology and counseling in 1973, all

from the University of Colorado at

Jean Watson (June 10, 1940 ) is an American
nurse theorist and nursing professor who is well
known for her “Philosophy and Theory of
Transpersonal Caring.”
In 1979, Jean Watson developed the philosophy
of caring highlighted humanistic aspects of
nursing.
HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
- Born and grew up in Welch, West
Virginia
- Distinguished professor of nursing and
former dean of the School of Nursing at
the University of Colorado
- She is the founder of the Center for
Human Caring in Colorado
- One of the first nurse to address the
concept of caring as the focus of a
nursing theory
- 1964 - BSN, University of Colorado
- 1966 - MS Psychiatric- Mental Health
Nursing, University of Colorado
- 1973 – PhD, In Educational psychology
and Counseling. University of Colorado
- 1980 – Watson and colleagues
established the Center for Human
Caring at the University of Colorado.
- Fellow of the American Academy of
Nursing.
- 6 Honorary Doctoral Degrees
- 1988 – her theory published in
“Nursing: Human Science and Human
Care”.
EDUCATION
- Jean Watson ardently and quickly
progressed through her nursing
education earning her bachelor’s
degree in nursing in 1964.
- A master of science in nursing in
psychiatric and mental health nursing in
1966, and a Ph.D. in educational
Boulder.
Overview of the Theory
- She draws on the Latin meaning of
theory “to see” and concludes, “It
(Human Science) is a theory because it
helps me ‘to see’ more broadly
(clearly)”
- Theory basis: She connects
Nightingale’s sense of deep
commitment and calling to an ethic of
human service. “Transpersonal Caring
Relationship” as foundational to her
theory.
Theory goal: Provide a special kind of human
care relationship- a union with another person
—high regard for the whole person and their
being-in-the-world
Nursing focus: Watson’s believes that study of
the humanities expands the mind and enhances
thinking skills and personal growth. Through
this, a nurse should able to provide a human
care relationship.
 Watson views nursing as “both as
human science and an art, and as such
cannot be considered qualitatively
continuous with traditional,
reductionistic, scientific methodology”
(Talento, 1995, p.327).
 This science with a view leans toward
employing qualitative theories and
research methods.
 She describe it as foundational to her
theory; it is a “special kind of human
care relationships- a union with another
person- high regard for the whole
person and their being-in-the-world”.
  Thinking related to intentionality
connects with the concepts of
consciousness, energy.
 Concerned with promoting health,
preventing illness, caring for the sick,
and restoring health.
Watson’s model makes Seven assumptions:
 Caring can be effectively demonstrated
and practiced only interpersonally.
 Caring consists of carative factors that
result in the satisfaction of certain
human needs.
 Effective caring promotes health and
individual or family growth.
 Caring responses accept the patient as
he or she is now, as well as what he or
she may become.
 A caring environment is one that offers
the development of potential while
allowing the patient to choose the best
action for him or herself at a given point
in time.
 A science of caring is complementary
to the science of curing.
 The practice of caring is central to
nursing.
MAJOR ELEMENTS OF CARING THEORY
1. Transpersonal Caring Relationship
o How the nurse goes beyond an
objective assessment, showing concerns
toward the person’s subjective and
deeper meaning regarding their own
health care situation.
2. Caring Occasion/ Moment
o Moment when the nurse and another
person come together in such a way
that an occasion for human caring is
created.
3. Carative Factors
o Guide for the core of nursing, need to
be addressed by nurses with their
patients when in a caring role
o From the word curative that means
cure and carativethat comes from the
word care
MAJOR CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS
Ten Carative Factors
1. Formation of humanistic-altruistic
system of values.
 Humanistic and altruistic values are
learned early in life but can be
influenced greatly by nurse education.
 Can be defined as satisfaction through
giving and extension of the sense of self
2. Instillation of faith-hope.
 Incorporating humanistic and altruistic
values, facilitates the promotion of
holistic nursing care and positive health
within the patient population.
3. Cultivation of sensitivity to one’s self and to
others.
 The recognition of feelings leads to
self-actualization through self-
acceptance for both the nurse and
patient.
4. Development of a helping-trusting, human
caring relationship.
Watson’s Hierarchy of Needs
 A trusting relationship promotes and
accepts the expression of both positive
and negative feelings

 It involves congruence, empathy, non-

possessive warmth, and effective
communication

5. Promotion and acceptance of the expression

of positive and negative feelings.

 The nurse must be prepared for either  Lower-order biophysical needs or

positive or negative feelings
6. Systematic use of creative problem-solving
caring process.
 Dispelling the traditional image of a
nurse as the doctor’s handmaiden.
7. Promotion of transpersonal teaching-
learning.
 Separates caring from curing
 Allows the patient to be informed and
shifts the responsibility for wellness and
health to the patient
8. Provision for a supportive, protective and
corrective mental, physical, societal and
spiritual environment.
survival needs, which include the need
for food and fluid, elimination, and
ventilation.
 Lower-order psychophysical needs or
functional needs, which include the
need for activity, inactivity, and
sexuality.
 Higher order psychosocial needs or
integrative needs, which include the
need for achievement, and affiliation.
 Higher order intrapersonal-
interpersonal need or growth seeking
need which is self-actualization.
10. Allowance for existential
phenomenological- spiritual forces.

 Recognize the influence that internal  Included to provide a thought-

and external environments have on the
health and illness of individuals.
9. Assistance with gratification of human needs.
The “Clinical Caritas” Processes (CCP)
 Recognizes the biophysical,
psychophysical, psychosocial, and
intrapersonal needs of self and patient
 Achievement and affiliation are higher-
order psychosocial needs
 Self-actualization is a higher-order
intrapersonal-interpersonal needs.
provoking experience, leading to a
better understanding of the self and
others.
 Caritas, a Latin word that means “to
cherish”, “to appreciate” or “to give
special attention”.
 Watson offered a translation of the
original carative factors into clinical
caritas processes that suggested open
 ways in which they could be considered
and applied.
 A decidedly spiritual dimension and
overt evocation of love and caring.
1. Practice of loving-kindness and equanimity
within the context of caring consciousness.
2. Being authentically present and enabling and
sustaining the deep belief system and subjective
life-world of self and one being cared for.
3. Cultivation of one’s own spiritual practices
and transpersonal self going beyond the ego
self.
4. Developing and sustaining a helping trusting
authentic caring relationship.
5. Being present to, and supportive of, the
expression of positive and negative feelings as a
connection with deeper spirit and self and the
one-being-cared for.
6. Creative use of self and all ways of knowing
as part of the caring process; to engage in the
artistry of caring-healing practices.
7. Engaging in genuine teaching-learning
experience that attends to unity of being and
meaning, attempting to stay within others’
frame of reference.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
Carative Factors Caritas Process
1. “The formation of a humanistic-altruistic “Practice of loving-kindness and equanimity
system of values” within the context of caring consciousness”
III. “Being authentically present and enabling and
sustaining the deep belief system and
2. “The instillation of faith-hope”
subjective life-world of self and one being cared
for”
3. “The cultivation of sensitivity to one’s self
and to others”
“Cultivation of one’s own spiritual practices and
transpersonal self going beyond the ego self”
4. “Development of a helping-trust
relationship” became “development of a “Developing and sustaining a helping trusting
helping-trusting, human caring relation” (in authentic caring relationship”
2004 Watson website)
“Being present to, and supportive of, the
5. “The promotion and acceptance of the expression of positive and negative feelings as a
expression of positive and negative feelings” connection with deeper spirit and self and the
one-being-cared for”
6. “The systematic use of the scientific
problem solving method for decision making” “Creative use of self and all ways of knowing as
became “systematic use of a creative problem
solving caring process” (in 2004 Watson
part of the caring process; to engage in the
artistry of caring-healing practices”
website)
“Engaging in genuine teaching-learning
7. “The promotion of transpersonal teaching- experience that attends to unity of being and
learning” meaning, attempting to stay within others’
frame of reference”
“Creating healing environment at all levels
8. “The provision of supportive, protective, and (physical as well as nonphysical, subtle
(or) corrective mental, physical, societal, and
spiritual environment”
environment of energy and consciousness,
whereby wholeness, beauty, comfort, dignity,
and peace are potentiated)”
“Assisting with basic needs, with an intentional
9. “The assistance with gratification of human
caring consciousness, administering ‘human care
essentials,’ which potentiate alignment of mind
needs”
body spirit, wholeness, and unity of being in all
aspects of care”
10. “The allowance for existential- “Opening and attending to spiritual-mysterious
phenomenological forces” became “allowance
for existential-phenomenological spiritual
and existential dimensions of one’s own life-
death; soul care for self and the one-being-cared
forces” (in 2004 Watson website) for”
Metaparadigm of the Theory
• person or human being
• health
• nursing
• environment
1. Nursing
 Consists of “knowledge, thought,
values, philosophy, commitment, and
action with some degree of passion” (p.
53)
 Concerned with promoting health,
preventing illness, caring for the sick,
and restoring health.
 Focuses on health promotion, as well
as the treatment of diseases.
 A human science of person and human
health-illness experiences that are
 mediated by professional, personal,
scientific, esthetic human transactions.
2. Person
 A valued person in and of him to be
cared for, respected, nurtured,
understood and assisted.
 A unity of mind/ body/ spirit/ nature
(1996,p. 147)
 A functional integrated self
 Human is viewed as greater than, and
different from the sum of his or her
parts.
3. Health
 Refers to unity and harmony within the
mind, body, and soul.
 High level of overall physical, mental,
social functioning
 General adaptive-maintenance level of
daily functioning
 The absence of illness, or the presence
of efforts leading to the absence of
illness
4. Environment
 Addresses the idea that nurses have
existed in every society, and that a
caring attitude is transmitted from
generation by the culture of the nursing
profession as a unique way of coping
with its environment.
 The caring science is not only for
sustaining humanity, but also for
sustaining the planet.
IV. Acceptance by Nursing Community
A. Practice
 Attending Nurse Caring Model (ANCM)
 Nurses who participate in the project
learn about Watson’s caring theory,
carative factors, caring consciousness,
intentionality, and in the project learn
about Watson’s caring theory
B. Education
 Providing graduate nursing with
ontological, ethical, and epistemological
bases for their practice with research
direction.
 Taught in numerous baccalaureate
nursing curricula
 Concepts are used in nursing programs
C. Research
 Concepts that Watson presented serve
as the basis of research to test,
evaluates and expands modern theories
 Combination of qualitative-quantitative
inquiry may be useful
V. APPLICATION OF THEORY
Nurse Elmer is a senior nurse working in
the United States. Roberto, his best friend from
the Philippines came to visit him for a few
months. He is also a nurse, and they both
graduated from the same university in Manila.
Roberto came to the hospital where Elmer
works, and knew that the teaching hospital has
one of the top medical facilities in the world,
being affiliated to a premier university. He saw
the real gap in terms of healthcare delivery
between the Philippines and the US, as new
technologies play a major part for American
physicians and nurses. Elmer took him to a tour
around the different wards of the teaching
hospital. He saw how patients received care
from physicians from Europe, via
teleconferences and live video feeds from the
internet, how nurses delivered medications
using calibrated pumps and machines needing
like supervision, and how computer is carried
the major tasks of critical care monitoring, with
minimal risks of human error and malpractice.
All patients in every room are connected via a
Local Area Network and are monitored by
digital cameras in the nurses’ station, where
Elmer oversees several novice nurses. Roberto
was amazed, and after a few chats with some of
the staff, came to a room where a patient is
being discharged.
“Masaya po ako at naalagaan kayo ng
mabuti dito,” (“I am happy that you are well
taken cared of here.” ) Roberto remarked.
“You're right. I'm very happy that I'm well taken
care of here.” the woman replied, “But it would
be better if I can talk to the staff frequently. It's
boring staying here all day without no one to
talk to.” she laughed slowly. “I just need
someone to talk to me, at least once every day.
Everyone here seems so busy.”
well as nonphysical, subtle environment
of energy and consciousness whereby
wholeness, beauty, comfort, dignity,
and peace are potentiated.
Nursing process outlined in Watson's model
1. Assessment
2. Plan
3. Intervention
4. Evaluation
 Assessment includes observation,
identification, and review of the
problem, as well as the formation of a
hypothesis.
 Creating a care plan helps the nurse
determine how variables would be
examined or measured, and what data
would be collected.

Roberto talked about this to Elmer.  Intervention is the implementation of

“Opo alam ko,” (“Yes, I know”) Elmer said, “Pero the care plan and data collection.
alam mo pare, kulang din kami dito ng tao,  Evaluation analyzes the data, interprets
akala kasi nila na kaya na ng makina ang pag- the results, and may lead to an
alaga sa mga pasyente dito.” (“But you know additional hypothesis.
what, we also lack manpower here. They are
thinking that machines can replace humans in
giving care to patients.”)

 The situation depicts the essence of

Watson’s theory that through love and
caring, better care for the patient will
be given. She proposed that person
who knows himself will be able to have
a more accepting relationship with
another person. Besides that, is the
carry moment occasion, she believes
that if you share something of yourself
with your patient, it helps to establish a
connection, an intimacy, which will
allow the person to relate to the nurse.
Her emphasis is on creating healing
environments at all levels, physical as