Margaret Jean Harman

Watson

Jean Watson:
Human-Caring Theory
“CARING IS THE ESSENCE OF NURSING”

Abajar, Shemiah May

PRESENTED BY
Sapitona, Clyden
Theoretical Foundations of
PRESENTED ON September 20, 2023 Nursing
Contents:
Background of the theorist 3

Nursing Metaparadigm 8

Concepts of theories and its

9
Explanation

"We are the light in institutional darkness,

The Ten Caritas Process 14 and in this model of nursing, we are also
the light in clinical darkness."

Back to Contents
Jean Watson is a renowned nurse theorist and
educator who has made significant contributions
to the field of nursing theory and the philosophy
of nursing care.
Margaret Jean Harman
Watson
Background of
Jean Watson
Early Life and Education: Jean Watson was born on
June 10, 1940, in West Virginia, USA. She grew up in a
family that valued education and caring for others.
She pursued her education in nursing and graduated
with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the
Lewis Gale School of Nursing in Roanoke, Virginia, in
1961.

Background of Jean Watson
Jean Watson is a renowned nurse theorist and
educator who has made significant contributions
to the field of nursing theory and the philosophy
of nursing care.
Career and Academic
Achievements:
Jean Watson's career in nursing and academia spans
several decades. She earned her Master of Science in
Nursing (MSN) in psychiatric-mental health nursing
from the University of Colorado in 1966. She also
completed her Ph.D. in educational psychology and
counseling in 1973 from the University of Colorado.
Throughout her career, Watson held various
academic positions, including faculty roles at the
University of Colorado, where she became a full
professor. She later served as Dean of the School of
Nursing at the University of Colorado Health Sciences
Center.
 Margaret Jean Harman
Watson One of Jean Watson's
most significant
contributions to nursing is
her development of the

Human- Human Caring Theory. She

first introduced this theory

Caring in the late 1970s and

expanded upon it in

Theory
subsequent years. The
theory emphasizes the
importance of the nurse-
patient relationship, the
role of caring in nursing
practice, and the holistic
care of individuals.
 Margaret Jean Harman
Watson

Within her theory, Watson

introduced the concept of
"caritas processes," which

Caritas
are guiding principles for
practicing caring in
nursing. These processes
Processes outline specific actions and
attitudes that nurses can
adopt to provide
compassionate and holistic
care.
 Jean Watson's Human Caring Theory
Margaret Jean Harman
has been embraced by many nursing
Watson
schools and healthcare institutions
as a framework for providing
patient-centered, compassionate
care. Watson's work has contributed

Legacy and
to a more holistic and humanistic
approach to nursing. In addition to
her theoretical work, Jean Watson
Influence has received numerous awards and
honors for her contributions to
nursing and has been recognized as
a leader in the field of caring
science. She remains an influential
figure in the nursing profession and
continues to advocate for
compassionate and holistic patient
care.

Nursing
Metaparadigm
Jean Watson is a prominent nursing
theorist known for her Human Caring
Theory, which emphasizes the
importance of the nurse-patient
relationship and the holistic care of
the individual.
Person: In Watson's theory, the person refers to the patient
or individual who is receiving care. She views individuals as
holistic beings, with physical, emotional, spiritual, and social
dimensions.
Environment: The environment encompasses the physical,
social, and cultural contexts in which the patient exists.
Watson believes that the environment can either support or
hinder healing and well-being.
Health: Health, according to Watson, is not merely the
absence of illness but a state of physical, emotional, and
spiritual well-being. It is a dynamic and subjective concept,
influenced by the individual's perception of their own health.
Nursing: Nursing, in Watson's theory, is defined as a human
science and an art of caring. It involves a deep and genuine
connection between the nurse and the patient, where the
nurse's role is to facilitate the healing process through caring
Key Concepts of Jean Watson’s Theory and its
Explanation

CONCEPT EXPLANATION

1.Caring: Caring is the central concept
in Watson's theory. She defines caring
as a moral and ethical ideal that
involves a profound sense of
commitment to the patient's well-
being. It encompasses actions,
attitudes, and behaviors aimed at
promoting the patient's healing and
comfort.
Caring: Watson believes that caring is the
essence of nursing. Nurses should be
genuinely concerned about their patients'
well-being, show empathy, and provide
care that goes beyond the technical
aspects.
Key Concepts of Jean Watson’s Theory and its
Explanation
CONCEPT
2.Transpersonal Caring Relationship:
Watson emphasizes the importance of
a transpersonal relationship between
the nurse and the patient. This means
going beyond the technical aspects of
care and connecting with the patient
on a deep, personal level,
acknowledging their humanity and
unique needs.
EXPLANATION
Transpersonal Caring Relationship: This
concept highlights the need for a deep
and meaningful connection between the
nurse and the patient. It involves active
listening, being present in the moment,
and creating an atmosphere of trust and
respect.
Key Concepts of Jean Watson’s Theory and its
Explanation
CONCEPT
3.Caring Moment/Caring Occasion:
These are critical points in the nurse-
patient interaction where caring is
expressed and received. Caring
moments are opportunities for the
nurse to convey empathy,
understanding, and support.
EXPLANATION
Caring Moment/Caring Occasion: These
moments are opportunities for nurses to
demonstrate their commitment to the
patient's well-being. Nurses should be
fully present during these moments and
provide care that is aligned with the
patient's needs and values.
Key Concepts of Jean Watson’s Theory and its
Explanation
CONCEPT
4.Caritas Processes: Watson outlines
ten caritas processes, which are
guiding principles for expressing and
practicing caring in nursing. These
processes include developing a
helping-trusting relationship,
expressing feelings, and creating a
healing environment.
EXPLANATION
Caritas Processes: These processes
guide nurses in practicing caring
effectively. They encourage nurses to
engage in actions that foster healing and
well-being, such as showing love and
compassion, promoting a sense of inner
harmony, and creating a caring
environment.
Key Concepts of Jean Watson’s Theory and its
Explanation
CONCEPT
5.Holistic Care: Watson's theory
emphasizes the importance of
addressing the physical, emotional,
spiritual, and social aspects of the
patient. Holistic care recognizes that all
these dimensions are interconnected
and influence a person's health and
well-being.
EXPLANATION
Holistic Care: Holistic care recognizes
that the patient is more than just a
collection of symptoms or a medical
condition. It involves addressing the
physical, emotional, spiritual, and social
aspects of the patient to promote overall
health and well-being.
 Margaret Jean Harman
Watson

The Ten Caritas 1.Sustaining This process involves

Process Humanistic-Altruistic
Values by Practicing
Loving-Kindness,
cultivating a genuine and
unconditional love and
Compassion, and compassion for the patient.
Equanimity with Nurses strive to create a
Self/Other. (Embrace) healing environment filled
with love and goodwill.

2.Being Authentically Nurses should be fully

Present; Enabling Faith, present with the patient,
Hope, and Belief
System; Honoring not just physically, but also
Subjective Inner, Life- emotionally and spiritually.
World of Self/Others This means giving your
(Inspire) undivided attention and
being attuned to the
patient's needs.
 Margaret Jean Harman
Watson

The Ten Caritas 3. Being sensitive to

self and others by
Creating a caring and

Process
healing environment goes
cultivating own
beyond the physical setting.
spiritual practices,
beyond ego-self to It includes promoting a
transpersonal presence sense of safety, trust, and
(Trust) emotional support for the
patient.

4. Development and A trusting relationship

sustaining loving, promotes and accepts the
trusting-caring
expression of both positive
relationships (Nurture)
and negative feelings. It
involves congruence,
empathy, non-possessive
warmth, and effective
communication.
 Margaret Jean Harman
Watson

The Ten Caritas 5. Allowing for

expression of positive
The sharing of feelings is a
risk-taking experience for
Process and negative feelings-
listening authentically
both nurse and patient. The
nurse must be prepared for
to another person’s
story (Forgive) either positive or negative
feelings. The nurse must
recognize that intellectual
and emotional
understandings of a situation
differ.

6. Creative Problem- The process of nursing

Solving -”Solution- requires application of
Seeking” Through Caring
Process , Full Use of Self various ways of knowing,
and Artistry of Caring- including “creative, intuitive,
Healing Practices via use aesthetic, ethical, personal,
of all ways of
Knowing/Being/Doing/Be and spiritual.”
coming ( Deepen)
 Margaret Jean Harman
Watson

The Ten Caritas 7. Engage in

transpersonal teaching
This process is essential in

Process
differentiating nursing as
and learning within
caring and away from the
context of caring
relationship, staying curing focus of medicine. It
within other’s frame of allows the patient to be
reference (Balance) informed and shifts the
responsibility for wellness
and health to the patient.

8. Creating a healing Concepts relevant to the

environment at all levels, internal environment include
a subtle environment for
the mental and spiritual well-
energetic, authentic
caring practice (Co- being and sociocultural
create) beliefs of an individual.
 Margaret Jean Harman
Watson

The Ten Caritas 9. Reverently

assisting with basic
The nurse recognizes the

Process
needs of self and patient
needs as sacred acts,
wherein patients must
sustaining human
dignity (Minister) satisfy lower-order needs
before attempting to attain
higher order needs.

10. Opening and Watson considers this

attending to the process the most difficult
spiritual,
to understand and can be
mystery,unknowns-
allowing for miracles best understood through
(Open) her own words.
 Margaret Jean Harman
Watson

The Ten Caritas “Our rational minds and modern science

Process do not have all the answers to life and

death and all the human conditions we
face: thus, we have to be open to
unknowns we cannot control, even
allowing for what we may consider
‘miracle’ to enter our life and work. This
process also acknowledges that the
subjective world of the inner-life
experiences of self and other is ultimately
a phenomenon, an ineffable mystery,
affected by many, many factors that can
never be fully explained.”

(Watson, 2008, p. 191)

THANK YOU!