Jean Watson Theory of Caring Nur/403 Essay Example

This paper will present and discuss Jean Watson nursing theorist and her renowned Watsons Theory of Caring. The key concepts will be described as how it relates to the nurse patient relationship. The carative factors of health, person, nursing and environment will be discussed in its relation to the theory. Jean Watson is a living legend to nursing and is still practicing her” caritas” and continues to speak to audiences in the US as well as worldwide. Jean Watson was born in West Virginia US and obtained her first degree of BSN in 1964 from the University of Colorado, MS in 1966 and PhD in 1973 from the same university. She is the Dean of Nursing at the University Health Sciences Center and President of the National League for Nursing. Jean Watson also has a PhD in educational psychology and counseling with research based in the area of human caring and loss. Jean Watson’s first book, “Nursing: the philosophy and science of caring”, was published in 1979 where the Theory of Human Caring was presented. The theory of caring was published in 1988 in “nursing: human science and human care”. She founded the theory of human caring which revolves around 10 Carative Factors that are essential for nursing and caring (Alligood 2010). Watson challenges nurses to search within themselves and ask the question “what is the meaning of our own life and death” The basics of true nursing is a genuine caring for another human being and doing it with dignity. This is the transpersonal caring relationship that is the center of Watson’s theory as well as the caring moment. When nurse and patient meet, the transpersonal relationship commences. This permits growth in human sharing. The patient is a greater being than one who is ill, he/she has a soul and on this level there is communication. The nurse immerses herself into the caring of this being bringing into play past experiences and knowledge into the caring moment. The use of all the senses occurs as well as body language,