Theory of Human Science and Human Caring/Relationship-Based Care

About Jean Watson

• Born in West Virginia, US
• Educated: BSN, University of Colorado, 1964, MS, University of Colorado, 1966, Ph.D., University of Colorado, 1973
• Distinguished Professor of Nursing and Chair in Caring Science at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.
• Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
• Dean of Nursing at the University Health Sciences Center and President of the National League for Nursing
• Undergraduate and graduate degrees in nursing and psychiatric-mental health nursing and Ph.D. in educational psychology and counseling.
• Six (6) Honorary Doctoral Degrees.
• Research has been in the area of human caring and loss.
• In 1988, her theory was published in “nursing: human science and human care”.

The 7 Assumptions

1. Caring can be effectively demonstrated and practiced only interpersonally.
2. Caring consists of carative factors that result in the satisfaction of certain human needs.
3. Effective caring promotes health and individual or family growth.
4. Caring responses accept a person not only as he or she is now but as what he or she may become.
5. A caring environment is one that offers the development of potential while allowing the person to choose the best action for himself or herself at a given point in time.
6. Caring is more “healthogenic” than is curing. The science of caring is complementary to the science of curing.
7. The practice of caring is central to nursing.

Watson’s Theory Metaparadigm

Human Being: refers to “….. a valued person in and of him or herself to be cared for, respected, nurtured, understood and assisted; in general a philosophical view of a person as a fully functional integrated self. He, human is viewed as greater than and different from, the sum of his or her parts”.
Health: Watson adds the following three elements to WHO definition of health:

1. A high level of overall physical, mental, and social functioning.
2. A general adaptive-maintenance level of daily functioning.
3. The absence of illness (or the presence of efforts that leads to its absence).

Environment/society: According to Watson, caring (and nursing) has existed in every society. A caring attitude is not transmitted from generation to generation. It is transmitted by the culture of the profession as a unique way of coping with its environment.
Nursing: “Nursing is concerned with promoting health, preventing illness, caring for the sick and restoring health”. It focuses on health promotion and treatment of disease. She believes that holistic health care is central to the practice of caring in nursing. She defines nursing as…..“a human science of persons and human health-illness experiences that are mediated by professional, personal, scientific, aesthetic and ethical human transactions”.

The 10 Primary Carative Factors

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 caregiver 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 carative factors. These are:

1. Embrace: Altruistic Values and Practice Loving Kindness with Self and Others
2. Inspire: Faith and Hope and Honor Others
3. Trust: Self and Others by Nurturing Individual Beliefs, Personal Growth and Practices
4. Nurture: Helping, Trusting, Caring Relationships
5. Forgive: and Accept Positive and Negative Feelings – Authentically Listen to Another’s Story
6. Deepen: Scientific Problem Solving Methods for Caring Decision Making
7. Balance: Teaching and Learning to Address the Individual Needs, Readiness and Learning Styles
8. Co-Create: a Healing Environment for the Physical and Spiritual Self which Respects Human Dignity
9. Minister: To Basic Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Human Needs
10. Open: to Mystery and Allow Miracles to Enter

–Redlands Hospital

Strengths

Limitations