THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF NURSING
NURSING THEORIES
JEAN WATSON
Philosophy and Science of Caring
Loss of her left eye 1997 and her
husband’s death contributed to
her development of the caring
theory
CENTRAL THEME
-Human science and care or
transpersonal caring
-Transpersonal caring relationship
-Human to human connectedness in
a nurse-patient encounter
-Entails the first and foremost a
belief in the value and dignity of
each human being
MAJOR CONCEPTS
The original theory developed in 1979 was
organized around 10 carative factors:
1. Formation of a Humanistic-
altruistic system of values
-satisfaction through giving
the extension of the sense
of self
2. Instillation of faith-hope
-facilitates the promotion of
holistic nursing care and
positive health within the
patient population
-the nurse’s role in
developing the effective
nurse-patient
interrelationships and in
promoting wellness
3. Cultivation of sensitivity to self
and to others
-the recognition of feelings
leads to self-actualization
through self-acceptance for
both the nurse and the
patient
4. Development of a helping-trust
relationship
-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 positive or
negative feelings
6. Systematic use of the scientific
problem-solving method for
decision making
-use of the nursing process
dispels the traditional
image of the nurse as the
doctor’s handmaiden
7. Promotion of interpersonal
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 supportive,
protective, and corrective mental,
physical, sociocultural, and
spiritual environment
-nurses must recognize the
influence that internal and
external environments have
on the health and illness of
individuals
9. Assistance with gratification of
human needs
-the nurse recognizes the
biophysical, psychophysical,
psychosocial, and
interpersonal needs of the
self and the patient
-patients must satisfy lower-
order needs before
attempting to attain higher-
order needs
10. Allowance for existential-
phenomenological-spiritual forces
-this factor was included to
provide a thought-provoking
experience leaning to a
better understanding of the
self and others
A “good” nurse cannot be defined only
by her skills but also by how well she
interacts with the client and the family
while providing care.
CENTRAL THEME: Human science and
care
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