Jean Watson’s Theory Of Human Caring: An Annotated Bibliography And Essay.

Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring provides nurses a foundation to preserve humanity and human dignity. Care and caring moments are brought to life through our practice of Watson’s 10 caritas processes.

Compose an annotated bibliography of 5 peer reviewed journal articles summarising Watson’s Theory of Human Caring and the 10 caritas processes.

From the annotated bibliography select two caritas processes that align with your personal values as a beginning nurse. Discuss what is involved in thecaritas processes you have selected. Choose two standards of practice drawnfrom the registered nurse standards of practice (2016) that reflect the caritasprocesses and explain how a registered nurse may incorporate both caritas processes and standards of practice into the delivery of nursing care.

This article presents and describes the applications and outcomes of Jean Watson’s theory of Human Caring to a woman who was unable to bear children due to infertility problems. This article shows a chronological order of application Watson’s caritas and how can be implemented in the process of providing a supportive nursing care. The article demonstrates how a nurse can sustain patient interaction in order to reach the ultimate goal of maintaining patient healing and wellness. In addition, the case presented in the article shows the value of Human Caring and how nurses use it to sustain and promote wellness in stressful situations. The major limitation of this article is that the article does not explain the details and background of Watson’s theory but only their applications. This will form a basis to my study since it has very crucial application of the theory into practice.

This article demonstrates a personal account of a transformed life showing how one of the clinical experts who had a major health problem applied the Watsons theory of caring and the ten caritas processes to change her life .The author showed how she used different efforts and reflections by integrating theory into all her everyday life experience. In addition to her story, the author provides hope to other patients who sees that their lives have been turned upside down by chronic illnesses and provides hope there can be possibilities of healing through proper caring. The major limitation of this article is that it demonstrates how a nurse can apply Watson’s theory to herself but not to patients. This article will not form a basis for my research but it would be useful for identifying major applications of the caritas processes.

In this article, Lachman tries to demonstrate how the use of Watson’s theory of care can be applied in ethics, laws, and policies in nursing.  The article provides a systematic review of Watson theory, background, and application in ethical nursing. Some of the components described include, definition of caring and Watson's definition, the basics guidelines of caring and the caritas process. In addition, the article discussed the theory of ethics of care and how a nurse can apply professional caring into practice. The major limitation of this review its that it focuses majorly on the application of Watson theory in ethical nursing only. This article will not form a basis to my study but it will be useful in understanding the theory and the caritas processes

The article describes the basics concepts of caring science.  The article provides a systematic review of the core principles of practice as demonstrated by Watson in 2008. The core principle includes the practice of loving and kindness while providing equity services to all patients, enabling deep belief of other colleagues or patients, cultivation of one own spiritual practice and allowing a healing environment. Wagner also provides the ten Watsons curative factors including the meaning and their applications. In addition, the author also gives 10 Watson’s Caritas processes and how to apply them in nursing practice. The article also demonstrates the relationship and alignment of ten curative factors with their corresponding Caritas processes and how they are both applicable in improving patient care. The only limitation of the article is that it does not explain the caritas in details giving examples. This is the major article that will be used in the study since it demonstrates all aspects of Watson’s theory.

Part B

This article focuses on human caring and peace in relation to integrative nursing principles that are enclosed in a nursing framework. This article provides a systematic framework that demonstrates what is consists of caring science and the ten caritas processes.  Watson demonstrates that the practice of human caring is one of the emergent issues in the nursing practice that provides a new connection between the energetic sequences and the global caring practices so as to provide peace in the world. Watson suggests that the relationship between caring and peace can lead to a wholly universal pattern of unity. The major limitation of this article is that it focuses of application of Watson theory and caritas processes outside the hospital settings. This article will not form the basis of by study but it will be useful to help me understand how the theory of caring and caritas processes works in health promotion.

In nursing models, caring can be demonstrated and also be practiced by nurses and other healthcare providers. Evidence shows that caring for patients promotes growth and healing (Goldin &Kautz, 2012). Caring for another person involve providing a caring environment that accepts a patient as she or he is by looking what she or he can become ( Moffa,2015).  According to the theory of human caring by Watson, the major concerns of nursing involve promoting health, performing measures that lead to diseases prevention, caring for the sick patients and bringing back normal health standards of a person (Goldin &Kautz, 2012). In addition, Watson added that caring tends to promote health much better than a simple medical treatment (Goldin &Kautz, 2012). This study seeks to demonstrate how various caritas processes and nurses standards of practice are been used by nurses in the process of care. In addition, the study seeks to show the alignment of Watson caritas processes and the corresponding standards of practice and how nurses can incorporate both for the betterment of patient care.

The theory of human caring by Jean Watson consists of ten caritas processes.Among this caritas, one of them that have demonstrated to have high personal values which is developing and sustaining relationships that are highly trusting and helping (Wagner, 2014). The core value of this caritas is that it enables good human caring relationship through therapeutic communication (Moffa, 2015).  The caritas involve entering into the experience so that to explore possibilities in the time of relationship by holding other with unconditional love. This caritas help nurse when holding sacred time and space of healing for patients in the time of need while still practicing on how to demonstrate non-judgmental attitudes. In addition, one is able to respond to other with congruence, honesty and engage in a  relationship that uses similar objectives (Wagner, 2014). In case there is a lack of understanding between the patient and nurse, this caritas suggests the use of clarifications so as to promote direct and constructive communication that demonstrate a high level of respect from both parties (Wagner, 2014).

The other caritas process that has portrayed to have high personal values in coming nursing practice is assisting the patients with basic human needs which include physical, emotional and spiritual needs. According to Watson, there are various categories of human needs categorized into lower order needs and higher order needs (Moffa, 2015).  The lower order needs include physical food and fluid needs, elimination and ventilation. Other lower order needs are things such as sexuality needs and human activity although they fall under psychological needs other than biophysical needs (Goldin &Kautz, 2012). The higher order needs include affiliation needs, self-actualization and achievements needs. The basic human needs provide are in line with the basic essential needs anybody will require to thrive. Lack of one of the human need will lead to psychological, physical or spiritual problems (Goldin &Kautz, 2012).

Caritas Processes

There are various practices of standards that demonstrate the scope and core values of nurses. One of this is engaging in a therapeutic and professional relationship.  Every nurse is subjected to demonstrate in his or her field of practice ability to involve himself or herself intentionally to an effective professional and therapeutic relationship with his or her patients (Registered nurse standards for practice, 2016). This involves developing an effective communication with patients by portraying a high level of trust, honesty, and respect. The nurse should make sure that he or she has established, developed, sustained and finished nurse to patients’ relationship in a way that can differentiate personal and professional relationships (Registered nurse standards for practice, 2016).  In addition, this practice of standards enables one to communicate effectively with honest and dignity plus respecting the patient's values, culture, rights, and beliefs. Having therapeutic relationships with patients enables one to understand that, although the patients have illnesses, they are the experts in terms of experiences of their life (Registered nurse standards for practice, 2016).

The other practice of standard is providing appropriate, safe and quality nursing practice. All nurses have an obligation to provide quality and goal-directed action as recommended. The services provided must be in line with nursing ethics and having a higher purpose of achieving the well-being of the patients (Registered nurse standards for practice, 2016). These practices are based on systemic assessment and utilization of the best evidence available so as to archive planned and expected outcomes for the purposes of restoring patients’ needs into normal(Registered nurse standards for practice, 2016). Other than that, this practice of standard provides that nurses have to practice within their scope of practice so as to provide the highest degree of nursing practice.  In addition to that, nurses have to be advocates for their patients so as to make sure best services are provided (Registered nurse standards for practice, 2016). All these will enable nurses to practice in accordance with regulations, policies, and standards for the purpose of making sure patients’ needs are met.

The caritas process of developing and sustaining highly trusted and helping caring relationship align with engaging in therapeutic and professional relationship practice of standard through developing successful nurse to patient relationships that allow fluent and open communication thus promoting comprehensive assessment and management of patients’ problems(Goldin &Kautz, 2012). According to Watson, communication consists of cognitive, behavioral and affective responses (Wagner, 2014). Watson also provided with three types of communication, that is, somatic level, action level and language level (Wagner, 2014). When developing the therapeutic communication and relationship, nurses apply the Watson theory so as to capture the all comprehensive needs and promote patient literacy through patient education (Goldin &Kautz, 2012).  Mostly, this applies in chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, chronic kidney disease and some psychiatric disorders like depression in order to enhance self-management (Wagner, 2014). Other than that, the better therapeutic relationship between nurse and patients promote honesty and trust making patients be open hence they are able to provide all required information(Goldin &Kautz, 2012).

Assisting Patients with Basic Human Needs

The caritas process of assisting the patients with basic needs including emotional, physical and spiritual needs align with providing safe , responsive and appropriate quality nursing practice through the fact that the purpose of safe and quality nursing is to plan and achieve outcomes that  lead to the well-being of a patient(Durgun & Ukumus, 2015). Health is a state of physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing (Durgun & Ukumus, 2015). The Watson caritas process suggests that nurses have to provide quality care so as to meet the human needs of the patient (Wagner, 2014). All the human needs of the person define the state of wellbeing of that person. The factors that assist in the gratification of the basic needs normally leads to better completion and development of the human need which is crucial for establishment and practice of quality nursing care and health promotion(Durgun & Ukumus, 2015).

Nursing practice involves the identification of actual or potential patients problems, planning and implementing of the planned interventions so as to meet the desired outcomes (Durgun & Ukumus, 2015). For one to identify patient’s problem, the health assessment must be done (Moffa, 2015).  Nurses will be using the practice of standard of establishing and maintaining the professional and therapeutic relationship so as to obtain and know the key health problem of a patient (Wagner, 2014). In addition, by developing the therapeutic relationship and sustaining caring, nurses will be able to solve different emotional, psychological and spiritual problems of their patients (Wagner, 2014). Other than that, developing good nurse to patient relationship enables proper communication thus making it easier to perform activities such as patient education plus guiding and counseling (Wagner, 2014). This will highly help in psychiatric patients since most their management needs a therapeutic relationship that is based on trust and honesty (Wagner, 2014). To enable proper therapeutic relations, nurses always engage in activities that promote safe ethical, healthy growth and maturity (Wagner, 2014).

After obtaining and collecting the required information, nurses normally planned interventions that are based on improvement and maintenance of basic human needs ( Lachman, 2013).  In an attempt to improve the wellness of a patient, nurses will always prompt to use safe and quality practices so as to bring the better outcomes (Durgun & Ukumus, 2015). In addition, a proper quality of care involves treating patients with special needs for restoration, relaxation, and sleep (Durgun & Ukumus, 2015). Maintaining patient ventilation, good nutritional standards, and proper elimination are also the basic components of quality of care that should be always be practiced during care delivery (Lachman, 2013). Since the patient wellness involves not only physical but also emotional and spiritual, the quality of care should also focus on other psychological, cultural and beliefs aspects of the patient to promote maximum health care (Durgun & Ukumus, 2015).

Conclusion

The caritas process that involves establishing, developing and sustaining caring relationships that are highly trusted and helping align with the standard of practice which involves engaging the patients in a therapeutic and professional relationship through developing proper nurse to patient relationships which promote congruent and understandable open communication thus promoting detailed patient health assessment and management.  The nurse uses the therapeutic relationship in developing nursing care plans and in engaging with activities such as patient education and psychiatric therapeutic treatment. The caritas process that consists of assisting the patients with human needs including emotional, physical and spiritual needs align with the standard of practice of providing safe, responsive and appropriate quality nursing practice since the goal of safe and quality nursing is to plan and achieve outcomes that lead to the well-being of a patient.  Nurses usually demonstrate the quality of care in the process of maintaining patient well-being which in turn promotes the patient human needs.

References

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Lachman D (2013) Applying the ethics of care to your nursing practice. Ethics, law, and  policy21 (2), 112 -114

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