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Watsons Theory of Caring

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Watson's Theory of Human Caring
The nursing profession has undergone a multitude of changes throughout its long and storied history; the profession has transformed from a job typically taken by women to care for sick members of their families into the science and art that it is today. Nursing practice and education has used numerous theories over the years some written by nurses, some by other professionals, and they differ in what the nature of nursing is or should be. In this paper I will demonstrate how one such theory is taking the art and science of nursing back to its roots of caring for people and not just treating diseases and disorders. By employing Dr. Watson’s human caring theory I will show why it is important to treat patients as people and not just a diagnosis or label. Dr. Jean Watson was born in West Virginia and earned her diploma in nursing at the Lewis-Gale School of Nursing, Roanoke, Virginia, and was later educated at the University of Colorado earning her bachelors of science of nursing in 1964, masters of science in psychiatric mental-health nursing in 1966, and PhD in Educational Psychology and Counseling in 1973. Dr. Watson is best known for developing her theory titled The Theory of Human Caring: Retrospective and Prospective that has been adopted my numerous colleges, universities, and hospitals throughout the world. Included in Dr. Watson’s theory are 10 carative factors essential to her theory of human caring. The factors include; an altruistic system of values, faith and hope, sensitivity, a helping and trusting relationship, the expression of positive and negative feelings, problem-solving caring processes, transpersonal learning and teaching, supportive, and corrective physical societal and spiritual environment, human needs assistance, and phenomenological spiritual forces (Tomey & Alligood, 2006). Dr. Watson’s theory is also

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