Jean Watson Nursing Theory: What It Means for Today’s Nurses
Do you feel good when you know you’ve helped a patient or family member? Is caring for others one of the main reasons you pursued nursing? You might not have known it, but saying yes to either of these questions means you’re agreeing with Jean Watson.
Nursing theory has gone through a massive shift in perception during the last century. Long ago, many nurses were nuns, but eventually the role was filled by formally educated, independent professionals with their own scope of practice and ethical standards. As these shifts occurred, a question arose: What defines nursing? This question is the core of modern nursing theory. Jean Watson is one of several leaders who helped provide answers.
Watson defines nursing as an independent role with unique disciplines and values that impact patients. You might not think much about nursing theories when you’re in the middle of a shift, but theories like Watson’s highlight key themes within the profession. Let’s dig into what today’s nurses should know about the Jean Watson nursing theory.
What Is Jean Watson’s Nursing Theory?
The Jean Watson nurse theory for caring (sometimes called the Jean Watson theory of human caring) states that nurses’ encounters with patients are more than just a series of medical interventions. Nursing interventions enhance medical treatments with something that medications and machines can never give — human care.
Dr. Jean Watson is the founder of the Watson Caring Science Institute. She has authored and co-authored more than 30 books, and was named a Living Legend by the American Academy of Nursing in 2013.
Watson’s first book about caring theory was published in 1979. In it, she states that caring for others is central to nursing practice. To care for patients holistically, nurses accept them as they are and promote who they can become. Watson identified three concepts that are central to nursing care:
- Human beings are to be respected, cared for, assisted, and nurtured. Humans are multidimensional and greater than the sum of their parts.
- Health is found in high levels of mental, physical, and social functioning, the absence of illness, or the effort to decrease present illness.
- Nursing brings health-illness experience mediated by scientific, personal, professional, and ethical interactions.
Watson’s Carative Variables
Jean Watson’s theory of nursing also includes carative variables, which help nurses enhance patient outcomes alongside clinical knowledge and skills. Here are the 10 carative factors of Jean Watson:
- Promoting humanistic and altruistic values througha deep sense of caring and compassion towards others.
- Instilling faith and hope in the possibility of healing and well-being.
- Showing sensitivity to self and others through awareness and empathy.
- Developing a helping and trusting therapeutic relationship built on trust, respect, and mutual understanding.
- Promoting and accepting the expression of feelings, both positive and negative, through open communication.
- Using problem-solving approaches and critical thinking to address the patient’s needs.
- Promoting teaching and learning through nurse-patient interactions and shared learning experiences.
- Promoting a supportive, protective, and/or corrective environment that promotes healing and growth.
- Assisting with meeting human needs, including physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs, to promote well-being.
- Allowing for existential/phenomenological forces — like the patient’s unique experiences, beliefs, and perceptions — and integrating them into the care process.
How Is Jean Watson’s Theory Applied in Nursing?
As the nursing profession is increasingly being impacted by AI, Watson’s theory is clear — human care can never be delegated to machines. Patients need nurses not just for their clinical knowledge and skills, but for their caring capabilities. No matter where you work as a nursing professional, what you do has a human impact.
You’re probably able to think of times when you’ve helped patients by using soft nursing skills. When you form genuine connections with patients, build trust, and offer compassion, you’re practicing Jean Watson’s nursing theory. To further apply this theory to your own practice, consider integrating any of these skills into your next shift:
- Active listening
- Compassion
- Emotional intelligence
- Empathy
- Patience
- Therapeutic communication
Examples of Jean Watson’s Theory in Practice
What are specific ways that nurses practice Watson’s caring theory? Here are three examples of the application of Jean Watson’s theory in nursing practice.
Example 1: Mr. Thompson
Mr. Thompson is in a telemetry unit recovering from a heart attack. His cholesterol levels have been uncontrolled for years, and despite receiving counseling about nutrition and exercise recommendations, he hasn’t changed his lifestyle. Nurse Sarah is taking care of him today, and she has time after her medication passes to ask him about his health plan once he’s discharged.
Through their conversation, Sarah learns that Mr. Thompson feels lonely at home. His wife died, and he spends most days on his own. Sarah listens to him compassionately and tells him that she cares about his well-being. She calls for a consultation from the chaplaincy department and connects him with community resources. After discharge, Mr. Thompson remembers the time Sarah spent with him and feels ready to be proactive about his health.
Example 2: Mrs. Garcia
Mrs. Garcia had a stroke three months ago, and is now living at home with help from her daughter, Colleen. Adam is a home health nurse who is seeing them both today. At the end of his visit, he pulls Colleen aside and asks how she’s doing. Colleen admits that caring for her mother has put a strain on her own self-care needs. In addition, Mrs. Garcia tries to do everything she can on her own, and Colleen worries that her mom will fall when she isn’t there.
Adam explains to Colleen that caregiver burnout is normal, and it doesn’t mean that she’s a bad daughter. He offers her the number of a local caregiver support group so that she can express her feelings and experiences further. He also encourages her to voice her needs to other family members, so they can help as well. After he leaves, Colleen is relieved to know that she’s doing her best and has resources to turn to.
Example 3: Mrs. Jones
Mrs. Jones has just arrived at the labor and delivery unit, and she’s very anxious. As she settles into her room, Nurse Michelle asks her if she has any specific fears. Mrs. Jones says she’s worried about being in pain — she had planned to forgo an epidural, but now she isn’t sure what she wants.
Michelle validates Mrs. Jones’ fears and explains the plan to address her pain throughout labor. She reminds her that it’s okay to change the birth plan, as long as it aligns with her goals and needs. Mrs. Jones trusts Michelle and is reassured knowing that she can ask for pain interventions if and when she needs them.
Apply the Jean Watson Nursing Theory in a New Job
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