-
Essay / Watson's Theory of Nursing - 1937
Watson's Theory of NursingWe live in a fast-paced environment with longer and tiring days. When we are sick, we go to the doctor or emergency room and expect fast, reliable service. Data is collected to measure service satisfaction and, of course, this data helps to improve the service. Companies keep statistics on income, housing, children and cars. I also like numbers and statistics, and I like the idea that everything can be measured and associated with a number. However, I wonder if everything can be quantified. Can we reliably measure happiness, love and care given to one person by another? Attempts are being made to quantify happiness in some countries, Bhutan and Britain, to name a few. Take healthcare for example: we count admissions, discharges, hospital days and patient satisfaction scores, but this statistic does not reflect how a patient feels. How often was the patient scared, depressed, and alone in his statistical hospital room somewhere between admission and discharge? Did anyone care about this person? Watson's theory of caring focuses on the human aspect of nursing and gives nurses the opportunity to connect and care for patients. Background to Watson's Theory of Care Watson admits that his initial intention was not to create a theory; it was only trying to resolve some conceptual and empirical issues related to nursing education, practice, and research. His 1979 book, Nursing: The Philosophy and Science of Caring, was actually an essay on nursing (Watson, 1999). Over 30 years, from 1979 to 2008, Watson developed and finalized his Caring Theory. She begins with her textbook for an integrated nursing program at the University of Colorado. The theory starts with...... middle of paper ......e. It is of course easier to complete an assigned task, but we know that in human interaction and especially in healthcare, many other factors affect the outcome, not just how well the task is performed. Watson's theory pays special attention and focuses on the humanistic aspect of nursing. Works Cited Alligood, MR, & Tomey, AM (2006). Nursing theory: Use and application (3rd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier. Cross, P. (1981). Adults as learners. Washington, DC: Jossey-Bass, a subsidiary of John Wiley & Sons. Watson, J. (1988). Nursing: human sciences and human care. New York: National Nursing League. Watson, J. (1999). Nursing: Human Sciences and Human Care: A Theory of Nursing. Sudbury, MA: NLN Press, Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Watson, J. (2008). Nursing: the philosophy and science of care. Boulder, Colorado: University Press of Colorado.