Jean Watson’s theory of human caring looks at how the nurse and the patient connect on a level that brings not only the pair together, but the surrounding universe. This paper will analyze, evaluate the theory, and how it applies to an issue psychiatric nurse practitioners encounter.
Analysis of the Theory
Jean Watson’s theory of caring stems from various psychologists and pioneering nurses such as Nightingale and Rogers. Watson has generated a humanistic theory approach to nursing care which reflects upon the nurse understanding self and being in the moment with the client. As Gleeson & Higgins (2009) stated this is done “...through the use of expressive touch that participants reassured, comforted and communicated interest, …show more content…
236). One way is looking to see if the theory is compatible with desirable outcomes. As psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNP) the desired outcome for all clients are for them to return to a stable life. Being of a caring nature can assist clients to express themselves compared to those that might otherwise. Palese et al (2011) looked into the value of caring and how it related to outcomes and found patients who felt as if their nurse held a caring ideal were more likely to follow up with providers instructions for treatment and prescribed medications (Palese et al., 2011, p. …show more content…
In these circumstances it is much more common to have a transpersonal relationship because both parties are cognitive of their surroundings. When treating a population with an altered though process there is a complete lack of trust due to their perception of the world making the transpersonal relationship difficult if not impossible to establish. According to Gleeson and Higgins (2009) the PMHNP must look at this and do their best to utilize other caring techniques and knowing when to utilize sensitivity, or a boundary, compared to therapeutic touch (p.