NU502 M4: The Impact of Transpersonal Caring on Holistic Nursing Practice

I, Dr Jean Watson, formulated the Theory of Human Caring to balance the nursing domain equally, which tends to focus on the physical needs of its patients but does not pay much attention to their psychological needs, let alone spiritual ones. This theory was later developed into what is known as the Theory of Transpersonal Caring because I believe that nursing could not be practiced at the partitive level. The rationale for creating the scripts was to structure nurse-patient interactions to emphasize compassion and empathy at the heart of the nursing practice. This paper is based on developing my theory in four stages: conjugation, syntax construction, theory analysis, and theory assessment.

Stage 1: Theorizing

My theorizing began with a recognition of the task orientation that dominated nursing. It seemed nursing was focused on disease curing without regard for the full needs of the patient. I started to ask questions about the influence of the human connection through caring on healing. This led me to theorize that caring isn’t just an action but an ethical and relational commitment that fosters healing, as Tomaselli et al. (2020) note. This belief became the foundation of my Theory of Human Caring, which postulates that caring is the essence of nursing.

Nursing in the 1970s was changing, and holistic health movements were gaining popularity. Health professionals were becoming more aware of how important mental and emotional health was to people, and changes in society, added to observations as a nurse, confirmed the need for a theory that would acknowledge the mind, body, and spirit as interconnected. My theory was intended to move nursing from a solely clinical model to one that would integrate the emotional and spiritual realms of caring for patients (Evelyn, 2019).

Notably, those reflections led me to conceptualize nursing as a science and an art. I envisioned a theory that would realize the relational aspects of nursing, whereby the caring relationship between the nurse and the patient is central to the healing process. Thus, this perception of nursing as an integrative practice of empathy and care became the core of my theory.

Stage 2: Syntax Development

The next step in my theory development was to define and refine the key concepts. The central idea is “caring,” but as my theory developed, I understood that “caring” was insufficient to capture the depth of it. I introduced the term “Caritas” to represent a more spiritual, sacred form of caring. According to Knutsson et al. (2022), Caritas expresses a deeper, holistic approach toward caring that focuses on love, compassion, and empathy. The concept went beyond mere clinical tasks and approached the creation of a healing environment that nurtures the whole person.

Subsequently, this brought about Caritas the idea of transpersonal caring relationships—that delineate how nurses can relate to patients on a deep and spiritual level, helping them achieve healing that is not only physical but also emotional and spiritual. Another important concept in my theory is the “caring moment,” a pivotal interaction between the nurse and the patient where the occasion for healing presents itself. These ideas are the foundation of my theory and give a road map on how nurses could integrate caring into their practice (Evelyn, 2019).

The ten creative factors, which I later redefined as Caritas processes, are meant to guide nurses in being with patients in processes of trust, empathy, and providing a supportive environment. In this way, I made caring an intentional, systematic part of nursing practice so that nurses could forge healing relationships with their patients on a much deeper level.

Stage 3: Theory Testing

Testing the validity of my theory was essential in proving its applicability within clinical settings. Some of the early studies to apply my theory were done in oncology nursing, whereby researchers tested how transpersonal caring could affect patient outcomes. Bagheri et al. (2023) evidenced that those who used Caritas processes improved patient emotional well-being and reduced anxiety. This study validated my theory’s potential to improve emotional health in patients undergoing difficult treatments like chemotherapy.

Consequently, another experiment tested my hypothesis in the neonatal intensive care units. The study was conducted to establish whether the Caritas processes would alleviate the stress amongst parents of premature babies. The study established that nurses who employed the principles had better parent relationships and were more reliable to the parents, which considerably cut down their stress and anxiety, as reported by Wei and Watson (2019). These studies demonstrated that my theory could be applied widely in different clinical settings with diverse patient populations to enhance the care of patients and their families.

The broad range of research conducted by my theory only helped to develop and refine it further. In search of how transpersonal caring positively influences patient outcomes, nursing researchers and graduate students continue to research this aspect. Such cumulative evidence from the studies continues to show the survivability of my theory in present nursing practice.

Stage 4: Evaluation

The last stage in the development of a theory is evaluation, whereby my theory’s influence on nursing practice is verified. One of the most important ways my theory has been used is in nursing education. Several schools of nursing use my theory to guide them in teaching students the importance of empathy and compassion in caring for patients. By instilling these principles in curricula, nursing students are equipped with the technical skills and emotional and relational tools needed to treat patients holistically, as noted by Knutsson et al. (2022).

Thus, in clinical practice, my theory has been applied in a variety of healthcare settings, most especially palliative care, where emotional and spiritual support is of the essence. Nurses who apply my theory in these settings greatly help improve the quality of end-of-life care by addressing patients’ emotional well-being, thereby greatly increasing patient satisfaction (Evelyn, 2019). Moreover, my theory has informed nursing leadership, where nurse managers use its principles in creating caring and supportive work environments. This, in turn, has increased job satisfaction and reduced burnout among nursing staff, culminating in better patient care (Watson, 2018).

Although my theory was well-received, some critics argue that caring is abstract and difficult to measure. However, further research shows that caring practices improve patient outcomes, including emotional and mental health, which are important components of holistic care, as Acosta and E. Wesley Ely (2023) noted. The continued applicability of caring practices in nursing is evidenced by their broad adoption across education and clinical practice.

Conclusion

My Theory of Transpersonal Caring has tremendously impacted nursing by providing a framework that emphasizes human connection, empathy, and compassion. To demonstrate the theory’s relevance and significance in nursing education and practice, I have gone through the theorizing, syntax development, theory testing, and assessment stages. Caring principles will always be an integral component of holistic, patient-centred care as the art and science of nursing continue to advance. Theoretical directions in nursing will continue to evolve with theories focused on the emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being of patients, and thus, caring will be kept as the nucleus of nursing practice.

References

Acosta, M. Y., & E. Wesley Ely. (2023). Holistic care in healthy aging: Caring for the wholly and holy human. Aging Cell, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.14021

Bagheri, S., Zarshenas, L., Rakhshan, M., Sharif, F., Sarani, E. M., Shirazi, Z. H., & Sitzman, K. (2023). Impact of Watson’s human caring-based health promotion program on caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09725-9

Evelyn. (2019). McEwen, Melanie_ Wills, Evelyn M. – Theoretical basis for nursing-Wolters Kluwer (2019).pdf. Google Docs. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Cn-jlNmg-6P6TG4QwVbTcuDUGb7UVSCp/view?usp=drive_link

Knutsson, S., Axelsson, J., & Lindqvist, G. (2022). An application of the caritative caring approach – nursing students’ experiences of practising caring and uncaring encounters by simulation at a clinical training centre. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2022.2100610

Tomaselli, G., Buttigieg, S. C., Rosano, A., Cassar, M., & Grima, G. (2020). Person-Centered Care From a Relational Ethics Perspective for the Delivery of High Quality and Safe Healthcare: A Scoping Review. Frontiers in Public Health, 8(44). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00044

Wei, H., & Watson, J. (2019). Healthcare interprofessional team members’ perspectives on human caring: A directed content analysis study. International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 6(1), 17–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2018.12.001

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This competency assessment assesses the following Outcome(s):

NU502M4-4: Analyze the application of nursing science and theory to the role of the advanced practice nurse.

PC 5-1: Use language that is clear, concise, and organized.

Introduction

Theories are constructed and developed by nursing theorists to describe and explain phenomena in nursing. Nursing science and development of the profession of nursing relies on this process to expand the understanding of what nursing is and what nursing does. The purpose of this assessment is to explore how a theorist explicates their philosophy and thoughts and then develops their theory based on testing and use in practice. An evaluation of the theory will make clear its usefulness to nursing practice, leadership, and/or education.

Directions

In this assessment, you are going to explore how a nurse theorist of your choice created their theory. You will become the theorist immersing yourself in the writings from the earliest mentioned to the most current literature. Writing in the voice of the theorist (taking on the persona of the theorist), you will create the theory through the following four stages.

In the first stage, theorizing occurs. This is where you, as the theorist, identify the concepts of what nursing is and is not. Perhaps you questioned what concepts were guiding those in nursing practice and then started to question your role. You started asking yourself, “Where am I in nursing, and where the profession is going? Is there some overarching understanding that guides the professional in his or her practice?” This is where you recognize that a theory is needed.

In the second stage, syntax is developed. This is where you will define the terms, explain relationships between the terms, and examine their expansion. Syntax development is an evolution. Consider, for example, Jean Watson. She starts by defining the word “caring.” Within the last several years, she has refined her terminology changing the term caring to caritas and identified the relationships between terms. This demonstrates a growth and maturation from decades of research she and other scholars did to produce the theory of caring.

The third stage is theory testing. Here, the theorists and other researchers consider whether this theory helps answer questions that arise in nursing. This is where your theory is used by a widening group of researchers. For example, graduate nursing students request to use the tool you developed while testing your theory in an area of nursing.

The fourth and last stage is evaluation. This is where the theory is used in practice with the goal of improving healthcare. It is evidenced in the development of policies, procedures and best practice standards that have evolved from theory implementation.

Assessment Details

1. Begin your paper with an introductory paragraph that describes why you chose this theorist. First person voice (I, me, etc.) is acceptable in this paper.
2. Write in the first person voice (I, me, our, etc.) as the theorist. For example: I, Dr. Jean Watson, found that caring was a core concept of how I viewed nursing. To me, caring is the essence of nursing.
3. Use the four stages (theorizing, syntax, theory testing, and evaluation) to explain how your theory was developed and used in nursing.
4. In the first (theorizing) stage, provide the historical context that influenced the theorist’s thinking.
5. In the second (syntax) stage, describe the development of the concepts and statements.
6. In the third (theory testing), provide two (2) examples of research examining the theory.
7. In the fourth (evaluation), provide three (3) examples of how the theory has been used in practice and a brief evaluation of the theory.
   

   NU502 M4: The Impact of Transpersonal Caring on Holistic Nursing Practice

Assessment Requirements:

Before finalizing your work, you should:

• be sure to read the assessment description carefully (as displayed above);
• consult the grading rubric to make sure you have included everything necessary; and
• utilize spelling and grammar check to minimize errors.

Your writing assessment should:

• minimum of four (4) pages with no more than six (6) pages of content, not including the title and reference pages.
• end your paper with a concluding paragraph conveying a sense of closure.
• have a minimum of five (5) sources of support.
• follow the conventions of Standard English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.);
• be well ordered, logical, and unified, as well as original and insightful;
• display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics; and
• use APA 7th edition format.