Understanding Nursing Theory and Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring

Understanding Nursing Theory and Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring

A reflection on the evolution of nursing reveals the greater role various nursing theories have played over time in defining and refining aspects of nursing practice. The theorists behind these theories have been lauded for their commitment to bettering human care and their passion for healthier communities. Contemporary nursing borrows significantly from these theories as they define nursing education, the profession, and individual interactions between nurses and their patients. This paper details nursing theories, categorization, and utilization in current and future care.

Grand, Middle Range, and Micro-Range Nursing Theories

The categorization of nursing theories based on their levels of abstraction yields grand, middle-range, and micro-range theories. The grand nursing theories are theories that have a broader scope, are abstract and are complex. These theories address the nursing meta paradigms of person, environment, nursing, and health. Their conception was informed by the experiences of the nurse theorists who formulated them. An example of a grand nursing theory is Dorothea Orem’s self-care deficit theory. Middle-range theories have a limited scope, and their propositions are less abstract. They are preferred in various nursing fields and are mostly conceived from other theories and research. An example of a middle-range nursing theory is Watson’s nursing caring theory. Micro range theories, or practice-level theories, are narrower in scope, situation-specific, and focus on an aspect of the patient population. They provided the basis for many nursing interventions as they have a more direct effect on nursing practice. An example of a practice-level nursing theory is the life perspective theory model by Dr. Joyce Fitzpatrick.

The Theory I Would Most Likely Use in My Practice

The theory of nursing I would most likely use in my practice is the Jean Watson theory of human caring. This theory contends that caring regenerates positive energy and potentiates nurses’ inner capabilities. By embracing caring, they not only reward their patients but themselves too. The theory is grounded on the ten Caritas, defining nurses’ roles and guiding their engagements with other caregivers and patients (Gunawan et al., 2022). I will likely use this theory in my nursing practice because it represents the essence of nursing practice. By employing the provisions of this theory, I will be able to create a positive environment that promotes healing for my patients. I will also be able to establish therapeutic relationships with them.

The Theory I would Like to Incorporate More into My Practice in the Future

The theory I would like to incorporate more into my practice is the theory of transcultural nursing. This theory utilizes the concepts of culture, race, and ethnicity to foster an understanding of people’s behaviors and perceptions (Berhanu et al., 2021). I am most likely to incorporate this theory in my future practice because of the dynamicity of modern healthcare. Diversification in healthcare is increasingly becoming apparent, with the modern healthcare landscape being an amalgam of many cultures. This theory will better my understanding of different individuals, their behaviors, and their perception of health. This will enhance the communication processes between us and how I treat them.

The nursing theory maintains significance in defining aspects of nursing practice. The categorization of these theories by levels of abstraction reveals various levels of nursing theories and how they influence care processes and nurse interventions. Theories such as Jean Watson’s theory of caring remain valuable in nursing practice and will be part of my nursing practice. As diversification in healthcare increases, theories such as transcultural nursing will also become handy for nurses.

 References

Berhanu, R. D., Tesema, A. A., Deme, M. B., & Kanfe, S. G. (2021). Perceived transcultural self-efficacy and its associated factors among nurses in Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study. Plos one, 16(7). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254643

Gunawan, J., Aungsuroch, Y., Watson, J., & Marzilli, C. (2022). Nursing administration: Watson’s theory of human caring. Nursing Science Quarterly, 35(2), 235–243. https://doi.org/10.1177/08943184211070582 

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In this written assignment, you will examine the three types of nursing theory, middle range, and micro-range, using the format required in this week’s module.

Experiences Implementing or Applying Nursing Theory into Practice

Step 1 Write a two-page (minimum) paper, not including the title or reference pages. You will need a title page, an introduction paragraph, the body with research, a conclusion, and a reference page for all professional papers. All formats must be in 7th edition APA.

For the body of your paper, address the following objectives and separate them using distinct paragraph headers:

Define and/or describe grand, middle-range, and micro-range nursing theory. For each type of theory, give one theorist and his or her theory as an example.
Which theory are you most likely to use in your practice? Explain your reason.
Which theory would you like to incorporate more into your practice in the future? Explain your reason.