Can Someone Be a Nurse Without Jean Watson??

Nurses General Nursing

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Ok now, as I delve back INTO nursing philosophy and theories, I come across, again, the theories of Jean Watson that have been hailed as the greatest thing since polyurethane IV bags - The Caring Theory of Nursing.

Personally, I have never been a fan of Watson, only because I feel that she OVERemphasized the caring aspect, and, in my opinion, dumbified nursing - hence, the ad campaign in the late 80's "If Caring Were Enough, Anyone Could Be a Nurse." Watson threw a fit when she saw this.

As nursing evolves to a more technically challenging field, requiring more acute assessment skills, and as the

"How Women Know" movement which has shaped nursing education for the last decade or so has become archaic, wondering what your thoughts are on if someone can be a nurse and NOT subscribe to the caring theory. Can one be a competent nurse and NOT care about her patients any more deeply than simply getting the job done?

Watson's theory goes a bit deeper than simply "caring" - more so than "caring" about any other job. But "caring" as far as honestly caring about the patient as you would your mom or dad.

Do you think someone CAN be an effective nurse WITHOUT having so much an emphasis on loving her patients?

Specializes in LDRP; Education.
Originally posted by cheerfuldoer

I don't know about proving any points, Susy.....I really never try to get into competitive point proving.

It wasn't really a competition, Renee. It was just a discussion about the usefulness of Watson's theory, and perhaps about having any theory of nursing at all, and about the reasoning behind nursing theories. I was only using your comment about nursing being compared to motherhood as evidence that perhaps nursing shouldn't try so hard to separate itself. That's all. :confused:

Watson is the only nursing theorist to explicitly support the concept of soul and to emphasize the spiritual dimension of human existance. (Spiritual meaning what gives a person inner strength during times of stress, not necessarily religion). This may be what turns nurses off, or turns nurses on about her theory. I've never heard of fluffing auras, but she does advocate treating the whole person (body, mind, spirit) during illness/disease state.

Linda

O/T: So, Helen--do you have to fluff your aura manually, like a pillow, or can you just throw it in the dryer with a sheet of fabric softener so it smells springtime-fresh too? :D

Specializes in CV-ICU.
Originally posted by Stargazer

O/T: So, Helen--do you have to fluff your aura manually, like a pillow, or can you just throw it in the dryer with a sheet of fabric softener so it smells springtime-fresh too? :D

Stargazer, you crack me up! LOL!:D :roll :chuckle

SusyK, I have never heard of Jean Watson or Martha Rogers, and am glad I went through Nursing school before either of these people ever got published! I remember Hildegard Peplau and Virginia Henderson, and feel those 2 First Ladies of 20th Century Nursing were on to something with their Nursing Theories-- and they didn't say Word One about caratas, auras, infinite energy fields, etc. They stuck with basic real life nursing ideas and skills. IMHO, they dealt with real people, real patients, and real nursing. I'm not sure WHAT planet some of these other people are from, but they certainly aren't doing REAL nursing here on Earth!!!! Thanks for the interesting info-- and also the wacky ideas!!!!

Originally posted by Susy K

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And as a nurse, I can care just as much about my job as a computer programmer about a major project.

I 've been a nurse for 27yrs and I've never heard of Jean Watson or Martha Rogers either. I do remember nursing theory in school was the most boring part. I do remember being constantly told throughout my career that money shouldn't matter because nursing is a caring profession. We were even discouraged from discussing salaries with each other because money isn't what nursing is about. Well maybe that is why nursing is in the shape it's in.

I totally agree with what Susy K is saying above and in other posts. How you care for patients is an individual thing and doesn't have to be layed out in a book on Nursing Theory. There are many pt's that instead of fluffing their pillows I wanted to put them over their heads. I still gave them quality care because that's me, even if I couldn't stand them.

I think what I always hated about nursing theory was it wasn't the real world. I always figured the people that wrote them, never actually took care of pts.

Less emphasis on theory and more on clinical will make a better nurse IMHO.

Sorry Linda (Washyhands), but there is a famous European, Swiss theorist, her name is Liliane Juchli and she is a nun too.

Now her theory is based on spirituality and caring too.

I once went to a lecture of her and I must say, she was awsome! This woman truly lives what she writes, very believable, but......... for a "normal" woman like I am, very hard to understand and even harder to practice.

This thread is getting better by the day!! Renee

sorry, forgot the word better for the thread. I don't want to start on religion again, but with "normal woman" I meant myself a believer/ nonbeliever, depending how life goes

Sorry Linda (Washyhands), but there is a famous European, Swiss theorist, her name is Liliane Juchli and she is a nun too.

True. There are many theorists who have based their work on the concept of caring. Jean Watson's theory of Human Science and Human Care was first published in 1985. Many posters have said that they've never heard of her, so I was trying to provide some insight into what the theory is about. If my posts seem like I'm trying to pursuade people, I apologize, as that is not my intention. I'm trying to provide knowledge about her theory in an attempt to stimulate the discussion and add balance to the topic.

I realize that theory (in any subject) is boring. And, in the big scheme of things, probably means nothing. But, the topic came up and since I've studied it ad nauseum (armed with tylenol and coffee), it seemed like a thread I could contribute to.

Linda

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
Originally posted by Susy K

It wasn't really a competition, Renee. It was just a discussion about the usefulness of Watson's theory, and perhaps about having any theory of nursing at all, and about the reasoning behind nursing theories. I was only using your comment about nursing being compared to motherhood as evidence that perhaps nursing shouldn't try so hard to separate itself. That's all. :confused:

Susy.......I can clearly "feel" your passion regarding Theory in Nursing......I....on the other hand....have never been into theory or theorist......too much like working with hypothetical drama.....much like untested and unproven psychology.......which totally bores me. :zzzzz Therefore......I will leave this area of passion to those of you who are passionate about it. Like "JennyP" stated......only in my own words here........I am soooooo glad that my "braincells" were never wasted on THEORY OR THEORISTS :zzzzz

Carry on PASSIONATE ONE! :kiss :nurse:

Specializes in LDRP; Education.

It's really not a "passion" Renee but simply a byproduct of going to school!! I am forced to take Nursing Theory and Nursing Philosophy; am forced to write a paper on what I define my philosophy is; am forced to determine the philosophical roots of a nursing theory, whether it's Decartes, Aristotle or Kant. If I were not enrolled in school, this thread would never have been started.

I use these BBs here simply as sounding boards so I can better prepare for class. It's not really any deeper than that! :eek:

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I am new to this list and want to begin by saying, "Thank you" to all who have contributed to this thread. I have found it very interesting. It is particularly relevent to one of my current projects at work. I work in the staff development department of a hospital and my colleagues and I am currently discussing the role of theory in nursing and how we can better use it in our clinical and education practice. I also happen to have gotten my PhD at the Univ. of Colorado Health Sciences Center, where, yes, I did know Jean Watson and took a class from her.

While part of me wants to write pages and pages in response to your posts, I'm too practical for that. So, I thought I would just share the preliminary thoughts of my colleagues here as we struggle with the whole question of the role of theory in practice.

(1) We have come to believe that theory can help the novice nurse organize her assessments, documentation, thoughts, etc. by providing a structure (or framework or scaffolding) to help that novice manage all the information and all the different aspects of a situation. As nurses get more experienced, they seem to need that formal structure less and less. This might explain why a lot of very experienced nurses hate to get "bogged down" with theoretical discussions. (This view, by the way, would be consistent with The Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquistion -- which forms the basis for some of Patricia Benner's nursing theory work.)

(2) Nursing theories, like the theories in any other field, are the creations of human beings -- and therefore, they are flawed. The history of any field (nursing, medicine, astrophysics, geology, etc.) is the story of one generation modifiying the theories of the previous generations. That's what science is all about -- one person proposing a possible explanation for something (hyposthesis), followed by debate and testing, followed by new hypotheses.

It is very, very possible to find "pearls of wisdom" or "kernals of truth" (or whatever you want to call them) embedded in a theory even though you don't agree with everything in that theory. It is very possible, even probable, that one part of a theorists work might be weak while another part may be strong and useful. It's not an "all or nothing" deal.

(4) It's important to distinguish between philosophical theories and scientific theories. A lot of the work of nursing theorists is really philosphical, not scientific. Philosophy and science are 2 totally different fields of endeavor. Therefore, it is inappropriate to evaluate philosophy using scientific criteria.

While I agree with much of Jeff R.'s essay, I take a kinder view of the situation and the theorists because I read their work as philosophy, not science. Also, I view the work of the major nursing theorists within the context of the history and philosophy of the academic discipline of nursing. I can relate to the difficulties these women have overcome to accomplish what they have and value what they have to contribute. Again, I am not saying that I agree with all of it, only that I take a kinder view of it. I see value in much of it, even though I acknowledge that much of it is flawed.

One controversial point in his essay that I agree with: Most nursing programs are not nearly rigorous enough academically. Throughout history, there has been an "anti-intellectualism" in nursing that has always kept us down. If we want to be accepted as equals to the other professions, we must raise our standards.

llg

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
Originally posted by Susy K

It's really not a "passion" Renee but simply a byproduct of going to school!! I am forced to take Nursing Theory and Nursing Philosophy; am forced to write a paper on what I define my philosophy is; am forced to determine the philosophical roots of a nursing theory, whether it's Decartes, Aristotle or Kant. If I were not enrolled in school, this thread would never have been started.

I use these BBs here simply as sounding boards so I can better prepare for class. It's not really any deeper than that! :eek:

That's good to know. I wish you well in your program at school. I'm sure you'll do your best! However.....it would be nicer to hear you say that you are loving what you do since it makes a much better impact on the student nurses here to read that nurses pursue higher education in nursing because they are PASSIONATE about doing so rather than because they feel they HAVE to do so.....whether they want to or not.....and then feel "forced to do so".....don't you think, Susy k?

Specializes in LDRP; Education.
Originally posted by cheerfuldoer

However.....it would be nicer to hear you say that you are loving what you do since it makes a much better impact on the student nurses here to read that nurses pursue higher education in nursing because they are PASSIONATE about doing so rather than because they feel they HAVE to do so.....whether they want to or not.....and then feel "forced to do so".....don't you think, Susy k?

No, not really. The hard and fast truth is that I am going to school because the jobs I want as a nurse require a MSN. It's really that simple. Nursing students can learn from me saying this because that is the reality out there in the profession, and in ANY profession. If we want to get ahead, we need to raise the bar, both personally and as a profession.

As far as forced, I only meant that back to you in reference to my being "passionate" about nursing theory and theorists. During summer and during all the year prior to starting grad school, Jean Watson never crossed my mind. The only reason she is on my mind is simply due to classroom content.

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