BSN 405 Assignment 2: Professional Values and Practice
Professional Values and Practice
Student name
Post University
SIMPATH_BSN405
Prof. name
Submission date
Introduction
Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring, as a basis of modern nursing, is one of the most influential theories today, the primary aim of which is the care of patients. This theory started in the late twentieth century, where emphasis is placed on the interdependence of patient and nurse with regard to care that promotes the value of each. Watson’s theory is rooted in the belief that, as a professional, a nurse makes a great contribution both morally and scientifically to society and that the caring aspects of the nurse can be used to guide and influence the actions of human beings (Alligood, 2021). The ten Caritas Processes are the major tenets of this theory and explain how caring behaviours can be applied to the practice of nursing.
Watson’s Theory of Human CaringÂ
According to the theory, Human Caring is an important theory that places a caring approach to nursing. According to this theory, caring is one of the foremost nursing interventions as it is not limited to one’s body, but extends to his/her psyche, soul, and social being. The theory concentrates on the self-care needs of nurses to promote understanding of how nurses can be supportive to the patients (Bagheri et al., 2023).
According to the theory, self-care has the ability to inspire the nurse to be present, more compassionate, and efficient in carrying out their tasks. In Watson’s philosophy, caring and tender moments shared by the nurses with the patients lead to healing and recovery and the achievement of meaningful human existence.
The Ten Caritas Processes
Watson’s theory is expressed in the 10 Caritas Processes, guiding principles of caring in nursing. These processes include:
Practice of loving kindness: Approach to patient and co-worker with true kindness and respect.
Decision-making: Practicality of decision-making in a caring and ethical manner.
Instill faith and hope: remind them that there is a positive attitude and hope.
Practice teaching and learning to address the needs and learning styles of the individual patient: Customizing patient care learning to the individual patient.
Nurture individual spiritual beliefs and practices: Respecting and supporting patients’ spiritual needs.
Holistic care: A whole-person (body, mind, and spirit) approach to caring.
Helping and trusting relationships: Established and maintained – Build trust through authentic and caring interactions.
Create a healing environment: Provide a physical and emotional setting that is supportive of healing.
Encourage expression of negative and positive feelings: Ask and give patients the freedom to express their emotions.
Miracles: Being open to the unknown and the miraculous in the healing process.
Exploring Two Caritas Processes
Two Caritas Processes that have been chosen for this assignment are loving-kindness and a healing atmosphere. These Caritas are fundamental in nursing care and impact the care being given.
Practice of Loving Kindness
Loving-kindness in a clinical health care environment involves loving-kindness to patients and colleagues. This Caritas also gives attention to the recognition of the inherent value of each person. Loving kindness, in the nursing practice, can be a simple, authentic smile, a pat on the shoulder and/or hand, or simply sitting down to listen to a patient’s concerns. Thus, the nursing personnel can show kindness to the patient, so that the patient’s trust in the nurses can be obtained, which is necessary in establishing friendly relationships. Moreover, loving-kindness practice can diminish the stresses and emotional load that most nursing professions involve and enhance the personal and professional performance of the nurses.
Creating a Healing Environment
Environmental healing work refers to the development of the ward and the interactions between the patient/patients and the health care-giver to improve healing. This can mean a lack of noise and disturbance, a lack of privacy, and a lack of safety for the patient. It’s not just the physical design; it’s the organizational climate of caring, courtesy, and compassion.
These findings have demonstrated that the environment can impact patients’ well-being and recovery from stress and anxiety, and the approach to creating an environment that promotes healing is different. The nature of the working environment can either enhance the association of meaningfulness or have an impact on nurses’ job satisfaction and well-being from the nurses’ point of view.Â
A Caring Moment in Nursing PracticeÂ
In my nursing practice, it is hard to pick one act of kindness from the many that I have performed; however, one of the instances came from a patient who was very anxious before surgery. The patient was frowning and appeared anxious; their anxiety seemed to be making their physical symptoms worse. Then, I knew that I needed to think not only about his body, but also about what he is feeling, and implemented the Caritas of loving kindness, and the atmosphere of a healing home.
Application of Caritas in the Caring MomentÂ
Loving Kindness: I approached the patient with a smile and a kind attitude. First, I have sought to be without prejudice to their words and to understand their fears. I made sure that I was speaking to the participants quietly and copying the right body language, shaking hands, and making eye contact.
Creating a Healing Environment: To reduce possible sources of stress, I made sure that the area around the patient’s bed was quiet and there was low light. I also facilitated a visit with the patient’s family, as it would be beneficial in reducing anxiety. Additionally, I provided the patient with coping mechanisms to deal with anxiety, such as doing breathing exercises.
Enhancing the Caring Moment with CaritasÂ
The connection between the caring moment, the exercise of loving kindness, and the development of a healing environment is clearly illuminated. In order to take away the fears of the patient, I took pains to make friends with them, which helped the patient feel safe around me. Establishing a healing environment also aided in this process by decreasing environmental demands and giving the patient the psychosocial support he or she required.
Importance of Theory in Nursing PracticeÂ
In the nursing field, the application of theory has the following benefits: This is because it gives a framework that helps nurses provide good care for patients. For instance, Watson’s Theory of Human Caring includes the aspects of emotional, spiritual, and relational patient care, which can have positive impacts on the patient’s condition and satisfaction levels (Kurtgöz & Koç, 2022). Secondly, theory-based practice contributes to the recognition of the patterns in the provision of nursing care, and this means that all patients can receive quality care as indicated in the theory. Finally, nursing theories are useful in the development of the nursing profession because they foster critical thinking, analysis, and reflection skills in nurses.
Conclusion
Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring is beneficial to enhance the nursing practice through the use of caring and a person-centred approach. There are two Caritas Processes which demonstrate how caring behaviours impact patients and even the nurses themselves: The practice of loving-kindness and the creation of a healing environment. The integration of these Caritas in practice enables nurses to establish rapport with patients, alleviate patients’ suffering, and provide an environment conducive to the well-being of the patients. The applicability of a nursing theory like Watson’s is of significant importance in nursing practice enhancement to make a positive impact on patient care, as well as to enhance the satisfaction of the nurses.
References
Alligood, M. R. (2021). nursing theorists and their work e-book: nursing theorists and their work e-book. In Google Books. Elsevier Health Sciences. https://books.google.com.pk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=usg5EAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA68&dq=Watson%E2%80%99s+theory+is+based+on+the+understanding+that
Grant, J. B., & Reed, S. M. (2024). Existential advocacy in nursing care: a concept analysis. Nursing Forum, 2024(5-6), e8475749. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/8475749
Valluri, J., Gorton, K., & Chesnut, S. (2024). Effectiveness of lovingkindness micro-practices on chronic pain and stress outcomes in nurses: An online, double-blind, randomized-controlled pilot study. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 17(2), 1–13. https://www.internationaljournalofcaringsciences.org/docs/2.valluri.pdf