This section will connect Watson’s theory through a clinical story. I can’t forget one incident that happened during one of my clinical exposures. Upon arrival to the hospital, I saw and approached one of my patients who was laid in a hospital bed. According to the data, he was hit by a vehicle thru “hit and run”. I saw abrasions in some areas of his extremities but no major injuries. He kept complaining about pain in areas of his shoulders and back, he seemed also disappointed that there were no clear instructions by one staff nurse, and no one attended his concerns, specially his personal necessities.
I listened well as he verbalize all the complaints until he came to a point of telling his life story (this part is referred to as phenomenal field by Watson), which I listened to, and get to know him a little personally. After a few minutes, he kept quiet, pressing his back aching, as I tried to hold his shoulder gently and empathize with him, he looked at me and slowly smiled, (At this moment, a caring occasion takes place). I can sense though that he is in pain and depressed. So, I arrange his environment to make him feel more comfortable.
I asked basic things about him, his feelings, place he live including the address, his family and their possible reactions to the situation where he is into. I also asked him if he wanted me to call someone to inform about the accident. He kept repeating that he just wanted to be home, as soon as possible. Watson’s Carative factors in the Context of Transpersonal Relationship The theory of Human Caring looks at a person as with mind, body, and spirit, which is influenced by the concept of self, unique, and free to make choices.
In the story, I view the patient as a “being-in-the-world”, thus, did not consider him without his context or environment (family, culture, community, society, etc. ). As a result, data about his family, friends, and resources within his community were also included. The concerns about him are also related with his environment. Watson’s point of view corresponds to the respect for the other person’s decisions. Her definition of health does not only mean the mere absence of disease as a subjective experience. Health may also mean the person’s harmony, or balance, within the mind-body-spirit.
Watson (1988b) believes as one is able to experience one’s real self, the more harmony there will be within the mind-body-spirit, so that a higher degree of health will be attained. Later, nursing will reach to a point where there is high focus in enabling all health care practitioners to work within a shared framework of caring relationships. However, the said future will yet to unfold more opportunities for compassionate caritas service in the national and global communities.
REFERENCES
Campbell, J. (2003). Cultivating Improvement in nursing today for strong profession tomorrow. The Journal of Nursing Education, 32, 2002-2003. Messner, R L. and Lewis, S. (2000). Increasing patients satisfaction. (2006). New York: Springer Pub. Co. Kozier, B. (2004). Fundamental of nursing. (7th ed. ). New Jersey: Pearson Hall. Watson, J. (2007). Watson’s theory of human caring and subjective living experiences: Disciplinary guide to professional nursing practice. Brazilian Clinical Nursing Journal: Texto and Contexto. 16(1):129-135. Watson, J. (2005). Caring science: Belonging before being as ethical cosmology. Nursing Science Quarterly. 18(4) 4-5.