Watson’s theory
Watson’s theory can be considered a middle-range theory when the focus is on the ten carative factors. An example that illustrates this is Watson’s first Caritas process, which is the “practice of loving-kindness and equanimity for self and others” (Alharbi & Baker, 2020). One of the major assumptions of Watson’s theory is that we must “treat ourselves with loving-kindness and equanimity, gentleness, and dignity before we can accept, respect, and care for others within a professional caring-healing model” (Linton & Koonmen, 2020). In this caring process, Watson maintains that a nurse’s loving-kindness toward self (concept A) leads to (proposition) his/her ability to practice loving-kindness toward his/her patients (concept B). In other words, without first caring for the self, it is not possible to truly care for others. As an aspiring APN, this is a very significant point. APNs not only take care of patients, but they are also leaders who are responsible for making sure that their team members are in good health. It is important to remember that high-quality care begins with loving-kindness toward self and other caregivers (Wei & Watson, 2019). This is a middle-range theory because this can be used in a practice setting. Especially in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, many nurses may find themselves exhausted and even traumatized. Anyone who has practiced patient care knows that taking care of patients and families is very difficult, if not impossible when one is fatigued and overwhelmed. Watson’s first Caritas process is a useful tool to remind ourselves to care for ourselves as well as others.
As mentioned previously, Watson’s theory can also be considered a grand theory. According to Watson (2018), the word Caritas originates from the Latin word, and it means “to cherish, to appreciate, to give special, if not loving attention to…something precious that needs to be cultivated and sustained.” This shows that Watson’s theory is grounded in love and compassion. Furthermore, Watson’s theory guides nursing practice by serving as “the basis for human caring, whereby our being is connected and we all Belong to nature and our shared humanity around the globe…we all Belong to the infinite field of Universal Cosmic Love” (Watson, 2018). That is to say, human beings are all connected by love, regardless of culture, language, religions, borders, and other differences (Watson, 2018). Nurses, therefore, must be able to connect with their patients through love and kindness, which will bring about true meaning of patient care. Watson’s theory is a grand theory because of this universal perspective of love, caring, and human relationships.
