The concept of a person, or a human being, is fundamental in all reliable theories of nursing. In Watson’s Theory of Caring, a person plays a highly essential role as addressing his needs is defined as a core of patient-oriented and responsible nursing. According to it, a patient is “a valued person in and of him or herself to be cared for, respected, nurtured, understood and assisted” (“Jean Watson – nursing theorist,” n.d., para. 12). From a philosophical perspective, a person is a fully functional integrated self who should be regarded as a solid creation rather than the sum of his parts (“Jean Watson – nursing theorist,” n.d.). At the same time, Watson’s theory differs from others by its focus on a human being’s spiritual dimension instead of the emphasis on his physical health. In it, a patient has three dimensions – mind, body, and soul – and the latter is more valuable for efficient healthcare delivery and positive outcomes (Nikfarid et al., 2018). A person’s wholeness deserves assistance, respect, and care, and the soul is perceived as the highest sense of self, similar to the concept of self-actualization in psychology.
In the Environmental Theory of Florence Nightingale, who may be regarded as the first nursing theorist and the founder of the modern nursing profession, the concept of a human being exists; however, it is not defined specifically. Nevertheless, both Watson and Nightingale emphasize that any patient deserves care and respect regardless of his age, gender, race, and socioeconomic status. In addition, both theories agree upon the ability of a person to heal himself. Thus, from Watson’s existentialistic ontological perspective, through caring moments, an individual may expand his inner healing power or reach even a miracle-like experience.
The theory of Nightingale also states that a person is responsible for his healing, and nurses only assist and help him in this process. Thus, nurses’ duty is to put “the individuals’ structure in such a state that they have no disease or can recover from the disease” (Riegel et al., 2021, p. 3). However, the Environmental Theory emphasizes the significance of the environment for a person’s health and recovery. In addition, for Nightingale, personal hygiene, fresh air, water, food, room cleanliness, light, and the absence of noise have paramount importance for a patient. In turn, for Watson, nurses instigate the healing process predominantly through compassion, empathy, and love. All in all, these two theories address the concept of a person as essential and responsible for personal healing with the help of nurses. At the same time, Watson’s theory focuses on a human being’s spirituality – in contrast, Nightingale connects a person’s physical health with environmental properties.
Regardless of substantial differences in authors’ understanding of the same concept, their theories complement each other and create an in-depth perception of this concept necessary for modern, competent nurses. For instance, if a person defines a patient as a recipient of care whose physical health is prioritized and depends on the environment, reading Watson’s Theory of Caring will supplement his knowledge. In other words, a reader will be aware of the significance of spirituality and nurses’ love and compassion for patients’ positive health results. In this case, getting acquainted with various theories that define the same concept from various and even opposite perspectives contribute to the development of quality patient-oriented healthcare delivery.
References
Jean Watson – nursing theorist. (n.d.). Nursing Theory. Web.
Nikfarid, L., Hekmat, N., Vedad, A., & Rajabi, A. (2018). The main nursing metaparadigm concepts in human caring theory and Persian mysticism: A comparative study. Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, 11(6), 1-9.
Riegel, F., Crossetti, M. D. G. O., Martini, J. G., & Nes, A. A. G. (2021). Florence Nightingale’s theory and her contributions to holistic critical thinking in nursing. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 74(2), 1-5. Web.