Nursing: The Philosophy And Science Of Caring

Nursing The Philosophy and Science of Caring Figure 1: Frontispiece: The Creation of Adam: detail of the hands of God and Adam, by Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564). Detail of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican Palace, State of the Vatican City. Photo credit: Scala / Art Resource, New York. Nursing The Philosophy and Science of Caring REVISED EDITION JEAN WATSON, PhD, RN, AHC-BC, FAAN Distinguished Professor of Nursing Murchinson-Scoville Endowed Chair in Caring Science University of Colorado–Denver, Anschutz Medical Center Aurora U n i v ersity Press of Colorado © 2008 by Jean Watson Published by the University Press of Colorado 5589 Arapahoe Avenue, Suite 206C Boulder, Colorado 80303 All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America The University Press of Colorado is a proud member of the Association of American University Presses. The University Press of Colorado is a cooperative publishing enterprise supported, in part, by Adams State College, Colorado State University, Fort Lewis College, Mesa State College, Metropolitan State College of Denver, University of Colorado, University of Northern Colorado, and Western State College of Colorado. The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials. ANSI Z39.48-1992 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Watson, Jean, 1940– Nursing : the philosophy and science of caring / Jean Watson. — Rev. ed. p. ; cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-87081-898-1 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Nursing—Philosophy. 2. Nursing—Psychological aspects. 3. Nurse and patient. 4. Helping behavior. I. Title. [DNLM: 1. Nurse-Patient Relations. 2. Nursing Care—methods. 3. Philosophy, Nursing. WY 87 W3393n 2008] RT84.5.W37 2008 610.7301—dc22 2008001410 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 This new edition is dedicated to my grandchildren, Demitri, Alma, and Theo Ervedosa and Gabriel and Joseph Willis. My gratitude and love to my beautiful daughters, Jennifer and Julie. I am so blessed to have them in my life and my life’s work; they are often my best teachers. I also wish to honor the teachings, support, and lessons learned from my late husband, Douglas, who was with me for the duration of the writing of the first edition of this book. The students at the University of Colorado, and students and colleagues around the world, continue to inspire and inform me about the deeper nature of this work and its potential for generating love and caring globally, opening new horizons for caring, healing, and peace in the world. I am always learning from these inspirited others who make this framework a living presence in their personal and professional lives in nursing and health care. The focus of this work is not for every nurse but for the Caritas Nurse who is on the journey toward the deeper caring-healing dimensions of nursing and is on the personal-professional path of authenticity and evolution of consciousness, bringing Love, Spirit, purpose, and meaning back into his/her life and life’s work in the world. This work serves somewhat as a continuing message to the next generation of nurses and health practitioners engaged in and committed to Caritas practices. My special gratitude goes to those students, practitioners, and colleagues around the world who are being and doing “The Work.” As I often say, I sit at your feet in awe. I also remind all: I write and teach what I am learning, needing continually to learn. contents Acknowledgments Preface: Opening-Entering: A New Beginning Almost Thirty Years Later Interlude Part I. Background xv xvii xxi 1 Part II. Caring Science as Context 13 Chapter 1. Nursing: Th