Human science paradigm and Watson's theory of human caring

인간과학적 배경과 Watson의 돌봄이론

Nursing have been caught between the paradigm of medical science with a body part view of a person and the paradigm of medical science with an emphasis on unsurpassable control, rigor, objectivism, and neutrality of value. But it is inappropriate to apply impersonal, objective model of science for the personal unique and gestalt experiences of nursing phenomena. Jean Watson proposed a theory of human caring based on human science paradigm to explain human phenomena. This study reviewed the theory of nursing by Jean Watson and the researches based on Waton's theory. In this study the researcher examined the philosophical back ground, value system and key concepts of Watson's theory Watson's perspective of person and human existence includes humanistic and phenomenological characteristics. She also emphasized nurse-patient relationship as an intersubjective(transpersonal) caring relationship. Examination of the studies based on Watson's theory consistantly revealed Watson's theory of human caring based on the human science paradigm is more appropriate than traditional medical science paradigm for explaining nursing phenomena. For the purpose of refining the theory and promoting usefulness of the theory, it would be desirable to test the theory to the nursing phenomena and to apply the theory to practice and education.