Compassion & Courage: Conversations in Healthcare

Dr. Jean Watson: Nursing, Humanity and the Circle of Life

September 21, 2021 Marcus Engel Season 1 Episode 3
Compassion & Courage: Conversations in Healthcare
Dr. Jean Watson: Nursing, Humanity and the Circle of Life
Show Notes

Show Notes

Join us this week for a deeply touching conversation, as the legendary Dr. Jean Watson, PhD, RN, shares time and the stories of her work in clinical nursing, as well as her academic philosophy practiced globally. 

Key topics:

  • [1:30] Marcus asks Dr. Jean Watson to speak about an instance where she was there for someone else or someone was there for her.
  • [3:00] Dr. Watson opens up to us about the loss of a loved one and shares a beautiful perspective on the sacred circle of life and death.
  • [5:10] Dr. Watson goes into the beginning of her career and her early background within nursing, philosophy and understanding human behavior
  • [6:38] Dr. Watson’s continued work in critiquing language and the mindset that objectifies a human being, specifically when relating to the support of a patient being considered a human being and not just an object.
  • [8:16] “Sacred science” - the newest level of Dr. Watson’s current work…and why is it sacred?
  • [9:45] The philosophy behind what guided Dr. Watson’s first book, “Nursing” - the attempt to find a meaningful philosophical foundation for nursing that was based on caring.
  • [10:44] Ten Carative Factors (a balance of “curing” and “caring”).
  • [13:36] Dr. Watson briefly talks about her latest work, “Unitary Caring Science”.
  • [15:40] Defining “Caritas” - bringing caring and love together within a model of science – love must be included within the model of science.
  • [16:24] The overlaps of Dr. Watson’s book, “Nursing” and Marcus’ book, “I’m Here” in teaching presence.
  • [18:48] How do nurses sustain their own self caring and rise above all the fearand negativity?
  • [22:26] “Listening Project“ 5 themes nurses needed during pandemic.
  • [23:54] “It’s amazing what we can hear when we stop talking.”
  • [24:43] Anger: a new emotion that we’re now hearing from nurses.
  • [25:16] Marcus asks, “How can we apply these 10 Caritas Process to helping to take care of our colleagues and ourselves?”
  • [26:35] Seven Sacred Sutras: a way to shift from “doing” to “being”.
  • [29:09] “We are the light in the institutional darkness, because we bring the light of our humanity.”
  • [29:42] Marcus asks, “How are nurses/healthcare professionals putting these sutras into practice?”
  • [31:36] Caritas Coach Educational Program – teaches a nurse how to use the 10 universals of caring for one’s self.
  • [32:40] Caritas Leadership Program - training leaders so that they can then support the staff
  • [33:07] “The most successful systems change the culture in small ways from the inside out.”
  • [34:53] “We’re waking up to the idea that if we’re not doing the work, internally and organizationally, we won’t survive.”
  • [37:19] The value simple gestures of our humanity.
  • [38:30] Dr. Watson’s closing thoughts on higher vibrations, humanity, and living life in loving kindness


Resources for you:

Date: 09/21/2021

Name of show: Compassion & Courage: Conversations in Healthcare
Episode title and number: Episode 03 – Dr. Jean Watson: Nursing, Humanity and the Circle of Life