ANALYZING EDUCATION AND NURSING THEORIES USED
IN THE PRACTICE OF NURSING EDUCATION
Em Olivia Bevis and Jean Watson (1989, pp. 51-60, 354-359) emphasize that nursing education should be based on a theory of caring by the nurse. In this theory of nursing, the underlying assumptions are that (1) care and love comprise the primal and universal psychic energy, and (2) care and love are requisite for our survival and the nourishment of humanity. Bevis and Watson (1989, pp. 51-60, 354-359) seek to extend this concept from nursing practice to nursing education. Further, Bevis and Watson (1989, pp. 51-60, 354-359) contend that not only should nursing students be instructed in this theory of nursing, but that the underlying concept of the theory should also guide the relationship between nursing teacher and nursing student. The theory of nursing described and explained by Bevis and Watson (1989, pp. 51-60, 354-359) posits a holistic conception of mind and body. As posited by this theory, nursing interventions related to human care are referred to as carative factors and include: (1) a humanistic-altruistic system of values, (2) faith and hope, (3) sensitivity to self and others, (4) helping and trusting in human care relationships, (5) expressing positive and negative feelings, (6) developing and applying a creative, problem-solving caring process, (7) transpersonal teaching and learning, (8) the development and maintenance of a supportive, protective, and/or corrective mental, physical, societal, and spiritual environment in which care is provided, (9) human needs assistance, and (10) existential and phenonenological spiritual forces.
Goal attainment, a holistic perspective, patient autonomy, interaction between nurse and patient, and adaptation are common to both the theory of nursing described by Bevis and Watson (1989, pp. 51-60, 354-359) and other major theories of nursing. The theory of nu...