Jean Watson's humanized care: A literature review

Abstract

Introduction: The increasing dehumanization of health care has negatively impacted the nurse-patient relationship, affecting the quality of care, therapeutic communication, and professional well-being. Objective: This literature review aims to analyze the impact of Jean Watson’s Human Caring Theory on nurse-patient care, focusing on three dimensions: communication, patient satisfaction, and the emotional well-being of the professional. Methodology: A systematic search was conducted in databases such as PubMed, SciELO, CINAHL, Medline, and Google Scholar, using MeSH terms and filters by recency, language, and article type. From a total of 671 initial articles, 21 were selected that met quality and relevance criteria. Result: The findings show that Watson’s Theory significantly enhances therapeutic connection through caritas processes, promotes human-centered care, and strengthens nursing vocation. Discussion: Structural barriers were identified, such as work overload, limited training in soft skills, and weak institutionalization of humanized approaches. Conclusion: It is concluded that Watson’s Theory represents an effective strategy to address the depersonalization of care and humanize clinical environments.