Adventist Hinsdale Hospital has adopted the nursing model of Dr. Jean Watson and her carative principles.
Dr. Watson is a distinguished professor of nursing at Colorado University and recipient of the highest faculty award for scholarly work. She developed her “Theory of Transpersonal Caring” in 1979. It is one of the few nursing theories to consider not only the cared-for but also the care giver, and is used by hospitals worldwide. Our nursing theory is about care transforming lives, recognizing and assessing all patient needs, creating trust relationships, showing genuine appreciation for patients, families, and other team members, while at the same time hardwiring clinical excellence.
What is “Veritas Caritas”?
“Veritas” is the Latin word for “truth,” and “caritas”, also a Latin word, means charity--specifically to cherish and give special loving attention. So our nursing model is based on truth in providing a loving, caring, nurturing experience and environment for the patient.
Truth in caring? What does that mean? It means:
- Going beyond customer service or patient clinical care to address the human, emotional, and spiritual aspects of a patient’s care and well-being.
- Blending the “carative” (care-giving) aspects of our work with the “curative” (clinical) factors.
- Building a trusting human care relationship between patient and provider.
- Creating a two-way teaching/learning approach to care, where the one caring and the one being cared for both connect in a mutual search for meaning and wholeness, and in doing so perhaps transcend suffering.
How do we apply the carative factors at AHH?
At AHH, we have Seven Pillars of Nursing Excellence. These are based Dr. Jean Watson’s Carative Theory, and also the Magnet core principles.
The Seven Pillars of Nursing Excellence are:
- Provide exceptional clinical quality and patient service and safety.
- Maintain and improve patient satisfaction.
- Decrease costs and help the hospital financially.
- Create the best teamwork, and increase employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention.
- Enhance the spiritual life of the patient – and of fellow nurses.
- Grow and increase our market share.
- Get involved in the community.