[2] Her father died suddenly when she was 16 years old, something she claims made her particularly sensitive to people and their suffering for the rest of her life.
[9] Watson's theory was influenced by several philosophers and thinkers including Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, each of whom were pioneers in creating the concept of transpersonal.
Over the course of her many academic works, Watson developed a set of 10 "caritive" processes to act as a guide for the core of nursing.
[13] One of the USA's largest healthcare delivery systems, Kaiser Permanente,[14] has used Watson's theory in California for many years.
[18] During a 2023 interview, Watson revealed that she was at first reluctant to accept the position due to the amount of unrealized potential she saw in the college.
She also established the Denver Nursing Project in Human Caring, which saw the university partner with local hospitals to support patients with AIDS and HIV.
In a 2023 interview,[19] Watson recalled that one clinic at the Denver VA hospital “was totally community-oriented and guided under my theory.
We listened to the people and provided whatever they wanted – whether it was exercise physiology, nutrition, healing touch, massage, or group therapy.
Faculty members remember Watson's deanship transforming the college into an “epicenter for human caring”.
[22] Watson also held the title of Distinguished Professor of Nursing; the highest honor accorded its faculty for scholarly work.
[25] She is founder of the original Center for Human Caring in Colorado and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
She has received numerous awards including: She holds sixteen Honorary Doctoral Degrees, including 13 International Honorary Doctorates (E. G. Sweden, United Kingdom, Spain, British Columbia and Quebec, Canada, Japan, Turkey, Peru and Colombia, S. America, Ireland).
Watson's more recent work looks at unitary caring science, examining the role of nurses through the lens of world view of unison, belonging and connection.