Two portraits of caring: a comparison of the artists, Leininger and Watson

Two nursing leaders, Madeleine Leininger and Jean Watson, have devoted their careers to studying and evolving the meaning of caring. The theme of caring as presented by each theorist was explored along with their views of the nature of nursing, use of theory development strategies, and their individual contributions to the development of nursing knowledge. Both identify nursing as a humanistic science, with the concept of caring being the central unifying domain of nursing. Consistent with their belief that the humanistic sciences require a different research methodology to study that which is uniquely human, both have utilized qualitative research methodologies in their study of care. The evolution of each theorist perspective of care reflects their own background and experiences. Each theorist, therefore, has painted a different portrait of caring, demonstrating a differing emphasis on philosophical, cultural and empirical concerns. For Leininger, caring must be placed in a cultural context since caring patterns can differ transculturally. Watson has focused on the philosophic (existential--phenomenological) and spiritual basis of caring and sees caring as the ethical and moral ideal of nursing. Both Leininger and Watson have demonstrated their artistry in their individual portraits of caring and in their contributions to the development of nursing knowledge.