Comparing The Medical Model And Philosophies Of Nursing

To understand nursing philosophy, you must first understand what nursing means to you as an individual. To me nursing as well as nursing philosophy involves providing individualized holistic care to a patient, family, community, or even one’s own self. Holistic care is providing care involving the mind, body, spirit, and environment.

As popular as the ADN is today, there is a huge momentum to encourage nurses to receive their BSN instead of an ADN. Nurses that are already entering the workforce at the BSN level are not only more skilled at following and understanding evidenced based practice, but they are also more prepared to go on to school to complete their masters or doctorate degrees. In the changing face of healthcare, more nurses with advanced degrees will be needed to provide primary care as in the role of nurse practitioners. APRNs are going to be in higher demand in community care, public health nursing, evidence based practice, research, and leadership. Shortages of nurses in these positions create a “barrier to advancing the profession and improving the delivery of care to patients” (IOM, 2010, p. 170). Shortages of APRNs and the increasing need for nurse practitioners to provide primary care is why the IOM is recommending to increase the amount of BSN educated nurses entering the workforce to 80% and to double the number of doctorate nurses by 2020 (IOM, 2010, p. 173) The goal to increase the nursing workforce to 80% BSN educated nurses and double the amount of nurses with doctorate degrees is a formidable goal, but increasingly necessary. Patients are becoming more complex inside and outside of the hospital setting with chronic multiple comorbidities. BSN educated nurses are not only better prepared to care for these

The role of the DNP is to be committed to one’s practice career, and be focused toward improving patient care and outcomes, as well as population health. The role of the PhD prepared nurse is to dedicate one’s practice to research which is focused toward developing new nursing knowledge and answering scientific inquiry (AACN, 2014). The DNP and PhD programs are both difficult and challenging, both are committed to research, one degree is not better than the other, both are terminal degrees (Baker, 2014).

Dr. Burdick meets the eligibility criteria for promotion to Associate Professor. Dr. Burdick holds the terminal degree in her field and has five years of teaching at the rank of instructor or above. The Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) is a practice-focused program in nursing which the American Association of Colleges of Nursing characterizes as rigorous and demanding. There are expectations of a scholarly approach to the discipline, and a commitment to the advancement of the profession. The DNP is places greater emphasis on practice, and less emphasis on theory, meta-theory, research methodology, and statistics than is apparent in research-focused programs.

Being a nurse not only means compassion, dedication, and intelligence, but the profession also requires endurance, personal sacrifice, and the need for continuous education. I have learned that nurses are some of the most caring and selfless people that anyone will ever meet. Nurses are more than willing to complete challenging tasks and care for others in a way that the majority of people are unwilling to. I am driven to bring all of these qualities into my role as a future nurse practitioner, which is why I am committed to pursuing my Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP).

The Carnegie Foundation reports that nurses today “are undereducated for the demands of practice” (Benner, Sutphen, Leonard, & Day, 2009, ¶ 17). Education of the ADN centers around the hands-on skills needed to care for a patient at bedside and less on the scientific theories that allow the holistic treatment of a patient. A report by the Milbank Memorial Fund in 2001 reports that nurses educated at the ADN level have a higher incidence of mistakes made while performing their duties (Rosseter, 2011, ¶ 24). Registered nurses who graduate with the two year degree lack research skills, leadership and managerial skills as well as informatics needed to deliver quality medical care within today’s health care system (Orsolini-Hain & Waters, 2009, p. 269).

The role of the Nurse Practitioner (NP) can be described as diverse and challenging; while at the same time, rewarding and the mainstay for future healthcare. Like many early nursing pioneers, breaking misperceptions by focusing on national recognition and public awareness of the role continues to be an emphasis of today’s NP. Both similarities and distinct differences can be seen between nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and physicians. The nursing model, whether as a registered nurse (RN) or NP, has holistic care at the core of patient care.

In addition, a DNP degree will help me better serve my community by advocating for quality and safety healthcare system. Once attained, I would seek employment at either a school or university with the mission of educating nursing students to practice the highest quality of patient care. One of the major issues facing the nursing profession today is the lack of advance nursing practices. The medical field is in crisis. Doctors are stretched to the limits, and patients are demanding more advanced care. To alleviate some of the concerns facing medicine in the 21st century, advance nursing practices is a vital area in the contribution of understanding and working within the bounds of a team structure, and the promotion of communication between the interdisciplinary health team. The mission of the advance nursing practice is to help individual patients, and their families, determine and achieve optimum physical, mental and social potential, and to do so within the challenging context of the environment in which they live and work Nurses are among the largest professional care group within the healthcare service industry. We are responsible for providing quality care and assisting patients towards independent and healthy living. Considering the changing working environment, health care practitioners like nurses are

Although the American Association of Colleges of Nursing clearly defined the role of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in 2004, some confusion about the academic programs still exist. The role of both the DNP and PhD-prepared individuals is to improve the quality of health care and the health of population through the use of the best evidence when assisting them in making decisions about treatment options. Melnyk, B. M. (2013). According to the national leaders in major healthcare fields, mentioned a gap between research and practice and the importance to apply research findings and engage in evidence-based practice. In order to translate this knowledge, the clinician must understand the healthcare delivery in order to help narrow the research-to-practice gap and transform health care. DNP-prepared nurses are trained to reduce the research-to-practice gap. Because most nurse lack knowledge to critically appraise research studies and the skills to effectively implement evidence-based practice (EBP) in their clinical settings.

Both models have different approaches towards the concept of nursing. Leininger presented nursing as “activities directed toward assisting, enabling, and supporting with the cultural beliefs and values of the recipient of care” (Masters, 2014, p. 69). Nursing is a general profession which includes culturally congruent care; nurses provide care for members of diverse cultures. According to Jarošová (2014), nursing is presented by three types of activities which are culturally congruent with the needs and values of clients (p. 49). However, Roy defines nursing as “using the four adaptive modes, promote adaptation for individuals and groups, thus contributing to health, quality of life, and dying with dignity” (McEwen & Wills, 2014, p. 179). Jarošová, (2014) explained that nursing focuses on adaptive abilities of individual, families, and communities. By manipulating focal and contextual stimuli and decreasing the influence of residual stimuli, nursing strives to reduce ineffective responses and promote adaptation of individual in health and illness (p. 54).

For centuries the development of nursing knowledge has been influenced by numerous theorists and their respective theories. These theories have influenced, and continue to influence, nursing education, practice and research. (Johnson & Webber, 2005)

Discuss the worldviews of science (perceived, received, etc.) that influence nursing theory development and nursing science.

A nursing philosophy is the thoughts and beliefs about the job of a nurse based on one’s values. My values that have formed over the years have influenced me to purse a forever career as a nurse. I grew up in a small town Smithfield, Pennsylvania with my parents and younger brother. My community consisted of close relationships between the residents. Every one helped and cared for one another when needed. The practices of my community guided me to want to become a nurse. I want to continue to care for my community and give back to them by treating their illnesses and providing them with better health care. I am particularly interested in caring for pediatric patients. My goal is to try to provide every infant a chance to live their beautiful life created for them by God. While doing this, the primary focus of being a nurse will be to accommodate my patients and allow them to become a healthy person again.

This course has expanded my thinking on the role of the registered nurse and the distinction of obtaining a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree. The greater level of academic preparation enhances professionalism, stimulates critical thinking, and encourages a holistic approach to healing patients. Also, the capacity of the nurse extends beyond providing direct patient care to include “advocacy at the individual, local, and global levels” (Roush, 2011, p. 11) and a responsibility to elevate the profession of nursing Nurses can enhance their level of practice by staying knowledgeable of medical advances and emerging ethical, legal, and social issues in healthcare. Additionally, nurses can expand their learning by reflecting on interactions with their patients, sharing experiences with members of the profession, and engaging in mentoring relationships.

Nursing as a profession encompasses a wide range of roles and responsibilities. The possible definition of nursing would vary greatly depending on who was being asked and their knowledge and past experience with nursing care. As the nursing profession has evolved throughout the years, so too has the definition. “Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations” according to the American Nurses Association (n.d.). Ultimately, any definition has the patient as the central focus.