My Personal Nursing Philosophy

Task You are required to reflect on your own and your family's experience of health care, and the experiences, beliefs and assumptions that have led you to choose to study nursing. You are then required to explore the views and theories articulated by nursing theorists published in scholarly literature, and apply what you learn to develop a personal nursing philosophy of care (1800 words +/- 10% including in-text references). Introduction The focus of this essay is to demonstrate an understanding of my own experiences of health care, and beliefs and assumptions that have led me to choose to study nursing.

As a Registered Nurse is a crucial component to ensure that there is effective communication between the nurse and patient. As well as being respectful to the person’s dignity, culture, values, beliefs and rights. This is because everyone is different, and due to this it is important that I am being cautious to each person’s individual needs.

I have read and understand the plagiarism policy as outlined in the syllabus and the sections in the Catalog relating to the IWU Honesty/Cheating Policy. By affixing this statement to the title page of my paper, I certify that I have not cheated or plagiarized in the process of completing this assignment. If it is found that cheating and/or plagiarism did take place in the writing of this paper, I understand the possible consequences of the act/s, which could include expulsion from Indiana Wesleyan University.

The development of a philosophy related to the profession of nursing is important in that it provides a framework for the nurse to base his/her work on. Philosophy is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational means”. In other words, philosophies are based on beliefs and assumptions with an overall goal of obtaining an objective which states the nurse’s purpose in the profession. In my undergraduate nursing program I was exposed to multiple nursing concepts that guided my practice. Coupled with my ten years of experience in the nursing field, I was enabled to formulate my own framework or guide to nursing. The paradigm which resonates with me the most is the interactive-integrative perspective as it views practice “as having multiple, interrelated parts in relation to a specific context.” (Newman, Sime, & Corcoran-Perry, 1991, p.38). My framework includes three main components: the client, the professional nurse, and the nurse-client relationship.

The purpose of this assignment is to enable the student, myself, to rediscover his or her personal philosophy of nursing as it exists upon the completion of the baccalaureate nursing program. Throughout the semesters, the view I had on what nursing meant to me has grown deeper, but one thing has stayed the same; my philosophy. In my philosophy project from the very first semester, I stated that nursing involves many different parts that all come together to make one great final end product, just like cookies. I compared nursing parts and all the different items nurses bring into the field, to being similar to the ingredients used to make cookies. I still believe that nursing is comprised of many different parts that all come together in order to give the best patient care possible. The personal philosophy paper now is an extension on that first semester’s assignment, to show the growth and development I have had while in this nursing program. It will explore what my personal definition of nursing is, the purpose of nursing, what assumptions in nursing there are, and will conclude with the principles of nursing.

| In the nursing education the student should be helped to appreciate that not all patients are going to leave the hospital disease free, and that as nurses there is a need to learn that we need to help them in any way we can to achieve their maximum amount

The integration of nursing theories with a philosophical perspective lays the framework for nursing practice (McCurry, Revell & Roy, 2008). My philosophy of nursing is to provide holistic care meeting the physical, social, economic, cognitive, and spiritual health of a person. This philosophy embraces the four elements of the nursing metaparadigm, which is person, environment, health, and nursing. While theorists have differing concepts and definitions of nursing, the American Nurses Association (ANA), defines it as follows; “Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and

Nursing Philosophy My name is Taryn Linder and in the following paper, I hope to describe my personal nursing philosophy, which I plan to convey in my nursing career. I chose nursing as my future career because I have an aspiration to help those in need. I believe nursing should involve knowledge of treatments, respect for patients, and compassion for everyone. I am interested in both neonatal and psychiatric nursing.

I believe that nurse have to treat each patient in a holistic manner and have to put an incredible amount of affection; not only as an ill human being. A nurse’s primary focus toward a patient should be a genuinely care about them and their wellbeing. The negative attitude of nurses can affect the welfare of their patient. The environment plays a huge and vital role in maintaining good health and improving recovery from illness.

My love for nursing started as a young kid growing up and watching my aunt care passionately for the sick and the less privileged for many years. I somehow picked interest in the profession and that ultimately led me to choose nursing as a career. First I think in order to identify my personal nursing philosophy I have to define nursing. Although nursing can mean different things to different people, The American nursing association defined nursing as “the protection, 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” (ANA,2012). I believe that personal philosophy of nursing is important to the professional nurse and to me in particular because it demonstrates the principals and personal values that will be evident throughout my nursing career.

In the fall of 1862, a war raged between the union and confederate forces at the Battle of Antietam. More than 130,000 soldiers fought, more than 22,000 were wounded. On the battlefront was a woman, Ms. Clara Barton, nicknamed the “Angel of the Battlefield”. Ms. Barton observed the strain of frontline battle, namely hunger, sickness, and wounds and once said “I may be compelled to face danger, but never fear it, and while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can stand and feed and nurse them”. (CITATION) It is this same dedication to nursing and our armed forces that drives my philosophy of nursing.

The Foxtrot group strongly agrees with the Alpha group on the importance of learning styles in patient teaching. It is essential that the patient understands what the nurse is trying to teach him or her. Patient teaching allows a patient to continue to care for themselves once they are discharged from the hospital. Additionally, the Foxtrot group likes the way the Alpha group mentioned providing teaching to the patient’s family. What if a person is cognitively impaired or physically unable to perform the care on their own? Is it still necessary to provide teaching to the patient if they will not be able to perform the task themselves? Therefore, teaching the family members is equally important. Also, the Foxtrot group believes it is imperative

A nurse must practice with compassion and respect the dignity and worth of every human being. The nurses’ primary commitment must be to the patient. When providing care, it is important that the nurse advocates for, and protects the rights of the patient always. With providing care comes responsibility for your actions as a professional, which you must always remain accountable for. A nurse owes themselves the same care they provide, promotion of personal health and well-being. It is important to care for yourself to care for others. Promoting and providing a safe and efficient health care environment is crucial to client outcomes. When providing care, a nurse is one part of a big team of health care professionals in which effective communication needs to be practiced, protecting human rights and to provide proper

“Philosophy is the study of ideas about knowledge, truth, the nature and meaning of life, etc.” (Merriam-Webster, Incorporate, 2015). This very broad term can be interpreted differently by anyone, based on their own personal beliefs, upbringing, culture and education and experiences. The nurse’s role has changed dramatically from the days of Florence Nightingale. Nurses have gone from uneducated physicians assistants to being the main contact of care and involved in day to day care of patients. Knowledge and technology have vastly improved the way we offer care and provide medical services. As student nurses, an ideal picture of what nursing means takes shape. We learn our techniques in a ‘perfect world’

In the professional setting, knowing the patient through his or her diagnosis, name, history of present illness, laboratory results or reason for staying in the hospital only contributes to the manner of physical care of the patient. However, recognizing the patient 's spiritual needs such as emotional support, mental positivity, and intellectual understanding of his or her situation gives a better assessment, as well as a trusting relationship between the nurse and the patient, as per personal experience. In the ward, it is evident that most of the staff nurses spend their time doing documentations, preparing medications, following-up laboratory requests, as well as reading through the patients ' charts to affirm the physician 's order. Throughout the duration of our shifts as student nurses, I see that the most that the staff nurses get to be conversant with the patient is when certain procedures (such as feeding through nasogastric tube, taking