Personal Philosophy Of The Author

There is no one definition for philosophy of nursing, there are many that can help illustrate its meaning. According to Cherry and Jacob (2010) philosophy is the set of values and beliefs that guide the actions of the organization and serves as the basis of all planning (p. 344). All nurses should be mindful of the mission and philosophy of their employing organization as well as recognizing the connection between their own intimate values and the organizations. Schrock (1981a) “points out that philosophy of nursing is often mistakenly construed to refer to an ideology of nursing” (p. 1089). Schrock also states some examples like nurses are born, not made and nursing is an art based on common sense (Schrock, 1981a, p. 11). As nurses, understanding our profession helps us to focus more on the care of the patient and improving how we approach different situations.

Philosophy of nursing is an intricate framework based on the nurse’s views, ideas, practice, beliefs, and ethics that give guidance and meaning to the care, treatment, and research of the nursing profession. (What is a Philosophy of Nursing, n.d.) “Most would agree then that nursing is increasingly recognized as a ‘multi-paradigm discipline’” (Powers & Knapp, 2011, p. 129).

A philosophy refers to a set of values, attitudes, and beliefs that an individual or group have. I think my nursing philosophy and experience will continue developing and refining through this nursing program by reviewing philosophical persuasions that include realism, idealism, existentialism, and experimentalism. The program provides a platform of exercising the persuasions, therefore, helping in the development of my nursing philosophy. This program helps in evaluating the philosophical categories that assist in utilizing the knowledge they offer, therefore changing the philosophy of an individual, improve its development and refinement. Alpers,

This research paper is focused Hildegard E. Peplau’s nurse-patient relationship theory and her contribution in laying the foundation for guidelines for nursing care. An overview of the theory is provided and will guide the nurse to use this theory in practice. This author discusses the usefulness of Peplau’s theory in her practice setting, develop a plan to implement the theory, and discuss barriers and challenges to implementation.

Philosophy is something that can be personal for a nurse, focusing on a value and beliefs from their daily practice or be the groundwork for an organization and the standards of care they wish to maintain. Philosophy also focuses on the continued development and knowledge of nurses as well as organizations, to keep up with the ever-changing medical field. Lahey Hospital & Medical Center & Medical City Dallas Hospital, each have their own nursing philosophy, to which they hold nurses to the upmost standards of care.

The fundamental concept of Hildegard Peplau’s nurse-patient theory or better known as interpersonal relations theory is that the nurse delivers his or her professionalism along with knowledge, skills and attitude that will help clients attain their wellness (Deane & Fain, 2016). Furthermore, it was explained by Parker & Smith (2015) that there are four (4) components in the nurse-patient relationship which are the following: nurse, patient, skill set and a common goal. The universal objective is to improve or progress clients’ health holistically (Deane & Fain, 2016). Moreover, there are three (3) phases in this theory: orientation phase, working phase, and resolution or termination phase.

Nursing philosophy is the core element of nursing practice encompassing the commitment of compassion, professionalism and accountability. A personal nursing philosophy includes personal and professional growth, knowledge and commitment to continuing education, and high moral standards. It is also incumbent that nurse philosophy includes the need to be a team player, ability to exercise self-control, willingness to provide quality care regardless of religion, economic status, race or sexual orientation and capability to follow the rules or guidelines. Florence Nightingale once said, “I will not allow low self-esteem, self-limiting beliefs, or the negativity of others to prevent

Philosophy of nursing can be explained as the heart of nursing care practice associated with one’s relational care, healing principles, and professional management of care.

Within the perspective of healthcare one of the most essential elements is the formation of an effective therapeutic relationship between the nurse and patient (Foster & Hawkins, 2005). The interaction between nurses and their patients can be significant in terms of information transfer, provision of support and could also provide some therapeutic benefits in themselves. (Welch, 2005).

The concept of philosophy is often seen as irrelevant in the nursing profession. Philosophy is the basis of ideologies, beliefs, and interpretations developed through one’s experiences. Thus, nurses use philosophical ideologies based on their perceptions, values, and experiences that give them meaning to pursue the nursing profession. What makes nursing different from various medical fields is essentially in its ability to question aspects such as: What does it mean to care for an ill person? Why have I chosen to dedicate myself to the nursing profession?

Professor, Hildegard Peplau believed that the nurse-patient relationship must be understood before us nurses can work with our patients and provide the best care for them. Providing holistic nursing care to my patients and their families to me is a continuity of the care that I have dedicated to my patient within my shift and onward. I know that I am not prepared with any formal education but I know where and how to locate hospital personnel; chaplain, priest, rabbi at the request of my patient and being that I am providing bedside care entails caring for my patient, the whole person, their body, their mind and their spirit. When my patients are in pain, or experiencing suffering for example; just listening to them express any anxiety, anger,

Drawing on the interviewee’s experience and knowledge, we identified the importance of building a professional relationship with patients through interacting and getting to know their needs. From this interview I have observed that the satisfaction of a patient’s care interrelates with the success of the communication between the nurse and patient.

Nurses have always led the way in promoting and improving the healthcare environment for the clients. The nursing practice incorporates so many concepts that guide and assist nurses to become better professionals in their day-to-day interactions with clients, colleagues, and other professionals. Moreover, the nurse-patient relationship is considered the core of nursing and a great nurse understands, exhibits and is able to combine these concepts flawlessly to achieve positive patient outcomes. The concepts of Professionalism, Communication, and Personhood are the backbone of the nursing practice. These are essential characteristics that all nurses should possess and utilize in their practice and they set the tone of the clinician-clientele

A philosophy is created to find truth and meaning. It requires evaluation and use of critical thinking as to why one’s nursing practice matters. The history of philosophy and theories allows me to evaluate my personal nursing philosophy. I believe that each person is their own individual. My way of practicing nursing is by using compassion, listening to my patients and trying to understand them. It is not just the body or the disease but rather the holistic nature of the patient. I believe that nursing deals with promotion of health and prevention of disease. Lifelong education, research and evidence based practice are all utilized in my profession of nursing and are all concepts important to my nursing care.

The nursing profession cannot be summarized using one word or statement. According to the American Nursing Association, 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” (“What is Nursing?”, n.d.). Each nurse has his or her own reasons for choosing nursing as a profession, and each nurse practices nursing in his or her own unique way. A philosophy of nursing provides a basis for the thinking and acting of the profession by stating a nurse’s personal beliefs and values. Throughout this paper I will describe what a philosophy of nursing is, explain my values and beliefs, and share my personal philosophy of nursing.