Personal Philosophy Of The Author

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).

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 is a set of ideas, values, and beliefs behind what a person does (Merriam- Webster Dictionary, 2015). All nurses have beliefs about what nursing is and is not. It is important to stay true to one’s personal, moral, and ethical values at all times. Nurses are morally and ethically responsible for their patients, decisions, and actions (Lindh, Barbosa, Berg, & Severinsson, 2010). Every nurse brings something different to healthcare because they have different philosophies and/or believe in different nursing theories that guide their practice.

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 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?

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).

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.

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 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

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

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.

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.

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.

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,

The core of nursing is the attainment of optimum care of patients and their families. Understanding the individuality of each patient; “that all nursing is based on the interpersonal process and the nurse-patient relationship” is a precursor to attaining the desired outcome of care, Peplau, 1988 (as cited by Chitty & Black, 2007, p 340). For over hundred years, from Florence Nightingale to Jean Watson, numerous theories have emerged that emphases the very essence of nursing, “care” of the patient (Nay, 2010). Hence, I my personal practice, caring for the patients also entails caring for the needs of the families. The patient’s and their care partners are always in sync with the healthcare team. The result is, the patients and their appointed care partners are empowered and fully informed of their health. This approach of care not only increases patient’s satisfaction, it also reduces preventable medical