Empowering Nursing: A Philosophy of Compassion and Continuous Learning

The Personal Evolution of Nursing Philosophy

The philosophy of nursing varies amongst individual views of people, environment, nursing, and the role of the nurse. Before studying nursing, I had always admired nurses and their interaction with patients, which attracted me to choose nursing. I like caring and want to make a difference. My undertaking is to care for the needy without judging anyone. My philosophy is to provide safe, comprehensive, and patient-centered care. Treat patients respectfully with dignity and do not consider them as room numbers or their medical conditions. Using clinical judgment to attend to needs and advocates and keep to confidentiality except for duty calls. Educate clients about the disease, treatment, and expected healthy acts for a better result.

Philosophy aids in critical thinking and reflection on the impact of personal belief on nursing. Philosophy helps us move closer to our careers in a suitable manner. It is useful to the nursing field and the people we care for. The nurse’s role is to care for everyone with no discrimination. Conduct correct patient assessment for proper diagnosis and treatment. Provide clients with rights, dignity, and respect. Nurses or healthcare workers must pay attention to what the patient is saying to collect the right data. Nurses cannot interpret how clients feel by observing the client only. Nurses must effectively communicate, listening to patients as a step toward finding the cause of illnesses. Nurses must follow orders and standards of care.

Assumptions in Nursing: Embracing Diversity and Understanding Health

People that seek care come from different ethnicity, gender, size, race, and background. It is the nurse’s duty not to judge or discriminate against anyone but attend to their needs. People ask for help for various reasons, and as a nurse, we accept everyone according to their needs and not looks. A patient might be moody on arrival, but it is the nurse’s duty to provide safety and make the patient feel welcome. Patients must always be respected and make their rights known. Health is the balance of one’s state and ability to function daily without being interfered with by illness. Better health status does not mean there is no illness, and health incorporates with mind, body, and spirit. The duty of a nurse is to be able to find out the clients meaning of health. Nurses must work with patients to develop or implement beneficial plans.

The environment in which we live is a key determinant of health. The personal living area can sometimes be used to relate personality, behavior, and some illnesses. It is an essential part of life because it is where we get most of our basic needs, such as water, food, shelter, etc. Domain shapes our identity, and it is the nurse’s duty to view everyone as an individual, not as the environment. It is also the nurse’s role to promote a healing, welcoming environment for the patients. Nursing is sacrificed to care, health education, advocate, protect, and prevent illnesses through early intervention and screening. Nursing protects people from potential threats to their health and promotes a healthy lifestyle. Nurses can perform the above task through nursing processes and evidence-based practice. The nursing process guide nurses to adequately provide care to people as they present with their diverse health issues.

Theoretical Foundations: Historical Pillars of Nursing Practice

The theoretical foundations that have significance with my philosophy of nursing are Florence Nightingale, Abrams Maslow, Dorothy Orem, and Virginia Anderson’s theoretical thought of nursing. Nightingale’s philosophy is based on environmental sanitation, following rules of practice and medical directions, and advocating for patients. Nightingale’s goal of nursing care is the safety and promotion of patient health and well-being. Maslow’s theory of nursing is based on meeting human needs in order of importance from physiological needs, safety, belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization.

This method of need assessment continues to be one of the essential aspects that nurses take into consideration during patient care. Dorothy Orem’s theory is built on a patient’s inability to perform self-care. It helps nurses to improve patients’ health by encouraging and allowing them to perform activities with minimal assist or no assistance. Virginia Henderson’s theory is built on observation of the patient’s clinical problems. Monitoring is a major factor in healthcare to single out and prevent complications, improve treatment, and make a clinical decision. Without observation, it will be difficult to determine outcomes.

These foundations are translated into practice as it is being used daily to care for the patients. Following medical directions, advocating, observation of conditions, and applying safety and sanitation are activities that nurses perform to achieve outcomes. Care is not completed without the application of these activities. Nursing care is prioritized according to the most needed to stabilize a patient in a critical situation. Providing duties in order of importance has been effective in saving life.

Patients doing therapy for post-acute illnesses may be encouraged to participate in self-care to regain normal function rather than depending on the staff for everything. Assisting the patient to gain his/her independence is another way of restoring one’s health to the baseline. These theories are used in nursing care applications to achieve outcomes. Nursing theory enhances critical thinking, decision-making and guides the reasoning required for quality professional nursing practice. Nurses can promote the fast recovery of patients by incorporating theoretical frameworks into practice.

Experiences: The Changing Landscape of Nursing Abroad and at Home

Going through this program and being in this capstone class, as compared to my previous practice experience, the view of nursing practice has shifted. When I began practicing as a nurse in a foreign country, I thought things would always be the same. For example, I thought nursing procedures and quality of care would never change or improve and would remain standard. Continuing education has changed my thought about nursing practice as a whole because it is evolving every day. In addition, when you are practicing as a vocational nurse, you are limited and assume what you know is the best. Advancing my career has enhanced my knowledge and widened my perspective on nursing practice. I have learned that through research, the quality of care and nursing knowledge can be improved.

Self-reflection plays a major role in what a person does, how a person thinks, and the decisions a person makes. An error can be avoided if a person stops to reflect on what he or she is doing or want to do. Advancement in career or work can occur with self-reflection. For example, a person can reflect on the importance of going back to school to upgrade his/her professional education. To avoid malpractice, I self-reflect before engaging in patient care or decision-making. This helps me look at the steps being taken to see if it meets the standard of care or not, thereby preventing avoidable errors. The change project has helped me gain the courage to identify an issue that may impact the patient and report. I can make a difference in my workplace or society as a whole by proposing a change to a system or procedure that can benefit the patients.

As a foreign-educated nurse working here, I encountered some problems working with my colleagues who are United States-educated. Before this program, they will never buy into any idea of change or any suggestion. The reason was that they thought I was foreign educated and my ideas were not well perceived. They might have thought my nursing education is different from theirs, which is not necessarily true. By the time they knew I was in a BSN program, they began to listen to me and showed so much trust in most of the things I said. My confidence level has increased, and I contribute with no fear of rejection. The change projects I am doing in this program are going to enhance my knowledge of identifying an issue and proposing a solution.

Nursing at SNHU: Bridging Philosophy with Advanced Practice

My philosophy of nursing and the knowledge acquired at SNHU will be a great tool and a good base for furthering my education. The knowledge and skills mastered at this level will enhance the next step toward education. There will be a great impact on my career as the additional learning is conveyed into practice. The ability of critical thinking, observation, and intervention will be improved. It will expand a diversified practice environment. Knowing is essential as one feels empowered and confident in providing competent and safe care. My philosophy will shape the method of care, promoting better healthcare. Healthcare workers hold the responsibility to restore patients’ health and improve lives and functional ability. A nursing career is based on care, so it is essential for the nurse to have rich knowledge. I am still in nursing because I can learn and improve my skill and knowledge about healthcare.

References

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4. Henderson, V. (1966). The nature of nursing. New York: Macmillan.
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