Running head: PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY PAPER 1

Personal Philosophy Paper

Melissa Alfaro

Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing

I pledge
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Personal Philosophy Paper

Nursing is a career like no other. Nursing requires mastery of the science regarding the

human body. Other requisites include the art of communication, and the physical grunt work of

tending to patients. Above all other facets, nursing is a calling that necessitates the heart to see

people at a particularly vulnerable point, and continually offering yourself mentally, physically

and emotionally to facilitate the healing process. Furthermore, healing transcends physical

ailments - it is the job of the nurse to tend to the needs of the patient holistically.

Holistic healing is aligned with Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing philosophy in

the statement about health; in the Bon Secours program philosophy statement, health is defined

as unity and harmony between body, mind and spirit (College Catalog 2016-2017: Bon

Secours Memorial College of Nursing, 2016, p. 50). In this context, the patient is a being with a

rich inner world who is presenting with a problem, rather than simply a diagnosis. This definition

humanizes the nursing career and reiterates the idea of compassion in nursing.

Another tenet in the Bon Secours philosophy that resonates with my personal definition

of nursing is the statement emphasizing self-care: self-care and self-reverence are requisites for

caring for others (College Catalog 2016-2017: Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing,

2016, p. 50). A nurse offers her physical strength, her therapeutic touch, active listening and

nursing presence every day to promote the same in her patients. If she does not take the time to

preserve self, then not only is she compromised, her patients care is. How she takes care of

herself affects how her patients will heal.

The Bon Secours program philosophy states that nurses are lifelong learners and

researchers, adding to and applying new evidence to the practice of nursing globally (College

Catalog 2016-2017: Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing, 2016, p. 50). Nurses are
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equipped with a knowledge that allows us to fuse a special knowledge of evidence-based practice

into the practice of compassion. The drive to help others and the science and continually

evolving knowledge base enriches the nursing experience, and empowers a person to transcend

from simply caretaking to nursing.

Reflection on Philosophy

The core of my personal philosophy of nursing is the drive to improve at least one aspect

of the current experience of a patient. The cornerstone of my personal philosophy is based in

empathy. Whether it be a patients necessity for education, physical comfort, or emotional

presence, I try to plan my care around that daily. What I am worried about as a nurse may not be

the same as a patients worries, but that does not make that patients worry any less valid,

especially if it is something that can be addressed during my time taking care of that patient.

In addition to empathy, it is paramount to the foundation of nursing to uphold a strong

knowledge base. A tenet of my personal philosophy is the continual process and evolution of

education as a nurse. In that same vein lies my own permission to trust my assessment and my

skills, and to not allow self-limiting beliefs to permeate. It does not matter how much is known if

ineffectiveness stops from utilizing that knowledge. Continuing education as a nurse is to best

serve the population.

Application of Personal Philosophy

I was working a shift in immersion clinical this past semester and I had the privilege of

taking care of this sweetest, elderly lady who was going through a sickle cell crisis and

symptomatic anemia. We started off the shift rather uneventfully, mostly just building a nurse-

patient relationship on a personal level since she did not require much at that moment. It was not

until later that she started experiencing cluster headaches related to her illness. She had a pretty
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significant change in vital signs per the monitor, with her oxygen saturation dipping into the 80s.

It had greatly affected her comfort level and her ability to effectively communicate.

I was sure to react quickly and administered IV medications for her pain. She had

experienced relief; although it was not complete relief she was still very grateful it was not as

intense as it had been. Before I had left, she had confided to me that many people do not believe

her when she says she is experiencing that much pain, and that confession had surprised me. It is

our duty as nurses to believe that patients pain is what she says it is. It is also my understanding

that pain management is one of the main priorities for those suffering with sickle cell crises, and

pain manifests differently in those who experience chronic pain. Also, I would have been doing

both the patient and myself a disservice if I had dismissed her pain as a figment of her

imagination - our relationship would be affected, and we would no longer trust each other.

Because of my personal philosophy, I could navigate this encounter successfully.

Values and Beliefs

Through my experience in nursing school, my values and beliefs have been grounded in

the energy that transpires between people. It is firstly a spiritual connection founded out of the

natural curiosity about others human experience, and it is devoid of religion and culture. I have

always believed that we never meet people out of mistake, and there is an intention for which

people meet. The hospital in the nurse-patient relationship is no exception. I value the individual

human experience. I believe in the preservation in the dignity of people, and the celebration of

the human spirit. I feel as a future nurse I am equipped with the ability to uplift people in a

powerful way.

If anything, my beliefs and values have not changed over the course of my nursing

education; rather, they have solidified. It is easy to get jaded, and to be less sensitive to other
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people because of the high-stress nature of nursing. The one thing that grounds me and keeps me

from getting disappointed is that I love people, and I genuinely want to remove the insult of

injury from anyone I meet. I think my values and belief system is consistent with my character. I

find that hospital nursing can be emotionally draining at times, and I fully expect it to continue

for it to be that way, but I would rather feel that way than to feel numb.

Benners Theory

Patricia Benners Theory is the model of the stages of nursing proficiency in the clinical

setting. The stages are categorized by varying levels of knowledge gained by experience, and by

education and from least proficient to most are: novice, advanced beginner, proficient, expert

(2001). The way nurses develop over time is the reformation of practice, shaped by reflection on

prior experiences and knowledge base.

I personally believe I am at the advanced beginner phase. Lest I overlook an assessment

of a patient, I am comfortable in the presence of a preceptor or a mentor at the present. I am still

very task-oriented, still forming the ability to prioritize tasks in a confident and effective manner.

I believe it is because the clinical setting is very new to me, and still too strange for me to

become comfortable. I am gaining experiences clinically that will allow me to progress into the

further stages.

Some things I will do to move to the proficient stage is to continue gaining experience in

the clinical setting, and continue reflecting on those situations as a habit. I believe an

environment where I can spend time on will allow me to move to a proficient stage, since I will

be able to get used to the environment and the patient population. Another thing I will do to

progress to a higher level of competency is maintain an open relationship with my mentor, who I

will utilize to make sense of experiences and learn.

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Conclusion

I am excited for the challenges that are presented to me at this moment. I will be a nurse

soon, and I believe that Bon Secours has set a wonderful foundation for my nursing career. The

trials and tribulations that brought me to this moment have given me priceless knowledge and I

hope to continually grow.

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References

Benner, P. (2001). From novice to expert: Excellence and power in clinical nursing

practice (commemorative ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

College Catalog 2016-2017: Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing. (2016). Richmond, VA:

Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing.