Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Philosophy of Nursing
Rena Baradi
Philosophy of Nursing
Formulating a philosophy for a chosen career allows for proper navigation in professional
practice. Reviewing my previous beliefs in nursing from my first semester to my last, gives me
the opportunity to reflect on my true intentions of choosing the nursing profession. The purpose
exists upon the completion of the baccalaureate nursing program. In the first semester of nursing
school, I described nursing as caring for others until they become well enough to support
themselves and acquiring and applying knowledge of illnesses to better educate and promote
healthy lifestyles. Although this remains true, what is important to acknowledge is that I need to
care for myself (physically and mentally), as well. When nursing students are asked, “Why do
you want to be a nurse,” the popular answer is “I want to help others.” Although this is a true
statement, no one benefits if the caregiver fails to care for herself. I have always been one to put
others’ well-being before mine, but I now understand that how I physically feel will manifest in
how I care for others. Additionally, I need to have a strong grasp on my own beliefs and morals
cycle of a tree, with the tree being the patient, the nurse as a farmer who constantly watches the
tree grow, and water being patient care and education. Without adequate water, the quality of life
will decline. My early philosophy included nurses caring for the patients until they can live on
their own again without assistance. The environment plays a role in how a patient can recover.
Similar to my tree analogy, the environment of proper water, light, and nutrition contribute to the
wellness of the patient. Health requires looking at the patient holistically incorporating physical,
mental, and spiritual health and reviewing whether these factors are balanced.
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As I complete my last semester of nursing school, the challenges I have before me are
enticing. All the obstacles I have overcome in school and the clinical setting have been preparing
me for the career I have chosen. I understand I still have so much to learn, and the truth is
nursing includes continual learning, but I feel adequately prepared to face new obstacles because
of my education. This paper will further discuss how I view the nursing profession by defining
nursing and its purpose; my values, beliefs, and assumptions; and guiding principles for
professional practice.
Definition of Nursing
The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines nursing as “the protection, promotion,
and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing,
alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in
the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations” (“What is Nursing?”).
ANA’s definition of nursing validates nurses’ influence on the health of the community, not just
the individual. Nurses play a great role in health education and attending to those who are
already sick and to those who are at risk for failing health. Additionally, nurses must work
closely with all the members of the healthcare team as they are at the frontline of patient status
observation.
ANA’s loaded definition hits all the duties and responsibilities of nurses, but lacks the
most important aspect of nursing that sets the profession apart from other healthcare careers,
which is the characteristic of holistic care. Nurses are directly involved in patient care, carrying
out care plans created with the healthcare team. Nursing involves holistic care, including
physical, emotional, and spiritual factors of the client (Shahriari, Mohammadi, Abbaszadeh, &
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Bahrami, 2013). Although treatments to aid physical signs and symptoms of illnesses are
essential, attending to mental health is just as important. If a patient has a negative mindset of his
health condition, he may lack the motivation to become better, which greatly relates to his
physical health. Additionally, nurses can obtain a lot of valuable information on the patient’s
Purpose of Nursing
I believe the essential purposes of nursing are advocating for those who do not have a
voice and promoting optimal health. In the clinical setting, I practice and act the way I do
because of how I perceive my own personal purpose in life. As a human, altruism is instinctual
because we see aspects of ourselves or our loved ones in others. Moreover, we treat others the
way we would like to be treated. For me, nursing is the best profession that fits my ideology.
Everyone has intuition for a reason. We react to certain situations because we have either
experienced something similar or we may act in the same way if we were in the same position.
Additionally, as social beings, we have the ability to distinguish verbal and non-verbal social
cues.
On a personal note, I am beyond blessed and grateful for my health and well-being. As a
human, I want to help others reach their own optimal health environment. To not mention my
Christian faith regarding my daily actions would be a disservice. As a believer, all the people I
encounter are my fellow brothers and sisters, and just as I would provide care for my own
family, I would care for those who are put before me. I value life. No one “wants” to be in pain
or be placed in a care facility. There tends to be the feeling of being a burden to others when
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people can no longer take care of themselves. The great thing about nursing that caused me to
gravitate to the profession is the aspect of holistic care. Not only do we assist patients with their
physical ailments, but there is the mental/emotional and spiritual focus. It is undeniable that the
mental health of an individual greatly affects their physical condition. For example, if a patient
believes his condition will never improve, he will not get better, especially after self-care neglect
after a prognosis. I want to be a vessel of hope to those who are hopeless. Additionally, I am a
firm believer in the power of Jesus Christ. Although I will always fall short of His glory, I strive
to live like Him. I want my daily actions to reflect His life, and I may be the only “Bible” that
some may ever see. Regardless if the people placed in my care share the same faith, I will always
Assumptions of Nursing
The nurse can validate his or her professional practice by reflecting on the relationships
nurses have with clients, the community, and other healthcare professionals.
The focus of Florence Nightingale’s Environment Theory involves altering the patient’s
environment to promote optimal health. Environmental factors that affect health include clean air
and water, adequate food supplies, hygiene, and exposure to light (Medeiros, Enders, & Lira,
2015). The patient’s health would diminish if any of these factors were unavailable. It is
especially important to obtain information on a patient’s culture to provide focused care. For
example, if a patient had a low socioeconomic status, many of these environmental factors would
be lacking, including insufficient food and clean water availability. As a nurse, it is important to
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assess the patient for any disparities and provide resources or referrals to promote optimal patient
care.
I believe one of the purposes of nursing is to promote optimal health in the community.
Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring is inclusive to everyone, including caring for oneself,
others, patients, families, and the environment. Watson focused on the social environment and
the culture of caring affecting health (“Jean Watson's Philosophy of Nursing”, 2012). To fix a
problem, one must first recognize and understand what the problem is. This involves collecting
and assessing information on arising issues in the community, promoting education, and
the community and up-to-date with epidemics and other health issues that may arise.
It is important to always keep care patient-focused. This involves teamwork with all
members of the healthcare team. Dororthea Orem’s Self -Care Deficit Theory incorporates the
human functioning to promote optimal patient care (“Dorothea Orem's Self-Care Theory”, 2012).
Orem’s nursing theory is best demonstrated when the nurse communicates to a physical therapist
on the patient’s inability to walk without assistance. The physical therapist will then work on
helping the patient regain mobility. As a nursing student, we have more face-to-face time with
the patient. When creating a good rapport with the client, we learn valuable information that the
other healthcare team members may have not learned, and we can properly share that
Understanding of one’s own beliefs and principles allows for the guidance of professional
practice. My moral responsibility as a nurse involves caring for the individual wholeheartedly
because the person involved is someone else’s family member. In other words, I would provide
the utmost care to a patient, the same way I would want a healthcare professional to care for my
family. One ethical principle that is especially important in the nursing field is nonmaleficence,
or doing no harm (Bhanji, 2013). If a patient is placed in my care, it is my responsibility and duty
to ensure the safety of the client. In a previous clinical, I was caring for a patient who had
allergies to penicillin antibiotics. Oddly enough, the patient was prescribed scheduled penicillin
medication. I immediately informed the nurse of the contraindication, in which she explained the
situation. The patient ended up having minimal side effects, but was still using the scheduled
medicine. Although the situation was attended to prior to my knowledge, it was valuable to
With any diagnosis or disease, there is a cause (whether it is obvious or not). Anything
we do to our bodies affects our overall health. As a nurse, it is important to ensure the patient
understands the consequences of their actions. A second valuable ethical principle is autonomy,
which allows an individual to make decisions for himself without the interference of others
(Bhanji, 2013). For example, a patient I met was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease evidenced by decades of smoking. I talked with the patient to ensure he was educated on
the effects of smoking and what is occurring internally. During hourly nursing rounds, I visited
the patient and his room reeked of used cigarettes. It was evident that the patient smoked in the
bathroom. The charge nurse spoke with the patient who denied the situation. The patient was
provided all the information, yet he continued to make his own poor decision. It is evident that in
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the healthcare profession, not all patients will be obedient. However, this does not mean we
should not stop trying to help as it is our duty for people to be educated on their actions.
Conclusion
Everyone needs to reflect on his or her own beliefs to create a philosophy that guides
professional practice. Based on one’s experience, his or her philosophy may change, and this is
okay because there is always room for growth and development in a career. The nursing
profession involves building a strong rapport with clients, the families, and other healthcare
professionals to reach a goal. Nurses have many duties and responsibilities, including helping
those who are already sick and preventing others from getting sick. Learning about nursing
theories and concepts has helped me formulate my own perspective on the nursing profession.
Although I have had a great experience throughout my nursing school clinicals, I still have so
much to learn, and I am excited for what is to come. My philosophy from my first semester has
not changed, rather it was validated with new knowledge and clinical experience, thus
strengthening my values and beliefs. My personal philosophy acts as my moral compass in the
professional setting, keeping me on track on what I believe is best for the patient’s care and my
personal success. Reflection on my own philosophy allows me to harness what I really want out
of my future career.
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References
Bhanji, S. M. (2013). Health Care Ethics. Journal of Clinical Research and Bioethics.
doi:10.4172/2155-9627.1000142
Dorothea Orem's Self-Care Theory. (2012, February 4). Retrieved February 02, 2018, from
http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/self_care_deficit_theory.html
Jean Watson's Philosophy of Nursing. (2012, January 26). Retrieved February 02, 2018, from
http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/watson.html
Medeiros, A., Enders, B., & Lira, A. (2015). The Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory:
Shahriari, M., Mohammadi, E., Abbaszadeh, A., & Bahrami, M. (2013). Nursing ethical values
and definitions: A literature review. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research,
18(1), 1-8.
http://nursingworld.org/EspeciallyForYou/What-is-Nursing
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Honor Code
“I pledge to support the Honor System of Old Dominion University. I will refrain from any form
member of the academic community it is responsibility to turn in all suspected violators of the
Date: __2/2/18___________________________________________
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Philosophy of Nursing
NURS 314: Nursing Theories and Concepts
NURS 481: Role Transition
Purpose of Assignment
The purpose of this assignment is to enable the student to rediscover his or her personal
philosophy of nursing as it exists upon the completion of the baccalaureate nursing program.
Critical Thinking
Uses nursing and other appropriate theories and models to guide professional
practice
Example: In the “Assumptions of Nursing” section of the philosophy
assignment, I utilize three different nursing theories that are valid when
describing the nurse’s relationship with the client, the community, and
other healthcare professionals. The three theories described are
Nightingale’s Environment Theory when promoting optimal patient
health; Watson’s Theory of Human Caring, which includes collecting
information on the environment to create plans to solve an issue in the
community; and Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory, which involves
teamwork of the healthcare team and incorporating biopsychosocial
factors.
Leadership
Articulates the values of the profession and the role of the nurse as member of the
interdisciplinary health care team
Example: In the “Guiding Principles for Professional Practice” section, I
provide an example from my clinical experience that had the potential to
negatively affect a patient’s safety. I immediately reported the issue to the
nurse. It is valuable to bring up any concerns to those part of the patient
care team to promote optimal patient safety.
Professionalism
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