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Personal Philosophy of Nursing.....
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Question:
I am a BSN student at University of Mary Hardin Baylor here in Texas. I was given an assignment in my Intro to nursing class to write a personal philosophy of nursing paper. I am posting it here to get some input please don't flame me for being naive or anything like that. I haven’t even had clinicals yet and I think the instructors expect a more general and theoretical type paper. But I would like to know what everyone thinks- this is still an early draft, but most typos should be gone!
Here it goes:
My Philosophy of Nursing
I believe that nursing is both a science and an art. It demands men and women who are not only dedicated to caring, but who are also intelligent, educated and devoted to lifelong learning. Nursing focuses on the individual patient or client and his or her needs, not only the needs of the body, but also the psychological, social and spiritual needs of the person. The nurse must address those needs and educate the individual and supply him or her with the skills and knowledge required to maintain or improve the person's state of health. Often the individual is unable to care for themselves at all in which case the nurse not only provides care, but also acts as an advocate for the patient.
There are many elements at the core of nursing. Much of nursing requires technical knowledge and skill. A nurse must be able to use all of the technological resources at his or her disposal to provide an optimum environment for healing or maintaining health. A nurse must also have a good understanding of the structure and physiology of the human body, its response to disease, and the mechanisms of disease. This knowledge enables the professional nurse to understand the diagnosis and treatment of disease and ensure that proper treatment of disease is given. The nurse must also understand theories of nursing and other theories that apply to human beings. These theories provide a consistent framework within which the nurse can perform his or her duties. They also assist the nurse in assessing the patient's needs as a unique individual. Finally, there is at the core of nursing, a desire to provide patients with comfort, companion and an environment conducive to wellness. It may be as simple as holding a hand during an uncomfortable procedure or as complex as caring for a patient on complicated life support equipment. For these and all situations in between, the nurse must undertake these tasks not as mundane work, but as a calling to care for others.
I chose nursing for a variety of reasons. As I am learning about the profession of nursing, I am discovering that many of my personal values have led me here. I have always had a desire to serve others, and I believe that nursing will provide me with a career in which I can do that. I have a strong desire to educate people, and I feel that nursing will give me an opportunity to do that. I would like very much to touch people’s lives in the way I have been touched by some very special and caring people. I hope that through the interpersonal relationships I make as a nurse, I will be able to do that. I am motivated to pursue a BSN degree because I plan to make nursing a career. I would like to become a nurse practitioner some time in the future. I see nursing as a profession that is respected and requires special technical knowledge and skill. This is the type of career I desire. On a more practical note, nursing is a career that is flexible and nurses are need everywhere. This characteristic appeals to me because I am a wife of an Army SGT., and I need a career that allows me to relocate and reestablish myself easily in new communities.
I hope that when I become I nurse I will be able to advance the concept of professional nursing through my behavior and education. I plan to continue my education- probably for my entire life- and I think that is vital to keeping nursing on the forefront of health care changes. I plan to provide my patients and their families with the best care I can give, as a result of my education, my desire to learn, and my dedication to the profession. I will aspire to maintain a non-judgmental attitude towards my patients and their families. In a very real way, I intend to serve my community by working for the Public Health Service or the Indian Health Service. I would like to provide care to people who do not have good access to health care and I anticipate having opportunities to work in a volunteer capacity.
As a professional nurse, my relationships with other health care providers will be respectful and team oriented. I will acknowledge the importance of all member of the health care team. Health care today is becoming increasingly complex and there are many individuals who can provide unique and vital care for the patient. The contributions of these individuals should be recognized. I hope that my family and friends will respect what I do and be proud of me. I would like my kids to be proud of what I do, and the work I have done to get there. I hope they will understand that the sacrifices and challenges we have gone through are worthwhile. I would like to be able to use my knowledge and skills to ensure that my family and friends receive good health care where ever they go.
When I become a professional nurse, I want to be a person who can fill that role effectively. I want to maintain the good health habits I have now (not smoking, rarely drinking) and be inspired to maintain good health in general. I hope that the educational process I am going through now will enable me to grow as a person and mature into a person who is comfortable in the role of a professional. I hope I can maintain the ideal of being non- judgmental towards individuals and their situations, so that my personal beliefs will not interfere with my ability to provide good care to people in need. Finally, I hope that my choice of career, and the path I will follow once I am in it, will bring me closer to God. I believe that while on this Earth, we must serve God and each other. Nursing seems like the right profession for me because it will give me the opportunity to follow that belief while still providing for my family.
Answer:
The sophomore class at UVM SON also just wrote a personal philosophy of nursing for a class entitled Art and Science of Nursing. I liked your paper. One suggestion I have is that the nurse should always be an advocate for the patient, even when they can care for themselves.
Our paper was due during our unit on nursing theories and theorists such as systems theory, Nightingale, Roy, Watson, and Rogers. Our assignment was to specifically address the four components of nursing theory: person or client, health, environment, and nursing. We had to cite theorists we liked and come up with some ideas of our own about what each of these concepts mean to us. I agree with you that it is a difficult topic to write about when you have never performed as a professional nurse. Our instructor told us to keep these papers and to read them at the end of our senior year to see how our philosophies have developed and changed. I suspect that these papers will make for interesting reading in a couple of years.
Good luck with yours.
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