My Nursing Philosophy Essay
Running head: MY PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 1
MY PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING
KRISTI RUTHERFORD
KING UNIVERSITY
MY PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 2
Abstract
My philosophy of nursing starts from my personal values which are what attracted me to nursing as a profession. In simple terms it means doing what is right when no one is looking. Nurse’s do this by having integrity, empathy, a caring demeanor and honesty. No matter what type of nursing you do these characteristics all come into play and should be considered when taking care of a patient, their family and their community. Furthermore, incorporating them into the metaparadigm of professional nursing using the four concepts (person, environment, health and nurse) allows us to be the best patient …show more content…
advocate we can be and also allows the patient and family the utmost of care on a personal and professional level.
MY PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 3
METAPARADIGM CONCEPTS The four concepts of the nursing metaparadigm being discussed in this paper are human beings, environment, health and nursing practice. The first thing we must do is acknowledge our patients as human beings and not just our work for the day. As stated by Kearney-Nunnery (2012), some of the ways we can do this are by showing compassion and respect for each patient, recognizing patient’s unique characteristics and treating all patients the same regardless of social or economic status. It is important as a nurse that we provide the most comfort for our patients and their families and let them help us in making informed decisions about their healthcare.
Next is the environmental impact and how it can affect a patient’s health. In doing this we have to consider that one’s environment is not solely internal or external but composed of both variables. According to a recent study by The Environmental Protection Agency (2010), we interact constantly with our environment and these interactions affect quality of life, years of healthy life lived and health disparities. Some of the environmental factors that affect us are listed below:
• Homes and communities
• Outdoor air quality
• Surface and ground water quality
• Toxic substances and hazardous wastes
• Infrastructure and surveillance
• Global environmental health
The purpose of nursing is not to cure all of the environmental issues, but to return patients and their families to a stable environment.
We can do this by helping them adjust some of their external factors and by promoting awareness.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. (WHO, definition of 2003). The following components of health are physical, mental and social well-being. This nurse believes that all of the above components do not have to be equal. Depending on the patient and situation it is subjective and in some instances one component may influence another. Therefore, it is important to address all of the good components of health when trying to help patients and their families. This will help encourage and support their overall well-being.
Lastly is the nursing practice side of the metaparadigm concept. As a nurse this one proves to be most important. Our goal as nurses is to bring the humanistic side to our field and good care is the goal of nursing practice. We can show this best in our practice in the following ways:
• Supporting and assisting individuals, families and
communities
• Maintain and recover health
• Reduce the effects of illness
This follows my definition of nursing exactly. It is this nurse’s philosophy that both internal and external environment work together to keep an individual healthy and the smaller things can make the difference in the care you give patients and how they feel about their experience in your practice. While all of the concepts are important, Environment seems to be the metaparadigm that is most influential on the other metaparadigms. Some of the small things we can do to manipulate the environment to promote healing are:
• Looking at patients when talking and listening
• Being attentive to the patients and families needs (personal and professional)
• Asking if there is anything they need before leaving the room
• Using the least invasive measures if possible for testing
• Knowing them and their family on a personal level
During this nurse’s practice, good care consists of our attitudes and relationships that help foster well-being and dignity in all human aspects.
MY PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 6
References
Kearney-Nunnery, Rose, RN, PhD (2012). Advancing Your Career, Concepts of Professional Nursing, fifth edition. 4-5
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), (2010). Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards. Our Nation's air: Status and trends through 2008. Washington: EPA.
The World Health Organization (WHO) (2003), Definition of Health.
MY PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING
KRISTI RUTHERFORD
KING UNIVERSITY
MY PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 2
Abstract
My philosophy of nursing starts from my personal values which are what attracted me to nursing as a profession. In simple terms it means doing what is right when no one is looking. Nurse’s do this by having integrity, empathy, a caring demeanor and honesty. No matter what type of nursing you do these characteristics all come into play and should be considered when taking care of a patient, their family and their community. Furthermore, incorporating them into the metaparadigm of professional nursing using the four concepts (person, environment, health and nurse) allows us to be the best patient …show more content…
advocate we can be and also allows the patient and family the utmost of care on a personal and professional level.
MY PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 3
METAPARADIGM CONCEPTS The four concepts of the nursing metaparadigm being discussed in this paper are human beings, environment, health and nursing practice. The first thing we must do is acknowledge our patients as human beings and not just our work for the day. As stated by Kearney-Nunnery (2012), some of the ways we can do this are by showing compassion and respect for each patient, recognizing patient’s unique characteristics and treating all patients the same regardless of social or economic status. It is important as a nurse that we provide the most comfort for our patients and their families and let them help us in making informed decisions about their healthcare.
Next is the environmental impact and how it can affect a patient’s health. In doing this we have to consider that one’s environment is not solely internal or external but composed of both variables. According to a recent study by The Environmental Protection Agency (2010), we interact constantly with our environment and these interactions affect quality of life, years of healthy life lived and health disparities. Some of the environmental factors that affect us are listed below:
• Homes and communities
• Outdoor air quality
• Surface and ground water quality
• Toxic substances and hazardous wastes
• Infrastructure and surveillance
• Global environmental health
The purpose of nursing is not to cure all of the environmental issues, but to return patients and their families to a stable environment.
We can do this by helping them adjust some of their external factors and by promoting awareness.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. (WHO, definition of 2003). The following components of health are physical, mental and social well-being. This nurse believes that all of the above components do not have to be equal. Depending on the patient and situation it is subjective and in some instances one component may influence another. Therefore, it is important to address all of the good components of health when trying to help patients and their families. This will help encourage and support their overall well-being.
Lastly is the nursing practice side of the metaparadigm concept. As a nurse this one proves to be most important. Our goal as nurses is to bring the humanistic side to our field and good care is the goal of nursing practice. We can show this best in our practice in the following ways:
• Supporting and assisting individuals, families and
communities
• Maintain and recover health
• Reduce the effects of illness
This follows my definition of nursing exactly. It is this nurse’s philosophy that both internal and external environment work together to keep an individual healthy and the smaller things can make the difference in the care you give patients and how they feel about their experience in your practice. While all of the concepts are important, Environment seems to be the metaparadigm that is most influential on the other metaparadigms. Some of the small things we can do to manipulate the environment to promote healing are:
• Looking at patients when talking and listening
• Being attentive to the patients and families needs (personal and professional)
• Asking if there is anything they need before leaving the room
• Using the least invasive measures if possible for testing
• Knowing them and their family on a personal level
During this nurse’s practice, good care consists of our attitudes and relationships that help foster well-being and dignity in all human aspects.
MY PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 6
References
Kearney-Nunnery, Rose, RN, PhD (2012). Advancing Your Career, Concepts of Professional Nursing, fifth edition. 4-5
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), (2010). Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards. Our Nation's air: Status and trends through 2008. Washington: EPA.
The World Health Organization (WHO) (2003), Definition of Health.