My Philosophy Of Nursing
Aristotle held true that courage is the first of human virtues that make all other virtues possible. Courage is derived from the Latin root cor meaning “heart.” Throughout history, nurses have always acted from their hearts, allowing their passion for caring to guide them, advocating for what is right, and drawing upon their knowledge to look for what is possible. It is that heart and spirit that drives my philosophy of nursing.
Mother Theresa once said, “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop” (Catholic Online, n.d., p. 1). Even when we think that our efforts do not make a difference, it is important to remember that it is not how much we do, but the heart, …show more content…
The theories that correlate well with my nursing practice are the Novice to Expert Theory developed by Patricia Benner and the Theory of Human Caring/Caring Science developed by Jean Watson ((Benner, 1982; Watson, n.d.). Watson (n.d) states “…we learn from one another how to be human by identifying ourselves with others, finding their dilemmas in ourselves. What we all learn from it is self-knowledge.” Benner further enforces this statement by emphasizing nursing care as more than just an application of skills; it is relational and encompasses the nurse’s response as a human being first, and then in her role as a nurse …show more content…
In the emergency room environment, it is important to maintain not only the physical side of care, but also to attend to the social and relational needs (Hostutler, Taft, & Snider, 1999). You have to be sure of yourself, be knowledgeable enough to ensure you are giving the correct care to the patient, be able to stand up for yourself in order to advocate for the patient, and be able to reach their hearts and souls and connect with them immediately. The emergency room is fast-paced and often chaotic; therefore every interaction, no matter how brief, must be met with an understanding and empathy to the challenges the patient faces, and that I involve patients and families from the start so that we build trust quickly. It is with this trust that we are able to set mutual goals and expectations together in order to enhance upon and build positive outcomes and promote efficient and effective care.
Environment
The second metaparadigm is environment. It is within the environment that we are called upon to look beyond that of the individual and into the society in which they
Mother Theresa once said, “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop” (Catholic Online, n.d., p. 1). Even when we think that our efforts do not make a difference, it is important to remember that it is not how much we do, but the heart, …show more content…
The theories that correlate well with my nursing practice are the Novice to Expert Theory developed by Patricia Benner and the Theory of Human Caring/Caring Science developed by Jean Watson ((Benner, 1982; Watson, n.d.). Watson (n.d) states “…we learn from one another how to be human by identifying ourselves with others, finding their dilemmas in ourselves. What we all learn from it is self-knowledge.” Benner further enforces this statement by emphasizing nursing care as more than just an application of skills; it is relational and encompasses the nurse’s response as a human being first, and then in her role as a nurse …show more content…
In the emergency room environment, it is important to maintain not only the physical side of care, but also to attend to the social and relational needs (Hostutler, Taft, & Snider, 1999). You have to be sure of yourself, be knowledgeable enough to ensure you are giving the correct care to the patient, be able to stand up for yourself in order to advocate for the patient, and be able to reach their hearts and souls and connect with them immediately. The emergency room is fast-paced and often chaotic; therefore every interaction, no matter how brief, must be met with an understanding and empathy to the challenges the patient faces, and that I involve patients and families from the start so that we build trust quickly. It is with this trust that we are able to set mutual goals and expectations together in order to enhance upon and build positive outcomes and promote efficient and effective care.
Environment
The second metaparadigm is environment. It is within the environment that we are called upon to look beyond that of the individual and into the society in which they