Rachel Ann Driscoll: Personal Philosophies Of Nursing
Personal Philosophy of Nursing
Rachel Ann Driscoll
Jacksonville University
Before developing a personal philosophy of nursing, one must understand the definition of philosophy then a personal philosophy can be developed. “Philosophies of nursing are statements of beliefs about nursing and expressions of values in nursing that are used as bases for the thinking and acting. Most philosophies are built on a foundation of beliefs about people, environment, health and nursing” (Chitty and Black, 2010). This paper focuses on the developed personal philosophy of nursing, that nursing is not just a high paid job but a profession the provides care and empathy to patients through inter-personal relationship, caring, compassion and concern for the dignity and care of patient by the application of knowledge obtained through clinical excellence despite diverse cultural backgrounds. …show more content…
The nursing profession is a very high stress and over worked profession, with increased patient to nurse ratios due to short staffing and staffing restrictions.
There are people who go into nursing only for a job and a paycheck or because they think it is a glorious profession, then quickly realize the cons out weigh the pros because they don’t have a key element to survive in the profession, which is caring. Caring is detrimental characteristic to possess as a professional nurse. It will help with establishing intrapersonal relationship, as well as communicating therapeutically with patients and family members, being a proficient patient care advocate despite diverse cultures, and are included in all aspects of patient care assessment, treatment and recovery. Inter-professional relationships are easier to establish between nurse and patient with a caring empathetic nurse. Patients will be more inclined to expression their concerns and comfort
needs.
Wiman (2004), reports several characteristics of a caring nurse: “being open and perceptive for others, being genuinely concerned for the patient, being morally responsible, being truly present for the patient, and being dedicated and having the courage to be appropriately involved as a professional nurse” (p. 424). In Jacksonville University School of Nursing’s four-point star philosophy, caring is the center component of their star philosophy for as everything begins with caring and believe caring is an embedded trait of nursing.
Many theorists have formed theories based on the concept of caring. Watson’s Human Caring Theory is based on “care and love” is essential component to balanced psychic state, endurance and sustenance of humankind. Leininger’s Culture Care Diversity and Universality Theory, is based on the concept that care and culture are connected and are both required to provide care to diverse cultural group. In essence, caring is the defining component of nursing.
Compassion and concern for the dignity, privacy and care of patients is another important aspect of nursing and is accomplished by the application of knowledge obtained through clinical excellence and experience despite diverse cultural backgrounds. “Clinical excellence encompasses professionalism, effective communication and interpersonal skills, diagnostic acumen, skillful negotiation of the health care system, a scholarly and caring approach to clinical practice” (Jacksonville University, 2012, paragraph 8). Clinical excellence is achieve by the application of education and knowledge learned in theory courses with developed procedure skills and effective therapeutic communication in the clinical setting in various health care facility. Knowledge is gained through experience and continued education.
Cultural background is aspect of patient care that is over looked and at times dismissed because of stereotypes, lack of knowledge about a specific culture and their beliefs about health care and simply not caring. The emergency room is area that treatment is provided to diverse cultures, but due to time restraints that are placed on doctors and nurses to expedite care to decrease patients’ wait time, cultural beliefs are rarely considered. This may be perceived as not caring by patients and family members thus effecting patient’s care, treatment and recovery outcome.
In conclusion, caring and how patients and family members perceive care has an overall effective on the outcome of care. Caring is the essence of nursing. It is not a quality that is developed over time or with experience, you have it or you don’t. Nursing is not a profession for some who just wants to collect a paycheck, but a profession for an individual who want to make a difference by caring and possessing the knowledge to provide efficient proper patient care to a diverse cultural group.
References
Chitty, K. K., & Black, B. P. (2010). Professional Nursing: Challenges & Concepts (6th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders/Elsevier.
Jacksonville University (2012). School of Nursing Philosophy www.ju.edu/son/philosophy
Wiman, E., & Wikblad, K. (2004). Caring and uncaring encounters in nursing in an emergency department. Journal Of Clinical Nursing, 13(4), 422-429.
Rachel Ann Driscoll
Jacksonville University
Before developing a personal philosophy of nursing, one must understand the definition of philosophy then a personal philosophy can be developed. “Philosophies of nursing are statements of beliefs about nursing and expressions of values in nursing that are used as bases for the thinking and acting. Most philosophies are built on a foundation of beliefs about people, environment, health and nursing” (Chitty and Black, 2010). This paper focuses on the developed personal philosophy of nursing, that nursing is not just a high paid job but a profession the provides care and empathy to patients through inter-personal relationship, caring, compassion and concern for the dignity and care of patient by the application of knowledge obtained through clinical excellence despite diverse cultural backgrounds. …show more content…
The nursing profession is a very high stress and over worked profession, with increased patient to nurse ratios due to short staffing and staffing restrictions.
There are people who go into nursing only for a job and a paycheck or because they think it is a glorious profession, then quickly realize the cons out weigh the pros because they don’t have a key element to survive in the profession, which is caring. Caring is detrimental characteristic to possess as a professional nurse. It will help with establishing intrapersonal relationship, as well as communicating therapeutically with patients and family members, being a proficient patient care advocate despite diverse cultures, and are included in all aspects of patient care assessment, treatment and recovery. Inter-professional relationships are easier to establish between nurse and patient with a caring empathetic nurse. Patients will be more inclined to expression their concerns and comfort
needs.
Wiman (2004), reports several characteristics of a caring nurse: “being open and perceptive for others, being genuinely concerned for the patient, being morally responsible, being truly present for the patient, and being dedicated and having the courage to be appropriately involved as a professional nurse” (p. 424). In Jacksonville University School of Nursing’s four-point star philosophy, caring is the center component of their star philosophy for as everything begins with caring and believe caring is an embedded trait of nursing.
Many theorists have formed theories based on the concept of caring. Watson’s Human Caring Theory is based on “care and love” is essential component to balanced psychic state, endurance and sustenance of humankind. Leininger’s Culture Care Diversity and Universality Theory, is based on the concept that care and culture are connected and are both required to provide care to diverse cultural group. In essence, caring is the defining component of nursing.
Compassion and concern for the dignity, privacy and care of patients is another important aspect of nursing and is accomplished by the application of knowledge obtained through clinical excellence and experience despite diverse cultural backgrounds. “Clinical excellence encompasses professionalism, effective communication and interpersonal skills, diagnostic acumen, skillful negotiation of the health care system, a scholarly and caring approach to clinical practice” (Jacksonville University, 2012, paragraph 8). Clinical excellence is achieve by the application of education and knowledge learned in theory courses with developed procedure skills and effective therapeutic communication in the clinical setting in various health care facility. Knowledge is gained through experience and continued education.
Cultural background is aspect of patient care that is over looked and at times dismissed because of stereotypes, lack of knowledge about a specific culture and their beliefs about health care and simply not caring. The emergency room is area that treatment is provided to diverse cultures, but due to time restraints that are placed on doctors and nurses to expedite care to decrease patients’ wait time, cultural beliefs are rarely considered. This may be perceived as not caring by patients and family members thus effecting patient’s care, treatment and recovery outcome.
In conclusion, caring and how patients and family members perceive care has an overall effective on the outcome of care. Caring is the essence of nursing. It is not a quality that is developed over time or with experience, you have it or you don’t. Nursing is not a profession for some who just wants to collect a paycheck, but a profession for an individual who want to make a difference by caring and possessing the knowledge to provide efficient proper patient care to a diverse cultural group.
References
Chitty, K. K., & Black, B. P. (2010). Professional Nursing: Challenges & Concepts (6th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders/Elsevier.
Jacksonville University (2012). School of Nursing Philosophy www.ju.edu/son/philosophy
Wiman, E., & Wikblad, K. (2004). Caring and uncaring encounters in nursing in an emergency department. Journal Of Clinical Nursing, 13(4), 422-429.