Personal Philosophy Of Nursing
Philosophy of Nursing
Roxanne M. Reed
University of West Georgia
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary a nurse is “a person who is trained to care for sick or injured people and who usually works in a hospital or doctor’s office” (Merriam-Webster, 2014). My thoughts are, nursing is a commitment to a profession that protects the patient in one of their greatest times of need, during sickness or health, while respecting their rights and human dignity. As nurses we follow an oath to provide the patient with the appropriate level care without judgments or preconceived notions. We work collaboratively with many people and in many settings to ensure highest quality of care is being delivered to all. As a result, many …show more content…
Our philosophy as nurses defines who we are as a profession and drives our daily experiences with patients, families, and communities. Our philosophy as nurses sets us apart as a profession and not just a job. Personal philosophy is based on knowledge and experiences. Early in our careers, we tend to focus all attention on mastering procedures and gaining clinical knowledge, when in fact we are forming our nursing theories and philosophies from the observations and interactions that we are having with patients. Carper identified the “four fundamental patterns of knowing in nursing- empirical, ethical, personal, and aesthetic- which are required for nursing practice” (Fawwcett, Watson, Neuman, Hinton, & al, 2001). These four ways of knowing are an essential component for the nursing process and for developing a plan of care. Empirical knowledge is defined as the “science of nursing”, ethical knowledge is defined as the “moral component of nursing”, personal knowledge is defined as the “therapeutic use of self”, and aesthetic knowledge is defined as the “art of nursing” (McEwen & Wills, 2014, p. 14). I believe my philosophy is a combination of the four patterns of knowing and the careful nursing philosophy. This philosophy “brings to the fore a nursing-sensitive understanding of the nature and the innate dignity and worth of all persons” (Meehan, 2012). Each patient is treated as an individual because I feel the nurse-patient …show more content…
Health is affected by “medical, social, economic, spiritual and many other components” (Larson, 1999). Whereas the focus of health was on the treatment of illness, it has now shifted to prevention and wellness. The conceptualization of health has been summarized into four models. The Medical model is characterized by the “absence of disease or disability” (Larson, 1999). The World Health Model (WHO) is a “state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease” (Larson, 1999). The Wellness model focuses on “health promotion and patient education” (Larson, 1999). The Environmental model looks at an “individual’s adaptation to the environment” (Larson, 1999). The goal of any wellness model should be to allow the patient to maintain health or recover from illness, and help them cope with their illness to live the highest quality of life possible.
I feel that the best way to conceptualize health, because of our aging population, is to focus on treatment of disease and incorporate the education and prevention aspect to prevent further exacerbations of the disease. By addressing illness in this way I hope that one day we may focus our attentions on the prevention side of healthcare. By applying our nursing theories combined with our philosophies we can collaborate within the disciplines to ensure patients of all ages and backgrounds, sick or well, are
Roxanne M. Reed
University of West Georgia
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary a nurse is “a person who is trained to care for sick or injured people and who usually works in a hospital or doctor’s office” (Merriam-Webster, 2014). My thoughts are, nursing is a commitment to a profession that protects the patient in one of their greatest times of need, during sickness or health, while respecting their rights and human dignity. As nurses we follow an oath to provide the patient with the appropriate level care without judgments or preconceived notions. We work collaboratively with many people and in many settings to ensure highest quality of care is being delivered to all. As a result, many …show more content…
Our philosophy as nurses defines who we are as a profession and drives our daily experiences with patients, families, and communities. Our philosophy as nurses sets us apart as a profession and not just a job. Personal philosophy is based on knowledge and experiences. Early in our careers, we tend to focus all attention on mastering procedures and gaining clinical knowledge, when in fact we are forming our nursing theories and philosophies from the observations and interactions that we are having with patients. Carper identified the “four fundamental patterns of knowing in nursing- empirical, ethical, personal, and aesthetic- which are required for nursing practice” (Fawwcett, Watson, Neuman, Hinton, & al, 2001). These four ways of knowing are an essential component for the nursing process and for developing a plan of care. Empirical knowledge is defined as the “science of nursing”, ethical knowledge is defined as the “moral component of nursing”, personal knowledge is defined as the “therapeutic use of self”, and aesthetic knowledge is defined as the “art of nursing” (McEwen & Wills, 2014, p. 14). I believe my philosophy is a combination of the four patterns of knowing and the careful nursing philosophy. This philosophy “brings to the fore a nursing-sensitive understanding of the nature and the innate dignity and worth of all persons” (Meehan, 2012). Each patient is treated as an individual because I feel the nurse-patient …show more content…
Health is affected by “medical, social, economic, spiritual and many other components” (Larson, 1999). Whereas the focus of health was on the treatment of illness, it has now shifted to prevention and wellness. The conceptualization of health has been summarized into four models. The Medical model is characterized by the “absence of disease or disability” (Larson, 1999). The World Health Model (WHO) is a “state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease” (Larson, 1999). The Wellness model focuses on “health promotion and patient education” (Larson, 1999). The Environmental model looks at an “individual’s adaptation to the environment” (Larson, 1999). The goal of any wellness model should be to allow the patient to maintain health or recover from illness, and help them cope with their illness to live the highest quality of life possible.
I feel that the best way to conceptualize health, because of our aging population, is to focus on treatment of disease and incorporate the education and prevention aspect to prevent further exacerbations of the disease. By addressing illness in this way I hope that one day we may focus our attentions on the prevention side of healthcare. By applying our nursing theories combined with our philosophies we can collaborate within the disciplines to ensure patients of all ages and backgrounds, sick or well, are