A Nurses Philosophy_lerch
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Running Head: A NURSE’S PHILOSOPHY
1
A Nurse’s Philosophy
Janie Lerch
Delaware Technical and Community College
February 22, 2019
A NURSE’S PHILOSOPHY 2
What is nursing to me? Nursing is not just a profession; it is an investment of self into a profession. A profession built on caring for people in need. I am passionate about the care I give to my patients because I want them to have the best experience as possible. In my nursing career, patients have come into my care at some of the most vulnerable times in their lives. When I worked in the operating room, my patients trusted my colleagues and myself to see them through various cancer surgeries, brain, spine surgery to name a few. As an ICU nurse, my patients are often at their sickest and depend on my colleagues and I to watch over them; bring them through this difficult time, and advocate for them, supporting their wishes when they cannot. Families also have high expectations of the nursing care their loved ones receive. Being
an ICU nurse is about more than just treating the patient as a whole; you must also treat the family members as well.
The role of the nurse is to provide patient care in a sensitive, compassionate, manner that encompasses not only the principles and standards of the profession but protecting them and meeting the expectations of the ones you are caring for. A nurse should do this with compassion,
communication, understanding, nurturing, adaptability, promotion of health, careful observation, active-listening, acceptance and authenticity. The role of nurses in society is to care for people in sickness and in health. We should make and take opportunities to educate people on disease prevention and health promotion as well as assist in the management of their health care when they are ill. We should approach care of each patient uniquely, holistically, and with acknowledgement of their hierarchy of needs. We should assist patients in knowing and understanding and playing a role in their plan of care and treatment.
A NURSE’S PHILOSOPHY 3
I feel it is so important and necessary for nurses to follow the principles and standards set forth by those who have preceded us in our profession. Some of the key principles and standards
that influence my practice include: demonstrating professional competence, and being individually responsible and accountable for maintaining that competence. We should maintain our code of ethics by practicing with compassion and respect for each individuals dignity; recognizing each person as unique in their beliefs and how they wish to be cared for. As nurses it is important that we collaborate with each other as well as other healthcare providers with the goal of keeping our patients the centralized focus of our care. Another important aspect of the nursing profession I hold with great value is life-long learning. Nurses who pursue higher levels of education “are prized for their critical-thinking, leadership, case-management, and health promotion skills.” (AACN, 2013.) Dr. Jan Boller states, “Recent studies clearly demonstrate that a higher prevalence of baccalaureate and masters prepared nurses at the bedside positively impact patient outcomes.” (Watson, 2016) As nurses we must stay up to date on current knowledge and challenge ourselves to explore new knowledge through additional schooling, continuing education, and the process of evidence based practice. Our profession continuously strives to improve the care we give using evidence based practice to review current practices with the intent to restructure processes in effort to optimize patient care. Implementing these into our practice will only improve the quality of care our patients receive. Jean Watson’s Philosophy and Science of Caring provided a good description of what it means to me to be a great nurse. Making sure my patient feels “nurtured, understood, respected, and cared for” (is an essential part of my practice. The philosophy states that we should “promote physical, mental, emotional and social functioning.” It recognizes nurses as “part of every society as acknowledges our caring attitude is transmitted from generation to generation by
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A NURSE’S PHILOSOPHY 4
the culture of the nursing profession” ( roviechjohn26). The nursing model is described as promoting health, preventing illness, caring for the sick, and restoring health.” This philosophy states that nursing is a “human science of persons and human health –illness experiences that are mediated by professional, personal, scientific, esthetic, and ethical human transactions” (Watson,
1988b). It utilizes the scientific model in its nursing process including assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation as a method of implementing care. The philosophy uses both science as well as caring to approach patient care. It has a humanistic and altruistic system of values. Sensitivity and authenticity are also key values in this philosophy. The nurse patient relationship is built on communication, understanding, and acceptance. The nurse must show empathy and warmth allowing the patient to express both negative and positive feelings which will further develop the trust and rapport of the nurse, patient relationship. Another key note within the philosophy states that the nurse must “understand the person’s perception of the situation which will help the nurse to prepare a cognitive plan. The nurse must also provide comfort, privacy, and safety as part of the carative factor” (roviechjohn26). The Philosophy of Science and Caring balances the necessary sciences of the field as well as the all-important need of the nurse to be caring, empathetic, compassionate and authentic. I have learned in this course about QSEN which discusses safe, collaborative and quality care.
This requires teamwork and collaboration across disciplines, implementation of evidence based practice, quality improvement, safety, informatics and patient centered-care. In order to give the patient the best care possible it is essential to me to maintain positive relationships with my co-
workers and colleagues who also share in the responsibility of their care. This requires collaboration of care, and at times conflict management. In order to have effective relationships
A NURSE’S PHILOSOPHY 5
it is important to understand your own personality as well as how you deal with other personalities in order to resolve conflict in a professional manner. In my nursing career, it will always be my goal to have my patients feel like they can trust my
care, knowledge and skill to treat them appropriately. To them and their families I want to be the
nurse that not only did her job but listened when they wanted to talk, the one that took time to hold their hand, to get to know them and their wishes. I want to acknowledge their pain, and celebrate their accomplishments and milestones in their care with them. That is why I went into nursing, to impact people in a deep and personal manner when they needed it most.
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REFERENCES:
McGraw, M.J. (2002). Watson’s philosophy in nursing practice. In M.R. Alligood, & A.
Marriner Tomey (Eds.), Nursing theory: Utilization and application (pp. 97-122). Toronto,
Canada: Mosby.
Nursing Theory Slideshare by roviechjohn26, Jean Watson, slides 39-48
Watson, J. (1979). Nursing: The philosophy and science of caring. Boston: Little Brown.
Watson, J. (1988b). Nursing: Human science and human care. A theory of nursing (2
nd
printing). New York: National League for Nursing. (Original work published in 1985.)
Jean Watson - Nursing Theorist. (2016). Retrieved February 15, 2019, from http://www.nursing-
theory.org/nursing-theorists/Jean-Watson.php
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