Introduction
Nursing is a profession that focuses on providing health care to individuals, families, and communities to restore, maintain, or enhance their wellbeing. It involves the application of knowledge gained through practice and nursing research in different fields (Powers & Knapp, 2010). Quality nursing is based on the development and implementation of an aggregate of thoughts, beliefs, values, and ethical principles that are collectively referred to as a philosophy of nursing. Each nurse has an individualized philosophy of nursing that encompasses personal values and beliefs. The philosophy allows nurses to provide high-quality and safe medical care by clarifying who they are, what they are doing, and the reasons behind their practice. This paper aims to discuss my philosophy of nursing by outlining and explaining my beliefs, thoughts, and values. The discussion will focus on the concepts of the nursing metaparadigm that include person, environment, health, and nursing. It will also include the nursing theories that are compatible with my philosophy of nursing.
Critical Factors in the Development of Nursing Philosophy
Certain factors influence the development of personal nursing philosophy. They include personal values, beliefs, professional code of conduct, and code of ethics. Nursing is a human-centered profession. Therefore, evaluating one’s thinking about human beings is crucial in the development of a personal philosophy of nursing. Moreover, one’s perception of the nature of human beings and the purpose of life is highly influential. Personal values and beliefs guide the actions and behaviors of nurses. Also, they influence their decisions. On the other hand, the professional code of ethics and conduct determine how nurses relate to their patients by stipulating the behaviors and actions that are acceptable within health care settings (McCormack & McCance, 2011).
Concepts of the Nursing Metaparadigm
Person/Client
I think a person refers to a unitary, rational, distinctive, and spiritually-oriented being that has inherent dignity and worth. The term encompasses the inherent dignity and worth of human beings, their ability to reason and think, and form relationships with other human beings (McCormack & McCance, 2011). I think this is the most important factor in nursing because nursing is a person-centered profession. I believe that nurses should take care of the physical, psychological, spiritual, and sociological needs of clients. This concept is important because nursing practice revolves around caring for people and addressing their various needs.
Environment
Environment refers to the surroundings or context in which people live. It includes both internal and external factors. Internal environmental factors include food, water, and medications while external environmental factors include temperature and appropriate ventilation. I believe that human wellbeing is promoted by favorable environmental conditions. An unfavorable environment promotes the development of illnesses. It is important to have a nourishing environment to achieve optimal human wellness. I believe that it is the responsibility of the nurse to manipulate the environment to restore wellness and speed up the process of recovery.
Health
Health refers to human flourishing that is characterized by aspects such as harmony, purpose, physical wellbeing, contentedness, harmony, and personal dignity. I believe that a person is healthy if their spiritual, physical, emotional, and psychological needs are met. I think the main goal of this nursing concept is to eliminate the disease from families and communities and maintain wellness. It is a process that involves eliminating a disease, empowering patients to cope, and teaching them how to remain healthy (McCormack & McCance, 2011).
Nursing
Nursing refers to specific actions that are aimed at maintaining, restoring, or promoting wellness in patients by eliminating disease or providing instructions. These interventions include primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention remedies. Primary prevention involves anticipating health problems and offering remedies to prevent them from happening. Secondary prevention involves alleviating the effects of diseases and preventing them from interfering with the wellbeing of patients. Tertiary prevention involves offering solutions to serious health problems such as addictions and epidemics.
Key Nursing Theories
Nightingale’s Environmental Theory
This theory is compatible with my nursing philosophy because its definition of the four concepts of the nursing metaparadigm is similar to mine. It postulates that the nurse is required to manipulate the environment to promote patient recovery (Smith & Parker, 2015). The theory focuses on the importance of the concepts of the patient and the environment. I believe that the process of recovery and promoting wellness is largely influenced by the environment in which a patient exists.
Watson’s Theory of Human Caring
This theory postulates that the main role of nursing is to promote and restore health, prevent disease, and caring for the sick (Smith & Parker, 2015). Its concepts’ main focus is the treatment of disease and health promotion. The concepts of this theory are compatible with my nursing philosophy because I believe that the main responsibility of a nurse is to promote human wellness by preventing and eradicating the disease.
Summary/Conclusion
The personal philosophy of nursing directs the actions of nurses about the provision of quality health care. It influences how nurses treat patients, form relationships, and provide medical care. My philosophy of nursing is based on personal beliefs and thoughts regarding the concepts of person, environment, health, and nursing. My philosophy is compatible with two main nursing theories namely, Nightingale’s Environmental Theory and Watson’s Theory of Human Caring.
References
McCormack, B., & McCance, T. (2011). Person-centered nursing: theory and practice. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.
Powers, B. A., & Knapp, T. R. (2010). Dictionary of nursing theory and research (4th Ed). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
Smith, M. C., & Parker, M. E. (2015). Nursing theories and nursing practice. Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis.