Introduction
The process of treatment and care involves different professionals including nurses. Nursing itself is grounded on some principles and theories. Frequently, nurses develop their own philosophies during their work. These philosophies are usually a blend of already existing philosophies developed by nurse theorists and nurses’ personal experiences. Therefore, as a nurse, I have my own ideas about the traditional concept of a nursing metaparadigm such as a person or a patient, the environment, health, and nursing. This paper presents my personal philosophy of nursing, which is a set of my beliefs, thoughts, attitudes, and feelings about the concept of a nursing metaparadigm.
Key Concepts of My Philosophy
I suppose that my nursing philosophy combines the ideas of some independent philosophies. Thus, it is grounded in the principles of realism, which involves the continuous character of education for nurses. Another famous philosophy that I consider significant for a nurse is humanism. Nurses should act for the good of a person and respect a person’s dignity. In fact, humanistic ideas are integral to nursing as a profession. This idea was supported by Florence Nightingale, who is an outstanding nursing theorist of the twentieth century. Humanistic nursing practice is a frequent subject for healthcare research (Khademi, Mohammadi, & Vanaki, 2016).
Thus, my philosophy of nursing is based on the principles of humanism and realism and comprises the following concepts. The first concept is accountability. I believe it is significant for a nursing professional because every nurse should be trained to apply theoretical knowledge to practice and be responsible, control oneself, and be an effective component of a health care team. Another concept I would include in my philosophy is compassion. In fact, it is the attitude of a nurse to patients and their treatment. It is a general practice that a professional nurse should be compassionate, respectful, and understanding. One more concept I consider integral to nursing philosophy is professionalism. Still, professionalism is not a synonym for a degree or work experience. It also implies the readiness and desire of a nurse to help those in need without focusing on social or economic status, which is valuable qualities. Finally, I should mention that my personal nursing philosophy is under the impact of my professional goals, which are to provide high-quality care and achieve the best possible patient outcomes.
Nursing Metaparadigms and Their Application
Nursing meta paradigms include such concepts as nursing, a person (patient), health, and environment (Francis, 2017). Within a nursing philosophy, all those concepts are interrelated. In my philosophy, similarly to other nursing theories, a person is a central concept. Its application reveals in treating patients with care and empathy. Therefore, nursing is also a crucial component. Their interrelation can be applied, for example, in the process of patient education provided by a nurse. One more metaparadigm, which is the environment, is comprised of a diversity of factors such as nature, family, society, etc. The environment has a direct impact on care delivery as well as on patients and nurses. It should be assessed and in case the environment is not favorable for the patient’s health. This assessment can be used for change initiation aimed at environment improvement. Finally, health itself is not a stable concept. It can change depending on the environment as well as on the personality of a patient or the professionalism of a nurse.
Philosophy Application to Nursing Practice
I suppose that my philosophy is applicable to nursing practice. Being grounded in realism and humanism, it can be used in any health setting. The knowledge of meta paradigms is useful for the organization of care. For example, the patient’s family as a part of the environment can be involved to support the patient or increase the treatment compliance. This philosophy can also be used to define the rules of behavior for nurses to increase the quality of care and improve patient outcomes.
Strengths and Limitations
One of the evident strengths of my philosophy is that it is grounded on the ideas of nursing theorists and thus has a substantial theoretical background. For example, my philosophy recalls the environmental theory developed by Nightingale and my perceptions of behavior patterns demonstrate by patients which is similar to the self-care theory of Orem (Alligood, 2014). Another strength is that it considers both my plans and desires together with the needs of patients. Finally, this philosophy stimulates continuous education, which is important for a professional nurse. Still, the philosophy has a limitation. Since it is grounded on personal perceptions, plans, and views, some of its concepts can be biased.
Conclusion
To summarizing, it should be mentioned that the personal nursing philosophy is of the subjective character. It usually develops in the process of study and is shaped by the nurse’s practical experience. Thus, it is influenced by both internal beliefs and external factors. Still, it is a significant element of nursing and the process of care because it identifies peculiarities of nursing care and contributes to the development of a nurse as a professional. Therefore, every nurse should develop a personal nursing philosophy to have a guide in practical activity.
References
Alligood, M.R. (Ed.). (2014). Nursing theorists and their work. St. Louis, MS: Elsevier Mosby.
Francis, I. (2017). Nursing informatics and the metaparadigms of nursing. Online Journal of Nursing Informatics, 21(1). Web.
Khademi, M., Mohammadi, E., & Vanaki, Z. (2016). A grounded theory of humanistic nursing in acute care work environments. Nursing Ethics, 24(8), 908-921. Web.