Introduction
The use of personal nursing philosophies as the foundation for nursing practice has attracted many scholars interested in establishing how these philosophies lead to positive patient care outcomes by not only enhancing the proper application of nursing knowledge but also stimulating the development of the nursing theory (Petrovskaya, 2014). Indeed, researchers believe that nursing philosophies and associated metaparadigm concepts are used in contemporary settings as the framework informing nursing practice and as a point of reference for nursing practice (Cypress, 2015). This paper is focused on explaining my own philosophical beliefs about the concepts of the nursing metaparadigm and their interrelationship with each other as they guide my current nursing practice as a registered nurse in acute care settings.
Description of Factors Influencing the Development of Nursing Philosophy
My personal nursing philosophy is to show kindness and compassion to patients, and also to demonstrate professional accountability and dignity in seeking evidence-based solutions that aim to alleviate their suffering. The main factors influencing the development of this philosophical orientation include accountability (personal responsibility to persist to be competent in the nursing profession), compassion (demonstrating patience, dignity, kindness, and respect in caring for others irrespective of their culture or lifestyle), and professionalism (having a personal undertaking to perform my duties and responsibilities with the highest degree of professionalism).
Relationship between Nursing Philosophy and the Concepts of Nursing Metaparadigm
Available nursing scholarship demonstrates that the nursing metaparadigm is anchored on several key concepts, with the most important being the person/client, the environment, health, and nursing (Alimohammadi, Teleghani, Mohammadi, & Akbarian, 2014). In the concept of the person/client, I am deeply convinced that the patient and his or her family should be viewed as holistic entities that should not be isolated and/or abstracted from their material and social environments. In undertaking the holistic care of the patient, therefore, it is my belief that environmental factors should be considered in preserving and maintaining health. In the concept of the environment, I hold the perspective that the environment is essentially a social construct that can be successfully critiqued and reformulated to enhance the person’s care outcomes and influence how nursing professionals are able to identify the oppressive social structures that continue to inhibit the health and wellbeing of persons. In the concept of health, my attitudes and beliefs are informed by the simultaneity worldview that views health as a reflection of the whole person; that is, persons should be perceived as irreducible, unitary whole beings. Lastly, in the concept of nursing, I am personally convinced that nurses should be at the core of caring through the use of their personal attributes (e.g., compassion, dignity, kindness, and respect), professional skills, and available environmental resources to provide quality care to patients/clients.
Identification, Brief Description, and Explanation of Compatible Nursing Theory
The nursing theory that is most compatible with my personal nursing philosophy is Watson’s Theory of Human Caring. The core principles that guide this model can be briefly described as loving-kindness and inner harmony, authentic presence (enabling deep belief of other – patient, colleague, family, or community), cultivation of one’s own spiritual practice toward wholeness of mind and body, creation of a healing environment at all levels, and sincerity to the unanticipated and often inexplicable life events (Cypress, 2015). This theory, in my view, is compatible with my personal nursing philosophy as it underscores the concepts of kindness, compassion, dignity, and the need for nurses to acquire professional skills through multiple ways of knowing (Alimohammadi et al., 2014). Additionally, the model is successful in demonstrating how transpersonal caring relationships can be used to enhance patient care outcomes, hence alleviating their pain in line with my personal philosophy (Cypress, 2015).
Conclusion
This paper has explained my own philosophical beliefs about the concepts of the nursing metaparadigm and their interrelationship with each other as they guide my current nursing practice. Overall, it is clear that I can ground my personal nursing beliefs, feelings, and attitudes on Watson’s Theory of Human Caring to be able to provide quality nursing care as per the discussed concepts of nursing metaparadigm.
References
Alimohammadi, N., Teleghani, F., Mohammadi, E., & Akbarian, R. (2014). The nursing metaparadigm concept of human being in Islamic thought. Nursing Inquiry, 21, 121-129. Web.
Cypress, B.S. (2015). Theories guiding nursing research and practice: Making nursing knowledge development explicit. Nursing Philosophy, 16, 167-169. Web.
Petrovskaya, O. (2014). Philosophy of nursing: 5 Questions. Nursing Philosophy, 15, 298-303. Web.