Introduction
All professionals have a certain philosophy that shapes their actions and the way they make decisions. In the nursing practice, having a philosophy is very important as it helps nurses to remain committed to the profession and motivated to try hard to achieve their professional goals (Masters, 2014). This paper includes a short description of my philosophy of nursing and its theoretical foundation.
Factors Affecting the Development of Personal Philosophy
Prior to considering particular aspects of my philosophy, it is necessary to mention some factors that have an impact on its development. One of the most potent factors affecting the development of the personal theory of nursing is the nurse’s character and background. People tend to develop their own codes of conduct based on their upbringing, character, education, experiences, and so on. Work experience also plays a significant role in the development of the personal theory of nursing.
Personal Ideas Concerning the Concepts
The four nursing meta paradigms are nursing, environment, person, and health (Branch, Deak, Hiner, & Holzwart, 2016). I firmly believe that the person, as one of the concepts of the nursing meta paradigms, should be regarded as a personality who has certain health and other needs (deeply rooted in the cultural and socio-economic background) including but not confined to comforting, guiding, mentoring.
Therefore, it is necessary to develop a unique approach to address a set of needs of every patient. As for the concept of environment, it involves the clinical setting, the relationship with healthcare professionals, some social, political, cultural, and other factors that influence the healing process. As for me, health is a complex concept that embodies such elements as the physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual well-being of the person.
Finally, I think that nursing is the umbrella concept, so-to-speak, as it is closely related to all the concepts mentioned above. Nursing is the process of guiding patients throughout their clinical experience and beyond. Nursing includes the provision of care that involves some clinical procedures, psychological support, training, mentoring, and the development of proper relationships.
Nursing Theory
The theory of modeling and role modeling is the theoretical framework that is most compatible with my personal nursing history. The theoretical paradigm mentioned above concentrates on the relationships between the nurse and the patient (Erickson, 2015). According to this theory, such relationships have a critical impact on the healing process. It is stressed that patients’ physical, psychological, and emotional well-being is equally important. It is also emphasized that nurses can gain the necessary knowledge and skills through formal education, clinical experience, and evidence-based research. At that, the personal characteristics of a nurse should also be taken into account.
Explanation Demonstrating Compatibility
The theory described above is compatible with my philosophy due to the similarity of major concepts. For instance, the core of nursing, as seen by researchers, is the relationship between the nurse and the patient (Erickson, 2015). I also think that the nurse’s attitude and the ability to meet patients’ needs and expectations are crucial for the healing process. Patients often need support and empathy, as well as professionalism, and the nurse should be able to address this need.
Furthermore, I also believe that nurses can learn how to meet the needs mentioned above although some personality traits can affect this process. For instance, some nurses can find it easier to develop proper relationships with the patient due to their extensive clinical experience and such characteristic features as open-mindedness, commitment, empathy, and so on. The theory of modeling and role modeling also pays much attention to patients’ needs and the relationship between the nurse and the patient as a way to meet them. At that, I feel that there is a certain gap in this theoretical paradigm as it pays little attention to the ethical element.
I think the theory could be enhanced by the inclusion of such concepts as the virtue since nurses could use the paradigm to make decisions (Bliss, Baltzly, Bull, Dalton, & Jones, 2017). I think virtue should be integral in the nursing practice, but many nursing professionals do not pay much attention to ethics unless the decision can lead to some legal issues. I hope that ethics and virtue will become an indispensable part of nursing theories.
Summary and Conclusions
This paper provides a brief overview of my philosophy of nursing. The theory of modeling and role modeling is also considered as it is compatible with my vision of nursing. I believe that the major provisions of this theory concerning the role of the relationships between the nurse and the patient are the most important. I think that nursing professionals should guide patients and become their mentors who enable and empower them to take complete control of their health during their stay at a hospital and beyond.
At that, I also feel that ethics and morality are often ignored as the emphasis is on particular health outcomes and evidence-based approach. Nevertheless, acting ethically is essential as it can help nurses make correct decisions and meet patients’ needs and expectations.
References
Bliss, S., Baltzly, D., Bull, R., Dalton, L., & Jones, J. (2017). A role for virtue in unifying the ‘knowledge’ and ‘caring’ discourses in nursing theory. Nursing Inquiry, 2-8.
Branch, C., Deak, H., Hiner, C., & Holzwart, T. (2016). Four nursing metaparadigms. Indiana University South Bend Undergraduate Research Journal, XVI, 121-131.
Erickson, H. L. (2015). Helen Erickson, Evekyn Tomlin, and Mary Ann Swain’s theory of modeling and role modeling. In M. C. Smith & M. E. Parker (Eds.), Nursing theories and nursing practice (pp. 185-207). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis.
Masters, K. (2014). Nursing theories: A framework for professional practice. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.