1

Philosophy of Nursing Practice

Advanced Practice Nurses (APN) are members of the nursing profession and are
bound by the code of ethics of the profession. The code of ethics are developed by the
profession to articulate the expected conduct of nurses during the course of their practice. The
goal of the APN is to promote health, prevent illness, restore health, and alleviate suffering of
individuals, and society (Joel, 2014). As ethical leaders in healthcare APNs must have the
knowledge, skill, and influence to lead others, with shared goals, to change and positively
impact our healthcare system. Ethical leadership includes, active involvement in healthcare
policy, evidenced based research, and health promotion. The APN is responsible for,
implementation of evidenced based practice, protection of patient rights, transparency in
healthcare, and that these are valued principles, incorporated into our overall healthcare
environment.
The APN is a patient advocate, ensuring the patient and/or family has received
accurate and complete information concerning their healthcare, supporting informed decision
making. Assisting with advance directives is also a responsibility of the APN, providing
information concerning end-of-life care, and healthcare power-of-attorney, in a low-pressure
environment. Veracity and transparency in patient care is another ethical responsibility of the
APN, providing the patient with complete and accurate information concerning their health,
supports autonomy and informed decision making.
Social justice as defined in Joel (2014), no individual can be treated as an object or
the possession of another (p.142). As APNs, it is our ethical responsibility to advocate for
those who are less fortunate, the frail, the disabled, and the poor. Political activism is a vital
role of the APN, in forming healthcare policy that protects against discriminatory healthcare

practices and in promoting fairness, autonomy, and equal protection for all under the law.
The APN must be well educated in the healthcare needs of the underserved in society.
Understanding what is needed to ensure all people regardless of, ethnicity, religion, country of
origin, sexual orientation, or ability to pay, has a meaningful quality of life.
My philosophy of nursing practice includes the importance of a collaborative trusting
provider patient relationship. The relationship the provider has with his or her patient is the
basis for achieving spiritual, physical and emotional well-being. The APN understands the
need to treat the patient as a whole, and provide care that is patient centered, if we are to
achieve optimal wellness. Patient centered care establishes a partnership between the
provider, the patient and their families, one that respects the needs, wants and preferences of
the patient, and one that solicits the patients input on the education, treatment and the
support they need to make decisions and participate in their own care. The goal of the patient
provider relationship is to have mutual trust, respect, understanding, and support for each
other in order to achieve spiritual, physical and emotional well-being.
The purpose of my philosophy, achieving a collaborative trusting relationship that
supports the patient in receiving preventative health care, promoting wellness and integrating
holistic approaches, that moves the patient, families and society toward wellness. A positive
relationship is one in which the provider and the patient communicate openly, collaborate
freely, and can effectively support each other in a mutual understanding of the goals of care.
The structure of the provider patient relationship is one that has over-lapping common areas
with health in the middle and physical, spiritual and emotional surrounding health.

Reference
Joel, J. P. (2014). Nursing ethics and professional responsibilities in advanced practice.
Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.