NURSING PHILOSOPHY AND

PROFESSIONAL GOALS
STATEMENT
2019
Running head: NURSING PHILOSOPHY AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS STATEMENT 2

Nursing Philosophy and Professional Goals Statement

Harmony Sobrepena

Grand Canyon University: NSG-310

April 22, 2019

NURSING PHILOSOPHY AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS STATEMENT 2

Introduction

Nursing is more than a job, a list of tasks, and a means of maintaining financial stability.

Being a nurse is an incomparably meaningful opportunity to utilize knowledge, skill, and

compassion to administer individualized and holistic care to others. In this career, you are a

leader, a student, an advocate, a mentor, an educator and to many, you are a hero. This field,

however, is rigorous. It involves selflessness and often choosing others before yourself, and

always striving for excellence in every manner. I chose this field to challenge myself, knowing

the road ahead of me, but more importantly, I chose nursing with the intention of utilizing the

knowledge I would gain, the skills I would practice, and the care I would administer as an act of

ministry. This paper will describe my personal approach and philosophy of nursing, the impact

of clinical experiences on my future career, and the goals I have set for myself as a professional

nurse.

Personal Approach and Philosophy

My intention with my career as a nurse is to provide individualized, client-centered care

by establishing a trusting relationship with each patient. My personal approach was inspired by

Jean Watson, a nurse theorist who developed the Theory of Human Caring. This theory focuses

on holistic care and the authentic relationship between caregivers and patients (Lukose, 2011). I

value the ideology of this theory because it leads to a level of service that is purposeful,

compassion-filled, and therapeutic. I desire to use my career as a platform to demonstrate the

loving kindness and care that I have been shown as a follower of Christ. Without my relationship

with Jesus, I would not have been able to experience the abundant amount of blessings that I

have been given throughout my life. In the same light, without developing a relationship with my

patients, I would not be able to administer holistic, individualized care to each person.
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Impact of Clinical Experiences

My clinical experiences have helped me realize the need for relationships between a

nurse and their patients. This semester, I had the opportunity to complete my clinical hours at a

facility named Sierra Winds. I was able to practice many of the skills I have learned throughout

my Level 1 classes by shadowing and working with my clinical instructor and one of the nurses

at the facility. The importance of establishing a relationship with patients was shown through a

specific encounter I had with one of the residents at the facility when I was assigned to do a

glucose monitoring check. Upon entry, introduction, and the purpose of my visit, this older

gentleman had shown several nonverbal cues of disinterest with me. While he was not rude or

uncooperative with the task, he showed carelessness even as I asked about his day and sleep

from the night previous. It was not until I noticed he had a beautiful portrait of him and his

family hanging on the wall that there was a shift in his interest and mood. We proceeded to talk

about his family, religion, culture and life in his younger years through a conversation that lasted

about 30 minutes. Through active listening and therapeutic communication, I was able to

establish a trusting relationship with this older gentleman. Later in the day, he allowed me to

perform a head-to-toe assessment on him, which was a very difficult task to do considering many

of the patients did not want students working with them. Not only did this relationship open the

door for a practical learning opportunity, but I was also able to understand his spirituality,

cultural preferences and personal daily goals so that I could help him achieve them throughout

my time at the facility. This encounter taught me that building relationships by demonstrating

care for others allows for opportunities of growth as the nurse, and more intentional, holistic care

received by the patient. My knowledge of nursing care has grown not only through the
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knowledge of skills, but also through qualia as I implemented them during my clinical

experience.

Goals for Professional Nursing

It is crucial to set goals whenever dedicating your time to any one task or challenge. My

nursing goals are specific to my nursing philosophy and personal approach to this field. One of

them include constantly evaluating myself introspectively and staying consistent with my own

self-awareness. This is important to me because in order for me to understand the beliefs and

practices of others, I must first be able to recognize my own. Another goal for myself is to

understand my role as a nurse. Nurses play many roles and it is important to be receptive to each

role as you progress in your career. For example, while nurses are educators and leaders, and are

expected to have a certain level of knowledge that is intended to preserve life, they are also

advocates and it is important to understand that there are situations where nurses will have to be

a voice for their patient in making important decisions such as signing a DNR sheet. Another

goal is to have the necessary knowledge to facilitate the healing process of a patient that is in

need. This goal is crucial considering that there are times where the only thing that can keep a

person from losing their life is their nurse. While it is an incredible opportunity to save a life, it

comes with a tremendous responsibility. Another goal I have set for myself is to incorporate my

spirituality and religion into my practice. I believe that God has granted me the opportunity to go

to school, gain new information, and practice it. Because of this, I intend to use my career as an

opportunity of service unto His kingdom. Furthermore, incorporating spirituality into healthcare

promotes a better quality of life to lower the risk of burnout or strain (Sinha, 2014). The last goal

I have for myself is to learn how to balance various responsibilities in my life to prevent role

strain as a future nurse. Role strain is a common issue that is experienced when conflict occurs
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between two or more different roles (Edwards, 2002). Being a student in nursing school, an

employee, and an active member of leadership within my church has put a great amount of stress

into my life. My desire is to learn new ways to balance my time to promote better health for

myself. This will not only help me succeed in each responsibility, but I will be more readily

prepared for my future career where I will need to know how to manage my time effectively.

Conclusion

My cumulative experiences in school and clinical setting has solidified my desire to

pursue a career in the nursing field. The insight that I have gained has been instrumental in my

decision to view my future career as more than a job, but a platform in which I can use my

knowledge to serve others. I intend to do this through the development of caring relationships

and intentional actions to promote better health and a greater quality of life among my patients.

As I advance in my nursing program, I desire to reach specific goals that will ultimately help me

be a better nurse, leader, and professional in my career.

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References

A. B. Edwards, S. H. Zarit, M. A. P. Stephens & A. Townsend (2002) Employed family caregivers of

cognitively impaired elderly: An examination of role strain and depressive symptoms, Aging &

Mental Health, 6:1, 55-61, DOI: 10.1080/13607860120101149

Lukose, A. (2011). Developing a Practice Model for Watson’s Theory of Caring. Nursing Science

Quarterly, 24(1), 27–30. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894318410389073

Sinha, A. K., & Kumar, S. (2014). Integrating spirituality into patient care: an essential element of

modern healthcare system. Indian heart journal, 66(3), 395-6.