Running head: PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 1

Personal Philosophy of Nursing

Samantha V. Aitchison

Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing

NUR 4140: Synthesis for Nursing Practice

Marcella Williams, DNP, RN, CNE, CMSRN

October 31, 2020

I pledge.
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 2

Definition of Nursing

To define nursing is not a simple task. Nursing encompasses so many aspects of care and

compassion, one has to be truly selfless to step into this life choice. I do not think it is fair to call

it a career because it is so much bigger. Life choice seems a more appropriate title. Once you

become a nurse, you are a nurse everywhere you go. I cannot say that I can give it one clear

definition, but two words that come to mind are serving and selflessness. Nursing is a calling and

as nurses we are called to serve. Nursing is serving the physical, mental, and emotional needs of

another human being. This applies to a patient, friend or family member. If a person has a need

in any of these areas, a nurse can serve and address that need. A nurse can give medicine or

recommend exercises to alleviate pain for physical ailments. Mental needs can be addressed by

an RN by encouraging dialogue with the affected individual and recommending resources that

can further assist their needs. Emotional needs are addressed because nurses are constantly in the

practice of being present and utilizing the skill of therapeutic listening.

The health needs of my community are important, and I seek to serve those needs through direct

patient care and providing education in and out of an acute setting. Nursing is not only caring for

patients after they become ill, but we can serve in the nursing role through education. As an RN,

I have the knowledge to provide education about medications, treatments, and preventative

options for maintaining health. I think it is essential to share knowledge for the betterment of

another and to build a positive connection between the general public and medicine. Holistic care

is the essence of nursing because we have to serve the whole being in order to make them whole.

As we serve each patient, one at a time, we continue to make changes that have lasting effects

within the community. As we serve and educate the community, we make positive impacts that

have lasting changes that can have a ripple effect that can touch lives that we cannot see.
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 3

Personal Philosophy

A personal philosophy is not something I thought about when applying for nursing school. I

thought that I would come here to learn to do some interesting things with the human anatomy,

learn about medications, and meet some other excited students and that was all. The idea of

having a personal philosophy was introduced in my freshman year and it was an abstract concept

to me. I now understand that a personal philosophy is essentially the internal compass by which I

will steer my nursing practice. It is important to understand who you are morally and what values

are important to you and how that can and will affect your interactions with each patient and

other members of the medical team. My personal philosophy is reflected constantly in my

nursing practice. First and foremost, I believe having a relationship with my patient(s) is of the

utmost importance. When I speak of relationship, I am referring to a connection. No matter how

small a connection, it is important that I be able to create dialogue or an interaction (with non-

verbal patients) to find that link that will allow the patient to see me as the individual who is

working on their behalf. I want them to know, believe, and understand that I am working for their

best interest.

It can be very difficult to provide care for a patient who does not trust you or that is

uncomfortable with your presence. I promote these types of positive interactions and

relationships with the use of humor, therapeutic listening, and allowing the patient to be involved

in their care. By ‘being involved’ I am referring to educating them on their medications,

respecting their wishes if they decline an aspect of treatment, and being their advocate. If a

patient is concerned about a medication or treatment decision, it is my responsibility to take that

up with the hospitalist or specialist. Promoting autonomy is also an important nursing skill.
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 4

It is important that my patient knows that I respect their wishes and ideas and that I see them as

an individual. Every patient should be treated with dignity and respect. I also believe regular

rounding with my patients allows them to know that I am there for them and am doing my best to

support them in any way that I can. Making my presence known is important in allowing my

patients who may be scared or worried, that they are not alone.

My relationships with colleagues are just as important because we all work together in the

recovery and treatment of each patient. My philosophy with my colleagues includes being

honest, courteous, considerate, and confident in my dialogue with other nurses and other medical

team members. These guidelines for my professional relationships will foster integrity and an

ethical collaboration which is important when lives are involved. I also have these standards for

how I expect interactions with me to be conducted so everyone can maintain professionalism and

respect across the board.

Values and Beliefs

My values and beliefs at the beginning of my nursing education have not had a major change by

this point. I still believe that the patient is the priority and should receive the best care that my

education, experience, and knowledge can provide. I will provide this care despite my patient’s

race, gender, sexual orientation, and religion. I still value the life of each and every patient that is

under my care. I also will not carry out treatment with any biases towards a patient’s diagnosis,

personal and/or medical history. I have no right to pass judgement on anyone and doing so can

result in ineffective care. I place the highest value on being a good steward, walking in integrity,

and always conveying compassion. I also still believe in practicing in a manner that respects each

human life individually and showing them respect.

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 5

Every human being is precious and important. I will continue to strive to make certain each and

every patient is aware of this while they are under my care.

Education is still very important to me. Professional education for myself as an RN to advance

and maintain my knowledge in medicine and also, patient education is very important. A large

part of nursing is providing education to our patients. We teach them about medications,

procedures, and how to care for themselves. As a registered nurse, it is important that I do not

lose sight of this aspect of my role because a patient’s life may be at stake if they are not

correctly educated. So, although I would not say that my values and beliefs have changed, they

have definitely been reinforced through my patient interactions during my six semesters

attending Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing.

Nurse Patient Encounter

An encounter with a patient that comes to mind occurred during my immersion experience. This

patient comes to mind because this patient has been in the hospital since September and on my

unit for about four weeks. I cannot say that there was one specific moment that I could speak to

in our interactions, but we were able to foster a nice relationship from our numerous times

together. I cared for this patient while they were undergoing a long course of treatment

recovering from sepsis. I made sure my patient was bathed and clean which was important

because their skin was extremely dry as a result of one of their comorbidities. I made sure their

favorite lotion was close by for use. I made certain the room was always a certain temperature

and that they had the extra blankets that they liked in order to be warm. I maintained dignity in

honoring the patient’s wishes in keeping the door closed whenever I exited the room. My patient

shared stories about their family and friends and I shared with them about my education journey

when asked.
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 6

I would cheer them on in the hallways when I saw them with PT getting stronger one step at a

time. They had come a long way but still had a long way to go and I know encouragement can do

wonders. Of course, it is always good to have a patient leave because that means they are getting

better, but it was bitter-sweet to say my goodbyes. By the time I return next week, that room will

be occupied by someone else, but it was sweet to have them say to me, “you’re going to be a

great nurse.” With that, I know that I am headed in the right direction. As I stated earlier,

encouragement is important when one still has a long way to go.

Role as a Change Agent

My role as a change agent has been made clearer through my practicum experience. I have been

able to see the daily responsibilities of the nurse during a 12-hour shift. As I have progressed

through these practicum hours, I have come to see how all of the tasks play a role in the global

care of the patient. Vital signs can affect medication administration. Hospitalists have to be

contacted when there is a change in the patient’s condition. Treatments may get delayed because

of unforeseen circumstances. Changes have to be made and all of this has to be discussed with

the patient in a way that they can understand. I now understand how important the role of the

nurse is because they are the ones that are constantly observing the patients and making

assessments during the day which may reflect a change that can cause a ripple effect in the

current treatment plan. I see how huge a task this is on a daily basis, but I am thankful that I have

had the opportunity to experience this skill. I know it will still take more time to build my critical

thinking skills, but I know that it is important in being a great nurse. I now understand the power

of the role of the nurse and my role as an agent of change. I have the ability to change the course

of treatment with my observations and knowledge. I also have to power to implement change

within my unit if I see a problem that needs to be addressed.

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 7

I am currently learning this in my Synthesis course as we work on a group project where we are

addressing a problem and proposing a solution for an area of lack in a specific hospital. I am

learning the steps and avenues to traverse with a change involving policy, but I am seeing that it

is possible as an RN to make that happen. It is important to know that as one who is on the floor

taking care of patients every day, I can apply my medical experience to make a change to benefit

my colleagues on a larger scale. This has been an enlightening semester.

Brenner’s Theory

Patricia Brenner’s Novice to Expert theory is based on the model of skill acquisition as

developed by Stuart and Hubert Dreyfus. Patricia proposes that nurses go through five stages of

development during their nursing careers: novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and

expert. Upon consideration of these stages, I believe I am currently operating in the stage of

advanced beginner. I identify with this stage because I have had over two hundred hours in

immersion and many others in clinical practicum interacting and caring for patients. Immersion

has been the experience where I have been pushed out of my comfort zone and building my

skills of critical thinking and knowledge application. I am nearing the end of my immersion

experience and I have noted that my preceptor follows me a bit less into the rooms and trusts me

more with some aspects of medication administration. She is never far away though for when I

need her because I still have questions, but I do have a bit more confidence than when I began. I

know I still have a wealth of information to learn but I am thankful for the experience that I have

gained and will take with my when I begin my career.

Action Plan Moving Forward

My plan to attain the next skill acquisition stage of competent includes multiple steps.
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 8

It is necessary that I become part of an RN internship program. In this program, I would be

connected with a preceptor that would guide me through the process of rules on the unit,

understanding the unit’s patient population, and providing an example if nursing that I could

learn some helpful techniques that I can implement into my nursing career. I also believe that

becoming a member of a professional nurse organization will benefit me moving forward

because I would have access to educational opportunities and professional support from other

nurses that have been in my shoes to offer advice and encouragement. I have come to learn that I

cannot be of benefit to any patient if I do not take care of myself so, I plan to schedule weekly

appointments for self-care so that I am not neglected. I will make a list of things that bring me

joy and make me feel rejuvenated that I will use for these appointments. It is not always easy to

find time for oneself but if I put it on the calendar, I believe I would be more likely to stick to it.

A long-term goal that I would look into for professional development is applying for

certifications related to my field of nursing. This would add to my education, increase

professional connections, and propel me to the next level of skill acquisition.

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 9