Running Head: PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 1

Philosophy of Nursing

Morgan Tyner

Synthesis for Nursing Practice - NUR 4140

Dr. Christine Turner

Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing

“I Pledge…”
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Philosophy of Nursing

In this paper I aim to discuss my nursing philosophy and how it has changed over the

course of the program. I will also discuss how I will incorporate my philosophy into my practice.

This paper will follow the guidelines and the rubric outlined in Blackboard. I hope through

writing this paper I gain more insight into my own practice and values. I also hope that I can

properly articulate what I plan to bring with me into my practice as a new graduate of nursing.

Definition of Nursing

The Oxford University Press (n.d.) defines nursing as: “The profession or practice of

providing care for the sick and infirm.” I think that this definition is accurate but not thorough

enough. I believe that nursing is lifelong dedication to caring, supporting wellness, and health

promotion of individuals, families, communities, and society as a whole. Nurses also provide

health teaching to individuals, their families, and within the community they live and work to

promote health and good outcomes.

Nursing is a service that includes promoting the health of a population by caring,

teaching, healing, treating, listening, and acting with benevolence. By practicing as a health care

worker, one has a duty to act with nonmaleficence and uphold the dignity and autonomy of the

patient. Caring and healing are not only for treating the disease process but also for treating the

whole person.

I feel that nursing is a career path that instills a sense of compassion to treat every person

as an individual. Nursing also promotes lifelong learning and the commitment to be up-to-date

on evidence-based research to provide safe and quality care to patients. Nursing is forever

growing and changing, which means me, as a future qualified and practicing nurse, will always

be growing and changing as well.

I have heard from many people that nursing is an art and science, and I truly believe this.

In school, I have learned the science behind diseases, their processes and presentations. To my

patients, I must be able to educate my patients on their conditions and their health through the art

of communication. I believe this is how nursing combines science with art. Now in my career, I

mostly focus on the science of nursing and to improve my skills. As I continue to progress in my

career, I hope to develop my own individual nursing art.

I also believe that nursing is a kind of dance. I must learn the steps before I begin to put

my own creative flair into it. It takes skill to adapt to different situations and circumstances. I

have to remain fluid and bendable to be able to provide safe and quality care to my patients, and

to be able to change plans at any moment.

Personal Philosophy

In my first nursing philosophy paper, I mainly discussed other nursing philosophies and

how I could incorporate them into my own practice. Now, as a graduating senior, I have been

able to build upon those philosophies. The education and experiences that I have had during the

program has helped me establish a foundation to properly formulate my own individual nursing

philosophy. As I progress in my career, I plan to refine my personal philosophy.

As a nurse, I believe that it is my duty and moral obligation to treat others with kindness,

dignity, and respect, no matter the circumstance. I am deeply committed in maintaining patient

autonomy, dignity, and upholding justice. It is my responsibility to advocate for my patients so

that they receive the care they need and deserve. It’s also essential to be a patient advocate to

protect patients from harm.

In my practice, I look at the entire person, not just their symptoms or conditions. Through

remaining non-judgmental, I can maintain my efforts to heal and treat. Throughout the program I
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have been taught to treat each person holistically. I strongly believe in Jean Watson’s “Theory of

Human Caring.” This theory has shaped how I provide care to my patients. “The 10 Carative

Factors” is an essential template for giving holistic, compassionate nursing care. I agree with

Watson that the duty of nurses is to “cultivate the patient’s mind, body and spirit” (Watson

Caring Science Institute, 2010, p. 1)

Values and Beliefs

The values and beliefs that I came into nursing school with have not changed, but I have

developed them more fully into my practice since entering the program. I have always believed

that it’s my life’s mission to help and protect the sick, the old, the dying, and the poor. Since

starting my educational journey at Bon Secours, I have been encouraged to do this. My education

and clinical experience have helped me to incorporate my values and beliefs into my practice.

I believe that life should be spent reducing suffering as much as possible. I also believe

that everyone should contribute to the greater good. I believe that in my practice, I am able to

work within my values and beliefs by reducing suffering and contributing to the greater good. By

contributing to the greater good, it will increase the happiness and overall wellness of a

population. And by reducing suffering through nursing interventions, this increases the quality of

life for others.

Nurse Patient Encounter

In my immersion, I have been able to bring my philosophy, beliefs, and values into my

practice. I have been able to act as a patient advocate for my patients, as well as a community

resource. During my schooling at Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing, I have been

involved with the Alternative Spring Break Program. This program provides students with

outreach opportunities to work and volunteer directly within the communities of Richmond, VA.
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The services we provided to the community directly impacted local, non-profit organizations and

the populations they serve.

Through this experience, I learned about many outreach organizations that have close

relationships and partnerships with Bon Secours. During my immersion at Richmond

Community Hospital in the emergency room, I have been able to refer patients to these outreach

services and to promote health within the community by providing resources to those in need.

One patient experience in particular that I will never forget has helped shape the care I will

provide to all of my patients. A gentleman came into the emergency room in a hypertensive

crisis. He stated that he had just been released from prison after serving nine years. He had been

medicated for hypertension, but the diet he was provided in prison was not the healthiest. He also

did not get the best medical care in prison and had remained hypertensive throughout his

incarceration. After being released, he was not able to afford or get the medications he was on in

prison.

After getting his hypertension in a safer range, I made time to sit down with him to

discuss his future health goals and a plan for his health care. Along with my preceptor, we

searched for local resources for him and was able to get the doctor to prescribe low cost blood

pressure medication. We both found him free dental care through VCU, provided him

information for applying for Medicaid, referred him to many free or low-income health care

services, and found him a nearby clinic which provides cardiology services at no cost. I also

referred him to a local non-profit I worked with during Alternative Spring Break in Highland

Park, called Boaz & Ruth, which provides temporary shelter, job training, and transitional jobs to

individuals recently released from prison.

I believe that it is our duty as nurses not to judge our patients or their family. It is our job

and duty to provide non-judgmental and holistic care to our patients. I believe that in other

hospital systems this encounter may not have happened, but through my experiences and

education with Bon Secours, this is greatly encouraged. I feel that I have been educated and

trained to treat humans compassionately and to treat them holistically.

Change Agent

In NUR 4140 Synthesis for Nursing Practice, I have been able to put my nursing

education together with evidence based and peer reviewed research to work on a quality

improvement project. Within my clinical group, we have been able to identify an issue within the

Care-A-Van. We have found that there is room for improvement in the Care-A-Van’s education

flowsheet in the patient’s EMR and the education materials should be updated.

Throughout this semester we have worked together to form a plan to update the education

flowsheet. This way, it would be easier to educate and easier to track someone’s progress

through the education. It also allows the patient to take control of their health, as well as provide

a guide on how they can achieve better health. We also found that the hypertension education

materials are not at the appropriate reading levels and do not include a diet plan that the

population would follow.

We have found a solution to update the EMR flowsheets, as well as the education

materials. We believe that this change could empower patients to be successful, increase the

level of compliance, increase health outcomes, and lower overall blood pressures of the

population served by the Care-A-Van. By finding a problem and a solution, we are acting as

agents of change within our practice. What I have learned in NUR 4140 has taught me that I am
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able to act as an agent of change my practice to improve patient outcomes through research and

working with other members of the health care team, or the organization I work for.

Benner’s Theory

According to Dr. Benner's “Stages of Clinical Competence,” a nurse’s career advances in

stages through practice and education (1982). I believe that this model, which aligns parallel to

the nursing clinical ladder, also follows the nursing student progression. According to Benner’s

theory, right now I am at the novice level of competency, since I am currently a student in

nursing school. However, when I am a new graduate of nursing, in my first year of practice, I

will be at “Level II - Advanced Beginner” (Benner, 1982, p. 403). As I progress, I will advance

in the nursing clinical ladder as well as progress into a different level on the Clinical Competence

model (Benner, 1982).

Action Plan for Moving Forward

Like as I mentioned earlier in this paper, I plan to advance in my career through

experience, involvement, and further education. One day, I hope to work as a community health

nurse in Richmond, Va. By gaining clinical experience and staying active in my education, I

hope to one day participate in research and health initiatives to improve patient populations

within Richmond’s inner cities. I hope to climb the clinical ladder, as well as be an agent of

change within the organization that I work for. I strive to live within my own values and beliefs

so that I feel more aligned with the person I want to be.

If I follow Benner’s Model, after two or three years I will be at a “Level III - Competent”

(Benner, 1982, p. 404-405). According to Benner’s Theory, this level is when I will be able to

more fully develop my future goals into a concrete plan. I will also be at a point where it is

pivotal to keep bettering my practice and to continue my life-long dedication to attain the
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“Expert” level nurse. Since starting my nursing journey as a certified nurse’s aide, I have wanted

to become the best nurse. I hope that through my education and dedication to this profession I

help better the community I live in, while simultaneously bettering myself.

References

Benner, P. (1982). From novice to expert. The American Journal of Nursing, 82(3), pp. 402-407.

Retrived from:

https://www.medicalcenter.virginia.edu/therapy-services/3%20-%20Benner%20-%20No

vice%20to%20Expert-1.pdf

Nursing [Def. 1]. (n.d.). Oxford University Press. Retrieved from:

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/nursing.

Watson, J. (n.d.). Caring science theory. Retrieved from

https://www.watsoncaringscience.org/jean-bio/caring-science-theory/