Nursing philosophy By: Howard Derby My nursing philosophy originates from my years working as a professional nurse. This includes how I have grown intellectually through lifelong learning. This also includes general education and application of my values and beliefs. Having a stronger education background will help provide more intelligent answers to the many questions we get as nurses though, I appreciate the lifelong learning of experiencing life more than the educational setting. When I decided to become a nurse, I only focused on the 2-year associate’s degree and was able to obtain an RN position at Christiana hospital directly after graduation. When I took a position as a WIP IV nurse, I was required to obtain a BSN within 3 year. I know my BSN will be beneficial but my enrollment is not voluntary. The requirement that I obtain my BSN has become my professional goal because it is required in order for me to continue working as an IV nurse at Christiana hospital. Soon I will become a brand new dad and know that school and work will only be more difficult but ultimately, the BSN degree will provide intelligible insight into my profession and an inspiration to my son. General education courses impact my role as a nurse because I deal with the community and having a range of knowledge will help my professional career as being a more well-rounded care provider. A nursing theory that correlates to my personal nursing philosophy is Virginia Henderson's Need Theory because it is based on the patient’s road to recovery. The Need Theory emphasizes the importance of increasing the patient's independence so that progress after hospitalization is not delayed. There is also emphasis on the basic human needs of the patient and how nursing can assist in meeting those needs. Henderson’s major components of the Need Theory is categorized into 14 basic human needs that include: breathing normally, eating and drinking adequately, eliminating body wastes, maintaining desirable postures, sleep, suitable clothes, maintaining body temperature within normal range by adjusting clothing and modifying the environment, keeping the body clean and well groomed, avoid dangers in the environment, avoid injuring others, communicating with others in expressing emotions, needs, fears, or opinions, worship according to one's faith, Work in such a way that there is a sense of accomplishment, play or participate in various forms of recreation, and learn, discover, or satisfy the curiosity that leads to normal development and health and use the available health facilities. (Nursing Theories, 2016). This theory presents the patient as a sum of parts with biophysical needs rather than as a type of client or consumer. In 1955, Virginia Henderson first published her well-recognized definition of nursing as “assisting the individual (sick or well) in the performance of those activities contributing to health, or its recovery (or to a peaceful death) that he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will or knowledge. (Nelson, 2016). Implied in this definition, as well as many other definitions of nursing, is the idea that an educated professional nurse would be responsible for providing the care that a patient could not do for him or herself. The Need Theory relates to my personal nursing philosophy because I believe in nurses being a stepping stone towards a patient’s road to recovery and not just a caregiver when they are actively engaged in their medical emergency. As a nurse, I feel it is important to care for the patient in their time of need but also to make sure they are working towards their goal of healing and learning to avoid medical issues in the future. I work part-time at Encompass Health, which is a rehabilitative hospital. Their mission is to "provide advanced treatment and technologies that help patients reach their greatest potential outcomes." I want to promote a patient’s ability to function independently and learn from their medical situations. I agree with Henderson that nurses should do for others what they would do for themselves. I would rather treat my patients with the truth then act like they are consumers that just need to be told what they want to hear. I am a helpful nurse but also want them to help themselves. A wellness plan involves following a lifestyle that is strategically engineered to promote balance in your physical, mental and emotional health. This balance takes practice and a positive attitude. The busier a person becomes the more balance they will need to stay healthy. Being enrolled in higher education requires a balance of body and mind in order to achieve all around success. Being a nurse involves taking care of others which can be almost impossible to accomplish if you are unable to take care of yourself. Nurses need to assess their own physical and mental wellness and develop strategies to help maintain their personal wellness. This is especially important when a nurse is working and going to school. Developing a proper wellness plan involves a synergistic approach. Synergy is defined as working together, combining efforts with others to enhance an effect. (Van Bourgondien, 2018). All the elements must be combined to achieve optimal health and wellness. There are many dimensions to personal wellness, and each must be nurtured, developed, and maintained for optimal overall well-being. (Behrens, 2018). A huge part of my wellness plan is physical wellness which includes nutrition and physical fitness. In 2016, I underwent a sleeve gastrectomy procedure. Throughout my life I have been overweight and unable to control my eating habits. My problem is portion control and for that, this surgery was very successful. Unfortunately, the effects of the surgery have worn off so I must take what I have learned and apply it now that my stomach is no longer the size of an egg. I am back to being able to consume much more than I would like. Therefore, my main wellness goal is diet improvement. This wellness plan affects my role as a nurse since diet is a huge part of helping a patient heal. If I cannot take care of myself, how am I to tell a patient how to take care of themselves? My nursing theory is incorporated in my wellness plan because there is also a mental component. Having a good support system helps my mental wellness and perform as a nurse. My goal for mental wellness is to take care of myself, my family and my profession. I want to recognize where I need improvement and be able to work on those areas while keeping the easier areas afloat. Obviously, my biggest change will be my new baby boy coming in April. The support from others and helpful goals will help me achieve success in health and my role as a nurse. My identified personality type is Entrepreneur who tend to have enviable imaginations and invigorating sense of spontaneity. Entrepreneur personalities are easy-going, tolerant, and charming, making them naturally quite popular. Additionally, an Entrepreneur is usually the driver of the ambulance and who saves lives with their own two hands. (16personalities.com) I have a collaborating conflict style of management. I solve problems with an optimum result so both sides can get what they want and negative feelings are minimized. This creates trust and commitment but is time and energy consuming. This style of conflict management can become exhausting trying to please everyone. As a nurse this style includes stress, coddling, avoidance, and decrease productivity that could impact patient outcomes. As colleagues, Entrepreneurs have a work hard, play hard mentality – as long as everyone else is pulling their weight, they’ll gladly pull their own, and have a great time doing it. These qualities make it easy for Entrepreneur personalities to get along with just about anyone but can also cause conflict with other personalities that do not put forth maximum effort. When Entrepreneurs see a colleague as incompetent, or worse, lazy, they will let them know. When it comes to conflict, direct communication is the best strategy. How I manage conflict at work is by being rational and practical in communicating with patients and other nurses. Since Entrepreneurs make friends easily, they should be able to resolve conflict with most coworkers. My nursing theory welcomes an entrepreneur personality with a conflict resolution strategy so that everyone is happy but we are achieving the best outcome for the patient to continue treatment after. Safety is the most important aspect of being a nurse. The Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) project emphasizes patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence based practice, quality, improvement and informatics. These QSEN competencies guide my practice as a nurse. Patient centered care is demonstrated through respect, response, and clear communication, and always asking patients their preference for which they name wish to be called. (Walton & Barnsteiner, 2012). As a nurse, the patient is our center of care and their safety is our job. Through teamwork and collaboration we can achieve the highest safety for our patients. Using evidence based practice based on industry standards helps training and knowledge of safety precautions. When nurses compare outcomes together, they can achieve quality improvement and learn from mistakes. Informatics make it easier to apply technology to patient care. The more we know helps us to make a safer environment for our patients. Nurses are held to high standards within our community and are held accountable for their actions. Nurses are leaders and must have compassion. Nurses also must be understanding while maintaining professionalism that is necessary for each individual patient. My nursing philosophy is to treat others how you want to be treated. Being a nurse is being a leader and influence others to treat themselves so to live healthy lives. I lead others through my experiences and education. I strive to help patients help themselves. I am not afraid to question doctors and other nurses about their care and reasoning. Patients should know their medications and treatment goals instead of only listening to the doctors’ orders. As a nurse I encourage early interventions and education) for patients and practitioner’s. This can help to reduce patient’s hospitalizations, healthcare costs and risk of infections. Nurses are leaders by promoting healthy lifestyles and longevity. REFERENCES Younas Ahtisham, BScN, and Sommer Jacoline, RN, BScN. (2015) International Journal of Caring Sciences, May-August 2015 Volume 8 Issue 2 Page 443. Retrieved on January 22, 2019 from http://www.internationaljournalofcaringsciences.org/docs/23_ahtisham.pdf Petiprin, Alice. (2016) Virginia Henderson-Nursing Theorist. Nursing Theory. Retrieved on January 22, 2019 from http://www.nursing-theory.org/nursing-theorists/Virginia-Henderson.php Burggraf, V., (January 31, 2012) "Overview and Summary: The New Millennium: Evolving and Emerging Nursing Roles" OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Vol. 17, No. 2, Overview and Summary. Retrieved on January 22, 2019 from http://ojin.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Vol-17-2012/No2-May-2012/The-New-Millennium-Evolving-and-Emerging-Nursing-Roles.html Nelson, R., (September 13, 2016) "Informatics: Empowering ePatients to Drive Health Care Reform - Part I" OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Vol. 21, No. 3. Retrieved on January 22, 2019 from http://ojin.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/Columns/Informatics/Empowering-ePatients-to-Drive-Health-Care-Reform.html Behrens, Jake MD, WIKI How, (2018). Retrieved on January 31, 2019 from https://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Wellness-Plan Stibich, Mark, PhD, Very Well Mind, “SMART Goals for Lifestyle Changes” (December 25, 2018). Retrieved on January 31, 2019 from https://www.verywellmind.com/smart-goals-for-lifestyle-change-2224097 Van Bourgondien, Dolores, Synergistic Approach to Health and Wellness. (2018). PowerPoint can be found from https://www.slideshare.net/DoloresVanBourgondie/synergistic-approach-to-health-and-wellness Results from Personality styles taken from https://www.16personalities.com/estp-personality Sherwood, Gwen & Zomorodi, Meg, “A New Mindset for Quality and Safety: The QSEN Competencies Redefine Nurses’ Roles in Practice” Nephrology Nursing Journal (January – February 2014) Vol. 41 No. 1. |