Professional Philosophy of Nursing, Essay Example

Components of Professional Nursing

My own professional philosophy of nursing is very much influenced by the course discussions and readings, as well as by the research I have conducted on my own.  All of this has given me a broadened perspective on the range of components in nursing today, and a necessary appreciation of relevant issues demanding our attention.  To begin with, the modern nurse confronts challenges that, ironically, arise from the increased awareness of the importance of the profession.  As nursing has evolved to become far more respected than it was in the past, and rightly so, the nurse is expected to act in ways combining consistent caring with a comprehensive base of knowledge.  These twin components, complex in themselves, are equally crucial to the work, and the modern emphasis on active care is considered a requirement.  In plain terms,the nurse today who does not express authentic care and respect for the patient’s being and dignity violates the ethical code of the American Nurses Association (Milton, 2003, p. 301). Similarly, the most intense levels of caring are less than meaningful if the nurse is not skilled in the technical elements of the calling, and enabled to put learning into practice.

It is as well important to understand that these components create issues beyond the demands themselves.  For example, as expectations of performance and commitment are high, nurses today are faced by increasing challenges in regard to time, resources, and life responsibilities apart from the calling (Cherry, Jacob, 2013, p. 49).  The nature of the work, taken on with dedication, easily generates stress as the nurse seeks to balance the calling with personal concerns.  Essentially, nursing is a profession unlike any other, in that its components are both many and of the utmost importance, and the nurse must then be committed to it with all of their being.

Comprehensive Statement

Regarding my philosophy, I increasingly find that it evolves based on how experience supports various elements of various theories.  More exactly, I find that, as each situation in nursing is unique, different circumstances demand different focuses.  It is as well interesting to me that my own philosophy as emerging reflects the same quality in nursing theory as it has been expanded in the past two centuries. Gadow, for example, defines a critical point, and one essentially first represented by the pioneering work of Nightingale, in that no one in health care is better positioned than the nurse to understand the patient as a unique and complex human being (de Chesnay, Anderson, 2008, p. 32).  Multiple theories then come into play in the practice, as each provides differing types of emphasis and value.

The above notwithstanding, however, I have come to realize that Jean Watson’s Caring Theory best reflects my own convictions, and more conforms to the principles I believe to be fundamental to nursing.  Both my education and experience reinforce the Theory’s basic ethics, in that the true nurse is primarily concerned with addressing the patient with authentic interest, concern, and empathy.  It is a profoundly visceral commitment and I feel it goes to how nursing truly is more of a calling than a profession.

Importantly, also, Watson’s Theory does not emphasize or even suggest self-sacrifice on the nurse’s part; instead, the carative factors expressed by the nurse go to an actual fulfillment of the nurse’s being, even as they enhance the transpersonal relationship so critical to the patient’s well-being (Smith, 2012, p. 433).  In exercising the care itself, the nurse benefits as does the patient, and nothing more exactly expresses my core beliefs regarding my work.

Summary, Past, Present, and Future

When I reflect on my early ideas about nursing, I confess that, like many others, I entertained idealistic thinking as to the realities of the calling. I believed that my strong level of caring and commitment would, in a sense, enable me to deal with any difficulty.  With experience, I have come to understand that nursing is never that simple, and the nurse must always apply focus, thought, and genuine caring as each situation requires individual response.  Patients, peers, family members, and physicians inevitably alter each instance of care, and I learned that accepting and addressing this reality is crucial to good nursing. At the same time, however, this idealism remains valuable to me today because it affirms Watson’s thinking and the carative practices she has made standard in the field.  I have also found that caring and empathy actually enable pragmatic and necessary advantages: “Caring behaviors such as intentional presence, listening, and developing empathy with patients had led to focused advocacy for patient health and safety” (Pipe, 2007, p. 237).  As my career progresses, in fact, I note that my confidence increases, and this in turn goes to a greater promotion of advocacy.

Ultimately, my goal in nursing is one I am working toward in the present.  That is, by continuing to expand my knowledge base, maintain efforts to learn as health care policies and practices evolve, and actively demonstrate caring for patients, I hope to be seen as a mentor for other nurses, and motivate them through my example and leadership to perceive the immense value in caring.  As nursing fulfills my own being, and despite challenges and obstacles inevitable in such important work, I believe that my dedication and satisfaction in the work will inspire others, just as I hope to actively train nurses and offer them the benefits of my own experience.

References

Cherry, B., & Jacob, S. R. (2013).  Contemporary Nursing: Issues, Trends, & Management, 6^th Ed.  New York: Elsevier Health Services.

De Chesnay, M.,  & Anderson, B. A. (2008).  Caring for the Vulnerable: Perspectives in Nursing Theory, Practice, and Research, 2^{nd Ed.}. Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Milton, C. L. (2003). The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics: A reflection on the ethics of respect and human dignity with nurse as expert. Nursing Science Quarterly, 16(4), 301-304.

Pipe, T. B. (2007). Optimizing Nursing Care by Integrating Theory?Driven Evidence?Based Practice. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 22(3), 234-238.

Smith, M. (2012).  Caring in Nursing Classics: An Essential Resource. New York: Springer.