My Personal Teaching Philosophy

The teaching role is one of the seven nursing roles identified by Hildegard Peplau in the theory
of interpersonal relations (Nursing Theory, 2012). Teaching and learning are an integral part of
the nursing profession and it is a lifelong process. Teaching and learning are not just about
nursing education but also about patients education. In fact it can be argued that most of the
patients education is provided by the nurses. As a teacher my goal will be to communicate
effectively with my students and listeners and facilitate their understanding of the material or
topic. I prefer hands on approach where the learners participation is encouraged instead of a
didactic approach where the teacher lectures and the learners listen. I will also encourage group
learning during the learning process as this will build team spirit which is crucial in nursing
practice.
Nurses teach in a variety of environment including the bedsides, classrooms, clinics, and
community gatherings or online via the internet. My teaching/learning style will be determined
by the learning environment and the audience. There are different educational theories that
could be applied to my teaching philosophy including, behavioral theory by Pavlov, where
repetitions, positive and negative reinforcements were used in the teaching process; the cognitive
theory where the emphasis is on transmission of knowledge from an expert to the learner and
Humanist learning theory with assumption that each individual is unique and has a desire to
grow in a positive way (Billings, 2012). Although one theory may not reflect everyones view
of nursing practice and multiple theories and teaching philosophies may have to be employed,
particularly when teaching a mixed audience; I prefer the humanist theory where the teacher is
a facilitator, clear goals are set and the students are motivated to learn in an appropriate and
positive environment with regular feed backs as appropriate. As a learner I will want the teacher

to spell out in clear terms what are the expectations and the time interval required to achieve a set
goal.
My ambition is to be a certified nurse educator. Patient education is very important to me and
this is also an important aspect of the Nursing profession and the healthcare industry. For nurses
to provide holistic nursing care to their patients, nurses have to embark on continuous learning
themselves. I take advantage of continuous nursing educational opportunities, in nursing
journals made available on my professional association website, to broaden my knowledge base
and to improve my nursing practice.

I plan to promote a deepened interest in the development

of self-directed learning in my students. The increase in students knowledge base, will enable
them utilize evidence based research outcomes in their everyday nursing practice.
Nurses are constantly encouraged to be reflective practitioner. Reflective practice enables selfquestioning and helps to recognize strengths and weaknesses. A reflective practice, puts in focus
short and long term goals and take advantage of available opportunities (Oelofsen, 2012).
Teekman 2000, noted that self-questioning is a significant process within reflective practice. I
plan to create a learning environment that encourages a reflective practice that not only improves
the individual but also improves patient care.

References
1. Billings, D. M. (2012). Teaching in Nursing: A Guide for Faculty. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier
Saunders.
2. Nursing Theory, (2012). Hildegard Peplau - Nursing Theorist. Retrieved September 20, 2015
Nursing Theory.org from http://www.nursing-theory.org/nursing-theorists/HildegardPeplau.php
3. Oelofsen, N. (2012). Using reflective practice in frontline nursing. Nursing Times 108 (24) 2224. Retrieved from http://www.nursingtimes.net/home/courses-and-events/usingreflective-practice-in-frontline-nursing/5045779.article
4. Teekman, B. (2000). Exploring reflective thinking in nursing practice: J Adv. Nursing 31
(5):1125-35 Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10840246