Running Head: NURSING PHILOSOPHY 1

A Reflection of Nursing Philosophy

Michelle Kardohely
NURSING PHILOSOPHY 2

A Reflection of Nursing Philosophy

When I entered the nursing profession 20 years ago, armed with theoretical and scientific

knowledge, I had not yet established a true nursing philosophy. Even now, as I contemplate how

to articulate my nursing philosophy, I reflect upon my daily interactions with patients and

families and realize that my practice is my philosophy. A philosophy nurtured from an

integration of knowledge, experience, and moral virtue. The foundation of nursing practice, the

nursing meta-paradigm, is comprised of four interrelated core concepts: person, environment,

health, and nursing (McEwen & Wills, 2014). I will share my personal nursing philosophy

utilizing the nursing metaparadigm.

An important aspect of my care is the interpersonal relationships I establish with the

patients and families. Patients, irrespective of their place on the health-illness continuum, require

care beyond the physiological state. The spiritual, emotional, and sociocultural facets of a patient

influence my care. Holistic appreciation demonstrates to my patients that I am compassionate

and empathetic; I establish a trusting atmosphere, thus, creating therapeutic relationships to

facilitate optimal patient outcomes.

An essential component to providing quality holistic care is ensuring a healthy

environment. The environment encompasses the physical surroundings, family or nurse

interactions, as well as physiological and psychological stressors. My nursing responsibility is to

help patients navigate and adapt to the environment, as well as provide coping mechanisms to

enable self-actualization and self-care. It is my ethical responsibility to provide patient

confidentiality to establish a safe, trusting environment.

When I think of the relationship between health and nursing philosophy, I draw upon my

experiences caring for critically ill cardiac patients. Health is a dynamic state on the health-
NURSING PHILOSOPHY 3

illness continuum. Health conveys human experiences of wellness or illness and may occur in

the presence or absence of disease or injury (American Nurses Association (ANA), 2010a).

Health is the patients holistic view of himself or herself. Nursing is not just listening to the

patients wishes to be a caring and compassionate patient advocate. An advocate understands the

meaning of those wishes. I have felt the painful emotions experienced by dying patients and their

families and I have felt the encompassing peace that followed a dignified death.

The ANA defines nursing as the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and

abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and

treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities,

and populations (ANA, 2010b, p. 1). Nurses must maintain high standards of care in order to

provide a safe environment, foster empowerment, and facilitate patient healing that is reflective

of holistic, compassionate, and ethical care. Nurses are accountable for maintaining a

professional integrity when communicating with co-workers, patients, and families.

Achievement of nursing excellence is attained through the commitment of lifelong knowledge

acquisition, research utilization through evidence-based practices, collaboration with health care

team members to promote continuity of care, and participation on committees dedicated to

quality improvement. I uphold this commitment by working in a Magnet institution with values

congruent with my nursing philosophy.

Nursing encompasses an art, a humanistic orientation, a feeling for the value of the

individual, and an intuitive sense of ethics, and of the appropriateness of action taken -Myrtle

Aydelotte
NURSING PHILOSOPHY 4

References

American Nursing Association. (2010a). Guide to the code of ethics for nurses. Silver Spring,

MD: Nursebooks.org

American Nursing Association. (2010b). Nursing scope and standards of practice (2nd ed.).

Silver Spring, MD: Nursebooks.org

McEwen, M., Wills, E. (2014). Theoretical basis for nursing (4th ed). (pp. 24-25). Philadelphia:

Wolters Kluwer Health and Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

NursingSchools.net. (2010). 100 entertaining and inspiring quotes. Retrieved from

http://www.nursingschools.net/blog/2010/06/100-entertaining-inspiring-quotes-for-

nurses/