Personal Nursing Philosophy Essay Example

Personal Nursing Philosophy Essay Example Personal Nursing Philosophy Paper Personal Nursing Philosophy Paper Nursing Philosophy Statement The philosophy of nursing is defined as the intellectual and affective outcomes of the professional nurse’s efforts to: 1) understand the ultimate relationships between humans, their environment, and health 2) approach nursing as a scientific discipline 3) Integrate a sense of values; and 4) articulate a personal belief system about human beings, environment, health, and nursing as a process, according to Leddy Pepper (1998). To understand the ultimate relationships between humans, their environment and health is to care for them. Caring so that each person is treated as a unique and special individual regardless of where he or she lives and where he or she is from. Nursing must truly care for and be sensitive with the needs of others. Nursing must set goals to promote the well being of patients and their families. Nurses are to use their knowledge and skill to provide the care that is appropriate for and required by patients. Nurses must provide care according to the standards that have been set by the profession. This requires an ongoing critical assessment of one’s professional nursing practice by self and others. This process enables nurses to improve their knowledge and skill so that patients and their families benefit. Nurses integrate a sense of value by reflecting on their personal experiences and examine their personal beliefs regarding patient care. The nurse can reflect on the reasons for choosing nursing as a career. It’s important to reflect on one’s character because personal qualities and characteristics help determine trust in a relationship. Quality care follows from a relationship based on trust and the promise that nurses have made to give competent and compassionate care. Nurses need to continually assess their ability to function within the health care system and the change in staff and skill mix. Nurses have the responsibility to maintain their competence and are accountable to communicate performance deficiencies. By communicating performance deficiencies to their supervisor, educational programs may be implemented to address these needs. This continuing assessment means nurses can better guarantee they are keeping their promise to provide due care. Promise keeping and a personal belief system about human beings, environment, health, and nursing as a process forms the basis for the special relationship that nurses have with their patients. Nurses have an understanding promise to provide care to patients. The expectation of patients and their families is that nurses will be there when patients require help with their health care needs. This personal belief system is grounded in the ethical principles of respect for persons. Respect for persons means that people matter. Patients are not reduced to objects but are instead viewed in their completeness and as having inherent worth and dignity. They are unique and are in charge of their own lives. People know what they desire and what is in their own best interest. Nurses have responsibilities to promote the well being of their patients. They are to treat people, as they ought to be treated and help those that are ill. Nurses are responsible and accountable to the patients for whom they are providing care. Patients expect that nurses will act in accord with their interests, and that nurses will not abandon them whenever they need help. Both parties expect that each will be honest. Each expects to be treated with respect. When people reach out to one another, this helps to form a bond or closeness. This caring relationship fosters communication between nurses and patients. Compassion, genuine concern for the other, and humanness are important in nursing.