Running head: Personal Philosophy of Nursing

Personal Philosophy of Nursing

Rebecca Martinez
Old Dominion University

Running head: Personal Philosophy of Nursing

Personal Philosophy of Nursing

I believe the nursing profession isnt a job you do just for a paycheck, or a career that has
no meaning to it. A career in nursing is about making a difference in another persons life, and
demonstrating a holistic approach to healthcare that supports healing. I also believe the decision
to enter the field of nursing is an honor and an opportunity to provide a positive impact on not
only a person, but in a whole community. As soon as I made the choice to embark in the journey
to become a nurse, I instantly felt my purpose in life, and was commitment to serve others with
compassion and respect. Each nurse professional has their own meaning or philosophy of
nursing, but the one meaning that is universal is the power of caring unconditionally for patients,
families, and communities.
Nursing Definition
Its hard to give the nursing field one definition; so many things are composed into a field
that touches so many lives. According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), Nursing is
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 (What is Nursing?,
2010). I believe in this definition because it promotes the different roles a nurse demonstrates in
the nursing practice.
With the amount of knowledge nurses have, they are able to use their efficient skills and
critical thinking to protect as well as promote healthy living to prevent illness. This definition
also explains that regardless of illness or wellness, a nurses job is to prevent other obstacles that
can hinder a patients recovery from any illness. Providing care to various types of people around
the community without being judgmental to an individuals background is also portrayed in the

Running head: Personal Philosophy of Nursing

nursing definition. Nurses are well trained and care for the whole person regardless of ones
culture. I believe this shows how nurses demonstrate equality and compassion for all. I think the
ANAs nursing definition is perfect portrayal of nursing and it also provides a solid description of
what a nurse is expected to encompass in the field of medicine.
Students Perspective
I believe the purpose of nursing is to care for others holistically and compassionately. I
also think that a nurse carries a purpose to educate, advocate and dedicate to ensure positive
changes happen in the healthcare system. Nurses are always thinking about what is best for
patients and their families when it comes to healthcare. Nurses also have expanded the role of
being motivators by helping to change and improve the politics in healthcare. The multiple
voices that speak out in the nursing profession promote a more holistic approach to patient care.
Not only do nurses try to make healthcare better, but they also bring a sense of purpose to their
work by providing emotional support to others. This ultimately leads patients to heal faster, not
only physiologically, but psychologically as well. I believe that nurses around the world lead
with good intention and always have a therapeutic touch in everything they do.
My personal philosophy is that a nurses core responsibility is to be a trusted professional
that commits their knowledge and compassion to care for families, patients, and communities of
all cultures. Nurses also maintain confidence in their practice and are always displaying
accountability in a professional manner. By using evidence-based practice and continuing
education, nurses provide superior knowledge to a healthcare team and serve as educators in all
diseases processes. Aside from using knowledge, what sets nurses apart from other professions is
the amount of heart and soul that is portrayed in helping to care for the well or ill patient.
Nursing also strives to demonstrate a positive example to patients and their families in order to

Running head: Personal Philosophy of Nursing

give them a greater outlook in their health and wellness. The power of caring is unmatched and
unforgettable to the lifes that are touched by a nurse everyday. Which brings truth to my
philosophy that nurses are one of the most compassionate professionals in the field of healthcare.
Not only do they provide holistic care, but they also demonstrate many roles in caring for the
whole person.
Values and beliefs
My values and beliefs about nursing consist of empathy, selflessness, reliability, kindness,
and having human dignity. Nurses stay true to their values and beliefs personally and
professionally, which makes them able to make good judgments and care for patients effectively.
I value these beliefs personally, and use them in my daily life as well as my nursing practice. I
believe that the focus of nursing is to provide exceptional care to others and by honoring other
peoples values and beliefs. By doing so, nurses honor a patients values without discrimination
and are able to care for individuals without judgment. To become a great nurse, one must value
his or her own beliefs and always care for each person as if there were their own family member.
The nursing profession shows empathy and reminds others around them that everyone matters
and everyone has the right to be valued the same. By portraying these values and beliefs
everyday nurses can successfully carry out their mission of helping others, and be a role model to
their peers, patients, families, and communities.
Principles
Various rules and principles make up the nursing practice. Principles help guide nurses to
become more comfortable with ethical issues, decisionmaking, judgments, and relationships.
One principle that guides the professional nursing practice is that nurses maintain a standard of
personal health so that the ability to provide care is not compromised (Basford & Slevin, 2003). I

Running head: Personal Philosophy of Nursing

believe that in order for a nurse to care for others they need to care of themselves too. This rule is
essential to patients who are already ill, and it shows that nurses need to continue to provide
safety by not compromising others with their own illness. An example of this principle was when
I was faced with the flu during the winter months of one of my clinical rotations. I took my
personal health as a priority and made sure I took care of my illness. By making an appointment
with my physician, taking the right medication, and taking the right precautions, I was able to get
well before returning to provide care in the clinical environment. I made the right choice to
follow the nursing principle of not compromising the health others by keeping the standard of
caring for myself first.
Another principal that guides the professional nursing practice is maintaining
professional boundaries. Nurses need to stay authentic in all relationships such as nursephysician, nurse-to-nurse, and nurse-to-patents (Butts, 2008). Setting boundaries is important in
the nursing practice because it guides nurses to stay professional and keep their credentials valid
in their practice. Not only do nurses need to have relationship boundaries, but they also need to
provide confidentiality and address any unethical boundaries that can impaired their practice. A
personal example is when I was approached by a patients family in a clinical setting who wanted
me to accept a gift of appreciation for caring for their loved one. In a professional fashion I
kindly declined their gift and expressed my gratitude for having an impact on the patient and
their family. The nursing principal of maintaining boundaries helped me accept that it was
inappropriate to accept a gift from any patient or family. This principal ultimately guided me to
demonstrate professionalism in my nursing practice.
Conclusion

Running head: Personal Philosophy of Nursing

Many would agree that the nursing profession makes a difference in the world. They have
so many roles in healthcare as being holistic caregivers, educators, communicators, advocates,
and knowledgeable decision makers. Nurses carry a lot of responsibility, but they continue to
commit to their various relationships in their practice with professionalism. I believe that all
these roles define a person who cares without judgment, and shows compassion as well as
empathy to all people no matter what background they come from. Nurses not only show their
compassion to care, but they also show responsibility in their work and carry out principles in the
nursing practice that help them stay proficient. Overall, the nursing profession performs with a
purpose, and that is to dedicate their work in caring for others.
Reflection
This assignment helped me discover my personal philosophy of nursing. I was able to
gather all my thoughts about the nursing field and develop a philosophy that reflects the way I
see my future profession. I learned that the field of nursing is a way of life and it cannot be
defined by one definition, as it is encompasses so many things. Looking back on my clinical
experiences, it also helped me put my nursing philosophy in perspective. I now notice on how
much all my values and beliefs reflect my personal nursing practice. I not only learned about
how I feel about the nursing profession, but I was also able to discover my purpose as nursing
student. This assignment was a great tool for me to evaluate the nursing profession, and it helped
me consider the important aspects of a career that I will be exploring as I finish my journey
toward my Bachelors of Science in Nursing.

Running head: Personal Philosophy of Nursing

I pledge to support the Honor System of Old Dominion University. I will refrain from any form
of academic dishonesty or deception, such as cheating or plagiarism. I am aware that as a
member of the academic community it is responsibility to turn in all suspected violators of the
Honor Code. I will report to a hearing if summoned.

Name: _____Rebecca Martinez_______________________

Date: _______11/4/2015____________________________

Running head: Personal Philosophy of Nursing

References
American Nurses Association, Inc. (2015). What is Nursing?. Retrieved from http://nursing
world.org/EspeciallyForYou/What-is-Nursing
Basford, L., & Slevin, O. (2003). Theory and Practice of Nursing: An intergrated approach to
caring practice (2nd Ed, pp 235-247). Retrieved from https://books.google.com/
book (Orginal work published 1995)
Butts, B. J. & Rich, K. (2008). Ethics in Professional Nursing, Nursing Ethics: Across the
Curriculum and Into Practice (pp. 81-117). Retrieved from http://www.jblearning.com/
samples/0763748986/48986_ch03_pass3.pdf
Gokenbach, V. (2012). Nursing as the Most Honored Profession. Retrieved from https://www.
nursetogether.com/nursing-most-honored-profession