Running head: PERSONAL PHILOSOPY OF NURSING

Personal Philosophy of Nursing

Susan L. Staudenmaier
Bon Secours School of Nursing
Transition to Baccalaureate Nursing
NUR 3240
Assistant Professor Karyn Schultz, MS, RN, CNE
July 24, 2016
Honor Code I pledge...

My personal philosophy of nursing begins with a quote: If you cant figure out your
purpose, figure out your passion. For passion will lead you right into your purpose. Bishop T.D. Jakes. My path to nursing has not been a direct one, but I will tell you
without any hesitation that I have found both my passion and my purpose. As a nurse I
strive to quote my employer, to be Good Hope to Those in Need. Good help to
patients, (those who want my help and those who do not), doctors, co-workers, strangers
and familiar faces, to anyone in need. The calling of a nurse is wide and not limited to the
hospital floor, we have the potential to be significant contributors to the world around us
in an almost unlimited capacity.
I believe that a nurse must first and foremost care for and about her patients. Care
about the big life altering things, as well as the little insignificant things, which to the
patient are many times one in the same. I believe that all parts of the patient and the
patient experience are my responsibility. I believe I have the ability to affect the amount

of time that it takes for my patient to recover and I owe him or her the most efficient
recovery possible.
When asked to identify a nursing theory that aligns with my personal philosophy, I
choose Virginia Henderson. Although Hendersons work is not considered a formal
theory by many, her concept of nursing categorized 14 components all of which are based
on human needs. She is most famous for her definition of nursing which states that The
unique function of the nurse is to assist the individual, sick or well, in the performance of
those activities contributing to health or its recovery (or to peaceful death) that he would
perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will or knowledge and to do this in such
a way as to help him gain independence as rapidly as possible." (Masters, K. 2014, p. 51)
As a general surgery nurse this definition speaks to me very strongly, since my patients
come to me unable and or unwilling to perform those activities needed to recover and it is
my job to help them do exactly that.
In the process of aiding in my patients recovery, it is important that I exhibit all of
the values of Bon Secours, but respect, integrity, quality and growth stand out as things
that specifically support my personal philosophy. Respect is the ability to treat all people
well. Without respect for not only my patients but my co-workers and my facility, I may
never make it to the opportunity to care. Integrity demands ethical behavior, and requires
that our actions match our values. Without integrity, the quality of the care I can bring to
my patients is questionable, which leads directly into quality or what I like to call going
above and beyond the basic expectation into excellence. And last but not least, growth.
In order for my care to be relevant, I must continue my personal growth, not only

PERSONAL PHILOSOPY OF NURSING

academically but personally as well.
I attempt to live out my personal philosophy of nursing on a daily basis and will
complete this view of my philosophy of nursing with a first-hand account. Recently I had
a patient who told me on day one with a very negative tone, that he had no use for me
and that he knew only too well how this whole thing works. I told him, that I was so
glad to hear that, that that would make my job much easier, in fact I could use his help to
explain it to a couple other patients down the hall! He response was that that was not
going to happen, he was just going to rest getting up was not part of his plan. Upon
review of his history I discovered that the patient had indeed been in with similar
circumstances a couple of months prior, but that his recovery had been significantly
delayed by an ileus. Long story short, after a lot of education on the side effects of
narcotics and the benefits of mobility, I was able to get my patient up and moving and in
his words: If I had only had you as my nurse on my first admission I would not have
ended up stuck here for so long! He even came back to the hospital a month or two later
for a follow-up and went out of his way to find me and thank me for taking such great
care of him even when he thought he didnt need my help. The best gift a nurse can give
is to care.

PERSONAL PHILOSOPY OF NURSING

PERSONAL PHILOSOPY OF NURSING

References
Masters, K. (2014). Role development in professional nursing practice (3rd
ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.