Running head: AN INSTROSPECTIVE VIEW OF HEALTHCARE 1

An Introspective View of Healthcare Organizations’ Philosophy of Nursing

Charmaine Enerio

University of Texas Arlington College of Nursing

In partial fulfillment of the requirements of

Nursing Theory N 5327

Kathy Speer PhD, RN, PPCNP

October 7, 2017
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Every practice discipline needs a philosophy from which they derive a mission, vision,

and goal. And just like any discipline, the nursing practice has been guided by various

philosophies that are continually shaping nursing care. In a way, philosophy helps define and

distinguish a practice discipline from other fields. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines

philosophy as “the pursuit of wisdom and a search for understanding of values and reality by

speculative means”. Nursing philosophy aims to define what the profession is for and why it

exists. As a nurse, we all have our own beliefs about what the profession means to each of us.

These beliefs ultimately affects our thoughts, decisions, and actions in nursing practice.

Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center Nursing Philosophy

Memorial Hermann is the first hospital that was established in the world-acclaimed Texas

Medical Center located in Houston, Texas (Memorial Hermann-TMC, 2017, para.1). Chartered

in 1925, it is the main teaching institution for the University of Texas Health Science Center and

also the flagship location of the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System. This 973-bed hospital is

also a Level 1 trauma designated hospital in the city and is home to Life Flight, an emergency

ambulance service providing aerial transportation to patients around Houston and its surrounding

counties. Memorial Hermann TMC is also recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing

Center or ANCC as a magnet institution, providing state of the art and excellent nursing care to

local and even international clientele. Memorial Hermann’s philosophy for nursing states the

following:

To create and maintain an environment that ensures the success of the professional nurse

by providing the resources for them to exercise clinical judgment, decision-making,

assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation to administer treatment and coordinate

patient care.
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The main focus of their organization’s philosophy is to empower nurses to provide safe,

efficient, and excellent patient care. The company believes that nurses are the foundations of

patient care and they play several roles in the delivery of healthcare. Memorial Hermann

empowers its nurses by training them as expert clinicians, patient advocates, care collaborators,

innovators, teachers, and leaders. The organization aims to provide high quality nursing care that

coordinates treatment plans and disciplines to promote patient’s goals and well-being.

UC Davis Medical Center Philosophy of Nursing

Once known as Sacramento Medical Center, UC Davis Medical Center is one of the

major research and academic hospitals in central and northern California. This 627-bed facility is

the primary teaching hospital catering to students from UC Davis’s School of Medicine. As a

level 1 trauma hospital, UC Davis sees almost a million visits annually and admits more than

30,000 patients every year (UC Davis Medical Center, 2017, para. 1). UC Davis Medical Center

has also been awarded the Magnet Recognition status by the American Nurses Credentialing

Center. The organization aims to provide excellent patient care by advancing professional

nursing care to the community. Their philosophy of nursing focuses on providing evidence-

based, compassionate, and safe nursing care to patients. Their philosophy does not only focus on

taking care of the patients but of their respective families as well. The UC Davis Medical Center

Nursing Department also emphasizes the importance of strong and trusting nurse-patient

relationships in health promotion, restoration, and healing (UC Davis Medical Center Nursing,

2017).

How do the above organizations’ philosophies of nursing compare to each other?

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Both of these organizations’ philosophies of nursing contain the three major aspects of

the practice discipline namely professionalism, accountability and compassion for the sick (New

Health Advisor, 2014). Nurses uphold their professionalism by providing excellent and

compassionate care to patients regardless of their religious, socioeconomic, political, and cultural

backgrounds. Both of these organizations are committed to strengthening and developing the

nursing practice through nursing research and innovation. The core of the nursing practice is

always the patient and their families. When it comes to accountability, both organizations ensure

that their nurses are able to practice according to the standards of the nursing laws and code of

ethics. These organizations believe that healing and restoration can be achieved by having

empowered and well-trained nursing staff. They also emphasize care using knowledge and

compassion amongst their nursing staff. Caring is an integral part of the nursing profession as it

plays an important role in how people respond to health and illness. Both organizations are

promoting holistic care, which involves the science and art of caring. This concept allows the

nurse to investigate a person’s values and actions and how it affects their health choices (Watson,

1985).

How do their philosophies differ from each other?

Perhaps the most subtle difference that I see between these companies is how UC Medical

Center emphasizes on how relationships can help the physical and holistic healing of a person.

The concept of holistic care in nursing was first popularized by Florence Nightingale in her early

works. This patient-centric approach focuses on a person’s whole being (body, mind, and spirit)

and how it responds to the environment (Kim, 2006). Through the years, UC Davis Medical

Center has emphasized relationship-based care on their organization and how the nursing staff

can promote a therapeutic presence with patients and their families.

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On the other hand, Memorial Hermann TMC is geared more towards nursing staff

training, education, and development to yield better patient outcomes. Their philosophy is geared

towards empowering their nurses and providing adequate resources to help them provide

excellent care. Memorial Hermann TMC wants their nurses to practice authority and autonomy

according to the standards of nursing practice.

Conclusion

As a nurse, it is important that we live by a philosophy that truly inspires us to care for

the sick every day. Philosophy guides us in our everyday assessment, planning, critical thinking,

and debating situations that affect patient safety. Healthcare organizations use nursing

philosophy to guide and define their practice. Nurses exemplify philosophy everyday by

advocating for their patients, coordinating care with other clinicians, ensuring equal health

services for all, and preserving a person’s dignity. Whatever philosophy we carry with us, caring

will always be the heart and soul of nursing.

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References

Philosophy. (n.d.). In Merriam Webster dictionary online. Retrieved October 3, 2017, from

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/philosophy

Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center. (2017).Our nursing philosophy at Texas Medical

Center. Retrieved from http://www.memorialhermann.org/locations/texas-medical-

center/our-nursing-philosophy/

Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center. (2017). About Memorial Hermann Texas Medical

Center. Retrieved from http://www.memorialhermann.org/locations/texas-medical-

center/about-memorial-hermann-texas-medical-center/

UC Davis Medical Center. (2017). About UC Davis Medical Center. Retrieved from

https://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/medicalcenter/aboutus/

UC Davis Medical Center Nursing. (2017). Nursing mission, vision, philosophy & values.

Retrieved from https://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/nurse/mission/index.html

New Health Advisor (2014). New health advisor for daily health care. Retrieved from

http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/Nursing-Philosophy-Examples.html

Watson, J. (1985). Nursing: The philosophy and science of caring. Boulder: University Press of

Colorado

Kim, H. &Kollak, I. (2006). Nursing theories: conceptual and philosophical foundations.

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