1

Nursing Philosophy and Professional Goals

Nursing Philosophy and Professional Goals

Jordyn Moore

Grand Canyon University NSG-310

August 6, 2019
2
Nursing Philosophy and Professional Goals
Introduction

Many nurses describe nursing as a calling. This calling varies from person to person, but

every nurse bases their care off of nursing philosophy. Nursing philosophy is created from each

individual, is based off of their beliefs, and guides them on how to care for their patients

(Petiprin, 2016, para. 2). Nursing theorists create the framework of nursing philosophy which

individual nurses use to define their own personal nursing philosophy. I believe that every

individual should not only be physically cared for, but spiritually and mentally cared for. This

paper will discuss my approach to philosophy of nursing care, how level 1 clinical rotations

impacted my philosophy, and goals that I would like to attain by completion of the Grand

Canyon University nursing program.

My Philosophy of Nursing

Holistic care is when one considers the patient’s mind, body, and spirit when caring for

them. I strongly believe that this type of care is important. Caring for one’s mind, body, and

spirit is my philosophy of nursing. The Need Theory by Virginia Henderson is the framework to

my view of nursing philosophy. Henderson created 14 components that are required for effective

nursing care. The main focus of this theory is to increase the patient’s independence so that the

patient will progress after hospitalization[ CITATION Aht15 \l 1033 ]. The first 9 components of

the Need Theory is to provide the patient with safety, health promotion, and physical needs

[ CITATION Aht15 \l 1033 ]. This is part of the idea of taking care of the patient’s body in holistic

care. Component 11 explains that the nurse should respect and help the patient worship

according to their faith [ CITATION Aht15 \l 1033 ], which supports the spiritual health of the

individual. Finally, the last components of the Need Theory are all based off of emotions,

cognitive abilities, and connecting with the patient. Which reflects the caring for the patient’s
3
Nursing Philosophy and Professional Goals
mind in holistic care. Henderson’s model explains that health is not only affected by physical

factors but have many influences such as cultural background and emotional balance (Petiprin,

2016, para. 3). I believe that these components are very important when caring for a patient. This

is because the patient does not just have an illness that needs to be cured, they are an individual

who needs their social, physical, and spiritual needs to be met while being cared for.

My Level 1 Clinical Experience

My level 1 clinical experience was at Emmanuel Campus of Care, which is a long-term

care facility. At this facility I encountered a variety of patients ranging from elderly to as young

as 25, from patients who are very independent to patients who require assistance with ADLs.

Due to the range of illnesses and ages that I have encountered at the clinical site, the diversity

showed me that not only should the illness be addressed, but the person individually should be

taken care of. Each resident had their room decorated differently based on their values,

spirituality, and culture. While interacting with the patients I would not just address their illness

or what they needed assistance with, I would try to connect with the patient so that I would be

able to care and understand the resident. The nurses at Emmanuel informed me that some of the

residents do not have any visitors at all which has negative effects on the patients. I took this

information into consideration when caring for the patients. When I had time, I would sit and just

talk to the residents to ensure that the patients did not feel as lonely. This made me realize that

even though a resident or patient looks physically healthy, one needs to take in consideration the

mind and spirit of the patient.

Goals I Would Like to Attain

While going through the nursing program there are a few goals that I would like to attain.

These goals are to appropriately apply my critical thinking skills, believe in myself, and be able
4
Nursing Philosophy and Professional Goals
to make a difference in a patient’s life. Applying critical thinking skills is very important when it

comes to caring for patients. I want to be able to understand and figure out what is causing

discomfort for patients that I encounter. It is a very important skill to be able to determine what

the next step of care for the patient will be and it will help me further my knowledge. Believing

in myself will reduce my stress and self-doubt when it comes to exams, performance-based

assessments, and patient caring. It will boost my confidence which will make me successful. I

also want to impact someone’s life whether it is from me providing care to me establishing a

relationship with the patient. I want someone to feel comfortable and trust health care services.

By me impacting someone’s life I feel as if they will be able to recall the memory and associate

it with positive thoughts about health care.

Conclusion

Each individual nurse has their own unique philosophy of nursing. Holistic care is what I

base my nursing philosophy off of. The Need Theory of Virginia Henderson explains that the

patient’s physical, mental, and spiritual needs are to be met while caring for the patient. During

my clinical rotation I would provide holistic care by not just treating the resident, I took my time

to develop a relationship with the resident in order to provide the best care possible for them.

While going through this program I would like to be able to make an impact on an individual’s

life, use my critical thinking properly, and believe in myself in order to boost my confidence.

Although every nurse has different goals and nursing philosophies, every nurse has the same

primary goal, which is providing the best care for every patient.
5
Nursing Philosophy and Professional Goals
References

Ahtisham, Y., & Jacoline, S. (2015). Integrating Nursing Theory and Process into Practice;

Virginia’s Henderson Need Theory. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 443-450.

Petiprin, A. (2016). Nursing Theories and a Philosophy of Nursing. Retrieved August 8, 2019,

from http://www.nursing-theory.org/articles/nursing-theories-and-a-philosophy-of-

nursing.php

Petiprin, A. (2016). Need Theory. Retrieved August 8, 2019, from http://www.nursing-

theory.org/theories-and-models/henderson-need-theory.php