1

Personal Philosophy of Nursing

Mary Egger

University of Saint Mary

NU 701 Foundations of Advanced Practice Nursing

October 23, 2020

 2

Personal Philosophy of Nursing

Nursing, as a profession, has been theorized since its inception. Each interpretation is different

from the next, yet many concepts overlap. The metaparadigm of nursing is the empirical model for many

nursing philosophies. It acts as a conceptual guideline for research and summarizes the mission of

nursing (McEwen & Wills, 2019). The metaparadigm is comprised of four parts: person, health,

environment, and nursing. The person expands on the individual’s nature and the relationship between

nurse and patient. Health pertains to holistic care of patients and the prevention of burnout felt by nurses.

The environment is the utilization of the physical atmosphere and internal moral compass of the nurse.

The final concept of nursing is described as caring. This philosophy of nursing is being redefined using

the American Nurses Association’s Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements and the

metaparadigm for nursing.

Person

Each person is a multidimensional individual who receives care from the hands of a

nurse. It is an obligation of the nurse to provide care for individuals without prejudice or bias

about their ethnicity, sex, socioeconomic status, or health condition (American Nurses Association

[ANA], 2015). Patients are vulnerable while they are sick and need a nurse who can take care of

them despite their background.  Every person is uniquely different from the rest. Provision 1 of

the ANA Code of Ethics highlights the rights that nurses contribute to basic human dignity. It is

important for nurses to understand basic human rights so they can provide unbiased and equal

care for each patient.

The cornerstone of the nurse and patient relationship is built on trust. A trusting

relationship is initiated with proper communication and honesty.  The nurse may not always have

an answer but, must have the resources to solve the patient’s concerns. Sister Simone Roach's 5

C's of caring explains that confidence stems from a relationship built on trust between the nurse
 3

and patient. A relationship built from confidence allows the patient to feel empowered (Roach,

1992). The feeling of empowerment is invaluable for a patient to feel while they are in the

process of healing.

Communication is an important tool when dealing with the individual person.  It allows

the patient to feel involved and make decisions regarding their care. Patient centered care is a

necessary approach to take when caring for multidimensional individuals. The nurse must

remember that a person is at the center of patient centered care. It is crucial that nurses

communicate the patient’s concerns and wishes regarding their care. It is the duty of the nurse to

care for a person’s wellbeing.

Health

The care that a nurse gives a patient is multifaceted. The nurse must care for all aspects of

a patient's life. There is more to the act of nursing than caring for the individual's physical

healing. The nurse must also consider the emotional and spiritual factors of healing to promote

balance from within. Holistic care takes into consideration a patient's mind, body, and soul to

promote healing. A patient may be healed physically, but emotionally they may need guidance. 

It is the nurse's obligation to care for all aspects of a patient's entity. An Iranian study determined

that there is a correlation between the relationship of patient satisfaction and the deliverance of

holistic care by nurses (Rajabour et al., 2019). It is the responsibility of the nurse to manage the

patient’s mind, body, and soul to promote healing.

Just as it is important for the nurse to care for a patient's entire being, it is necessary for

the nurse to take interest in their own health. An overload of work can lead to burnout which is

expressed by depersonalization and emotional exhaustion (Filho et al., 2019). The health of the

nurse is an important factor to consider when their profession is strictly caring for others.
 4

Provision 5 of the ANA Code of Ethics promotes that nurses should perform activities that

decrease the impact of compassion fatigue (ANA, 2015). The prevention of compassion fatigue

allows the patient to receive better care.  The health of the nurse is equally as important as the

health of the patient.  It is a reciprocal relationship between the two. The nurse cannot provide

holistic care for a patient if there is an imbalance within the nurse. It is necessary for the nurse to

evaluate their life before entering into a caring relationship with a patient.

Environment

It is the duty of the nurse to facilitate a healing environment for patients. The physical

environment can impact the healing of a patient.  Florence Nightingale's Environmental Theory

revolutionized the way that a patient's physical environment attributed to their healing process

(Nightingale, 1946). She initially discovered the impact of sanitation on patients. It can be as

simple as adjusting the temperature in a patient’s room or providing them with an extra blanket

to make them feel more comfortable in their environment. Florence Nightingale talks about

ventilation and warming as one of the methods for improving their external environment

(Nightingale, 1946). Nurses can adjust the physical surroundings to generate a healing and calm

environment for patients.

The external environment that a nurse creates for the benefit of the patient is just as

important as the internal environment. An internal environment is comprised of the nurse's moral

compass. The nurse has a responsibility to create a safe internal environment in which ethical

decisions are made. One aspect of this is to advocate for patient's rights and needs, as necessary. 

It is the duty of the nurse to always respect the patient's wishes for their care. The nurse must

relay the necessary information to the physician at the right time. It is also important that the

nurse maintain a trusting relationship with the patient to facilitate honest conversations about
 5

their healthcare wishes. A nurse should always take action to protect vulnerable groups

according to Provision 8 of the ANA Code of Ethics. Nurses have a voice for those who cannot

be heard or advocated for. Patients are vulnerable when they are in the hospital and nurses can

provide reassurance that their wants are met.

Nursing

Nursing is often reduced to the act of caring. The entire essence of the profession is in

fact the art of caring for others. Humanity is always in need of people who specialize in caring

for other people. Nurses fill this role for many people in various healthcare settings. Sister

Simone Roach created the 5 C's of caring which sum up the different ways that nurses care for

and treat patients. Compassion challenges the nurse in humility. A nurse must show that the

commitment to patients, practice and advancement of the profession does not show any burden

(Roach, 1992). The advancement of nursing is dependent on nurses who show that they are

committed to patients. Commitment shows a willingness to respond and the acceptance of value

towards one’s desires (Roach, 1992). The desire of the nurse must be directed towards the

promotion of patient healing, safety, and security. Caring for people is in a nurse’s nature and it

should be shown in each act performed by a nurse. The art of caring is perfected in each

interaction with a patient as the nurse grows. As the nurse grows, the desire to care for others

should as well. Nurses should have the desire to advance in the profession to care for patients

and guide nurses to foster a commitment to practice.

Values and Beliefs

As a future nurse educator, there is a lot of responsibility that comes with the role. The

beliefs and values that a nurse educator has about their role will determine the impact made on

the learner. The nurse educator must realize their potential impact on the future of the profession
 6

of nursing. A nurse educator should value the continuation of learning and sympathize with the

learner. Being a compassionate is an important quality to have as a nursing educator. The

experience gained from working at the bedside can inspire their teaching strategies and lend

examples of practice. At the core of a nurse educator, is a nurse who is compassionate and

caring. Other beliefs that a nurse educator should have is that the educator should use the best

evidence based practices. Theory and research should be implemented into the educational

model to create a basis for learning. These values and beliefs should guide the nurse educator to

become a role model for other nurses.

The metaparadigm of nursing has created a foundation for this philosophy of nursing.

The framework that is provided by the metaparadigm allowed the concepts of person, health,

environment, and nursing to generate values and beliefs regarding the role of a nurse educator.

The four concepts were expanded upon in unison with the ANA Code of Ethics to emphasize the

personal beliefs surrounding the metaparadigm. Person emphasizes the patient’s

multidimensional characteristics while health highlights holistic care and the care of the nurse.

Environment looked at the physical atmosphere of the patient and the nurses more compass. The

concept of nursing displayed types of caring which lead into the values and beliefs of nurse

educators. The metaparadigm of nursing continues to be a structural framework for philosophies

of nursing.
 7

References

American Nurses Association (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. Silver

Spring, MD: Nursesbooks.org Retrieved

from https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nursing-excellence/ethics/code-of-ethics-for-

nurses/coe-view-only/

Filho, F. A., Rodrigues, M. C. S., & Cimiotti, J. P. (2019). Burnout in Brazilian intensive care units: a

comparison of nurses and nurse technicians. AACN Advanced Critical Care, 30(1), 16–21.

https://doi.org/10.4037/aacnacc2019222

McEwen, M. & Wills, E.M. (2019). Theoretical basis for nursing (5th ed.). Wolters Kluwer Health.

Nightingale, F. (1946). Notes on nursing: what it is, and what it is not. Appleton-Century.

Rajabpour, S., Rayyani, M., & Mangolian Shahrbabaki, P. (2019). The relationship between Iranian

patients’ perception of holistic care and satisfaction with nursing care. BMC Nursing, 18(1),

N.PAG. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-019-0374-7

Roach, M.S. (1992). The human act of caring: A blueprint for the health professions. Canadian Hospital

Association Press.