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Personal Nursing Philosophy

Jing Lu

Department of Nursing, The University of Arizona

NURS 478: Nursing Leadership and Management in Health Systems

Professor

September 5th, 2022

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Personal Nursing Philosophy

Nursing is a special career filled with those who are passionate about helping others

improve their lives. I was drawn to nursing because I saw it as a career where I could make a

difference. Nurses are educators, leaders, researchers, caretakers, and advocates all in one. With

these roles, a nurse strives to promote wellness in many aspects including emotional, mental, and

physical health. For the duration of my nursing profession, my mission is to provide safe, holistic

care to patients with the highest level of integrity while following best practices.

Patients deserve to have the highest level of care with as much compassion and empathy

as possible. With every patient, it is important to take a step back to acknowledge the patient’s

situation, feelings, and learn their story. Taking a few minutes at the beginning of every shift to

listen to what the patient has to say, and their concerns can change the outlook of their entire

course of treatment. Their community, experiences, and relationships affect the way individuals

see their environment and how they perceive the hospital setting. We must put aside our personal

conflict and suspend our judgements to always uphold our care standards, as there is no room for

any sort of discrimination. Building a trusting relationship between nurse and patient allows for a

better sense of support during their healing journey (Kreitzer, 2015). Breaking this trust through

a poorly performed assessment, ignored requests, or just brushing off pain, can make a huge

impact on the experience of the patient and lead to an adverse outcome.

Patients are reflections of their surroundings thus their environmental integrity should

always be maintained (Kreitzer, 2015). Noise, smells, and temperature should always be

monitored, and rooms should be regularly cleaned. This means we should care for them

holistically addressing their body, mind, and spirit. I should always do a comprehensive
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assessment to ensure that all these domains are addressed, including making sure that they have

the personal objects they value in the room. Humans are also attracted to the natural world as it

may have healing and restorative properties (Kreitzer, 2015). I recognize the healing power of

nature and will prioritize the use of natural light, opening windows for fresh air, and incorporate

outdoor time whenever possible. As a nurse, I am a part of the patient’s environment, and I

should always approach them with a sense of calm and happiness. This will hopefully help the

patient reduce stress and nurture hope and trust.

It is essential to render aid that is unique and personalized to each patient that takes their

values, cultural beliefs, and ethics into consideration. I want to see patients' progress through the

process of healing by providing evidence-based nursing practices while integrating holistic

practices. The comprehensive pain of care should include the patient’s unique needs and wants.

The patient should be regarded as a fellow human being who deserves respect. Treatment should

never be forced, and the least invasive and intensive options should always be offered first to

minimize side effects. For example, making sure that the physicians offer treatment options such

as muscle relaxers and cortisone injections before surgery for injuries such as a herniated disc. If

the patient prefers more integrative therapies such as massages, guided imagery, or acupuncture,

I will try my best to include a full range of interventions. Everything should be discussed

collaboratively with the patient and their family. Patients should feel like they have enough

knowledge to become active participants in their care. I want to be an advocate for them and help

make sure that the necessary steps are being taken to achieve their goal.

Communication is key in the healthcare field. Nurses are oftentimes the main source of

information between the hospital staff and the patient. We must develop trusting relationships

not only with our patients but also with our team of physicians, fellow nurses, and techs.
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Effective communication between healthcare staff is what allows for the changes in treatment

and ensures the continuity of information. This open communication can lead to more open

discussions between the staff and the patient that help build trust. I must make sure that the

patient is adequately informed about their prognosis and ensure that it is not sugar-coated.

Integrity is essential in the healthcare field. Nurses must have a strong sense of responsibility and

accountability, as their actions and decisions have an impact on someone else’s health. In the

profession, we do our best to cause no harm and try to do the actions that we believe creates the

most benefit, but sometimes it can be the wrong choice. While everything I will do will be done

with the best intentions, I have to be willing to admit when I am wrong. Some mistakes will

always happen, but I will strive to learn from them. Transparency and open communication are

why nurses are one of the most trusted professions. It is our responsibility to maintain this trust

and embrace the morals and ethics that we set forward for ourselves.

Nursing isn’t just about fixing people; it is also about prevention and educating on self-

care and disease prevention. Humans can keep themselves healthy and promote their own

wellbeing if they are given the resources (Kreitzer, 2015). Thus, I believe that learning and

teaching are essential functions of a nurse. Nurses have the responsibility to share their

knowledge, not just in the hospital, but also through involvement in the community. Effective

teaching can increase the likelihood of positive patient outcomes and decrease the occurrence of

disease. We have the responsibility to communicate unbiased information in ways that are useful

and easy to understand. I would like to try to do more community outreach teaching projects like

we had to do in our community nursing class. In order to provide safe and effective care, we

also have to be able to take care of ourselves (Kreitzer, 2015). Self-reflection and maintaining

our wellbeing are essential to delivering effective care and avoiding burnout. As nurses, we must
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remember to use the advice we give on ourselves, to nourish our own bodies and care for our

own needs before we can take care of others. I will try to remember to always take time to do

things that I enjoy doing such as baking and swimming. As nurses, we are always willing to

learn, best practice strategies are always being updated, and those around us can teach us in

valuable ways. The internet and our peers are some of the most valuable resources that we can

use to stay up to date on technology and procedural changes. The desire to continue our

education and willingness to change our techniques will always enhance patient care.

Nursing will never be a stagnant career, it is always changing, and that is why we must be

so adaptable. There are often new opportunities, and every day brings a new experience.

Kindness, compassion, and love should be key terms that should always be focused when it

comes to health. Thus, it is always important to keep an open mind, keep a positive outlook on

life, and be thankful for each new day. In the future, I hope to further my education and

contribute to healthcare delivery by becoming a nurse practitioner. I would also like to be able to

help educate future students and help inspire others to enter the nursing profession.
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References

Kreitzer, M. J. (2015). Integrative nursing: Application of principles across clinical settings.

Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.5041/rmmj.10200