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Nursing Philosophy

Jessica Clukey

Delaware Technical Community College

NUR 300 RN to BSN Transition

11/27/2022
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Nursing Philosophy

As a nurse, I will aim to provide holistic patient care with honesty, compassion, and

empathy. I will strive to provide a safe space and develop a trusting relationship with my

patient to improve the quality of care using evidence-based practices and patient satisfaction. I

will promote patient autonomy guided by an ethical approach to nursing.

Values and beliefs that guide my nursing practice include empathy, honesty,

compassion, and safety. My goal is to make my patients feel safe. They should feel free to ask

questions about their care and know I will provide honest answers. I will use proper body

mechanics when providing care to protect myself and my patient. I will also take the time to

check and recheck medications and not be afraid to ask questions if I believe something is

unsafe. Nursing burnout is common and can cause a nurse to lose empathy and compassion

for their patients. Nursing is a difficult profession; over time, it may be easy to lose these

values if they are not kept at the forefront of nursing practice. I will strive to understand how

my patient is feeling and be a compassionate nurse. It is important to be honest with patients

to facilitate the development of a trusting and safe nurse-patient relationship. Dishonesty can

cause a breakdown of the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship.

Nursing Theory

The Modeling and Role Modeling Theory of Nursing has similar values and beliefs to my

own. This theory was developed by Helen C. Erickson, Evelyn Tomlin, and Mary Ann P.

Swain (Petiprin, n.d.). In this theory, the nurse uses modeling behavior, which is putting

his/herself into the patient’s shoes, to develop a better understanding of the person in a

holistic manner (Petiprin, n.d.). The nurse then uses a holistic approach to treating the patient
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as a whole, not just the illness (Petiprin, n.d.). My nursing philosophy is similar in this aspect

because I believe in being empathetic to the patient and creating a safe and trusting

relationship with the patient using honesty and compassion. To do this the patient must be

seen not as a diagnosis but as a whole person with physical, emotional, and spiritual needs

that the nurse must meet.

Personal Wellness

Nursing is a demanding profession, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

Nurses need to focus on personal wellness so they can provide good patient care. Referring to the

Modeling and Role Modeling Theory of Nursing, the nurse attempts to understand how the

patient is feeling and works to develop a holistic plan of care (Petiprin, n.d.). To take on the

feelings of the patient the nurse must have well-developed emotional wellness. The nurse may

experience increased stress in their own life using this method and must have effective ways to

cope.

In my nursing philosophy, the nurse develops a trusting relationship with the patient and

creates a safe space. Emotional, spiritual, and social wellness may be affected by this. The nurse

must be able to develop a professional trusting nurse-patient relationship and must be able to

separate themselves from this relationship when appropriate. It is easy for professional stress to

travel over into personal life and the nurse must be able to evaluate their wellness in these

different areas and utilize the management strategies they previously outlined. Without effective

coping strategies, it would be easy to experience professional burnout (Masters, 2020).

Therefore, assessing personal wellness and utilizing good coping mechanisms is beneficial to

both the patient and the nurse.

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Conflict Management

Conflict management skills are an integral part of nursing. It is important to know

what the styles of conflict management are and when and how to use them. There are five

different types of conflict management, avoiding, accommodating, collaborating, competing,

and compromising (Meier, n.d.). Each style has pros and cons. I determined my conflict

management style is accommodating.

An accommodating conflict management style involves cooperation between all

parties involved (Meier, n.d.). According to Meier (n.d.), the pros of an accommodating

management style include maintaining positive relationships. I believe it is a good idea to be

accommodating to patients and their families. Listening to the concerns of the patient and

family and determining how I can best meet these needs is an example of being

accommodating. This also builds trust with the patient because they know I will consider their

concerns and do my best to act on them appropriately.

Cons associated with this management style include going against my own desired

outcomes (Meier, n.d.). Being too accommodating could cause a patient to take advantage of

my kindness and compassion. It is important to understand the balance between being

accommodating and being taken advantage of. However, by using a holistic approach and

trying to accommodate my patient within reason, I will provide a high level of patient care

that leads to greater patient satisfaction.

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Lifelong Learning

Lifelong learning is part of the job of a nurse. Advances are constantly being made in

the medical field and it is the responsibility of the nurse to stay up to date on these advances.

Applying evidence-based practices to patient care is an important part of the job for a prudent

nurse. I believe to be a prudent nurse it is important to be active in acquiring knowledge that

benefits the patient, which is reflected in my nursing philosophy. Lifelong learning for a nurse

can be attending conferences, participating in research, or continuing formal education to

obtain advanced degrees such as a master’s or doctorate in nursing.

Leadership opportunities are a possibility with a BSN degree (Masters, 2020). Nursing

supervisor and case manager are job titles that are available to nurses who hold a BSN degree.

I chose to become a nurse because of my passion for caring for others. As an RN-BSN I will

apply for a case management position that allows me to provide a more holistic approach to

my nursing care. In this position, I can coordinate all the care my patient requires and

anticipate future needs. A BSN degree is also the gateway to a graduate degree (Masters,

2020). Once I have earned my BSN, I will apply for a master’s degree program. I believe part

of my responsibility as a nurse is to continue to gain knowledge in my profession so I can

provide the best care possible.

QSEN Competencies

Six QSEN competencies were developed to ensure nursing programs will adequately

prepare future nurses for the workplace and these nurses will strive to continually improve

quality and safety in their workplaces and for the patients in their care (Cronenwett et al.,

2007). These competencies are patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-
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based practice, quality improvement, safety, and informatics (Hunt, 2012). These

competencies guide my nursing practice by providing a framework to guide my decision-

making and patient care practices.

Patient safety is always a number one priority. Nurses must continually assess the

patient and their environment and then develop interventions to keep the patient safe. My

nursing philosophy encompasses patient safety by incorporating evidence-based practices to

ensure the care I am providing uses the most current medical knowledge to create a safe and

effective plan of care for the patient.

Leadership

A nursing leader should be ethical and possess an effective nursing leadership style.

Members of the nursing team want to be guided by a confident nurse, understanding, and a

team player. As a nurse leader, it is necessary to understand what leadership styles are

effective for the team and then implement appropriate techniques to guide nursing care. I view

myself as a democratic leader. A democratic nurse leader encourages the nursing team to

share ideas, communicate openly, and develop ideas together (Cornell, 2020). I believe it is

important for all members of the nursing staff to feel valued. This develops a workplace that

values teamwork and is safe for the nurses and patients.

A nurse leader should be ethical in consideration of the patient as well as the nurses.

Applying ethics to patient and staffing situations involves understanding what ethics are. The

American Nurses Association (ANA) developed a code of ethics to guide nursing practice

(Wolters Kluwer, 2018). Using evidence-based practice helps to develop an ethical work

environment (Wolters Kluwer, 2018). My nursing philosophy is guided by the idea of patient
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autonomy. Autonomy in healthcare means providing all information that is pertinent to the

patient and their treatment options and then the patient can make educated decisions about

their own healthcare (Wolters Kluwer, 2018). As a nurse, I strive to protect the patient’s

autonomy in their medical decisions and respect these decisions even if they do not align with

my own.

Conclusion

Developing my nursing philosophy resulted in a deeper look at my goals as a nurse. I

was able to evaluate my thoughts and ideas about nursing practice and incorporate new

information to guide my philosophy. As my career develops, I will continue to learn from my

experiences. I will use these experiences as learning opportunities that will continue to guide

and further develop my nursing philosophy. I view the nursing profession as fluid, constantly

changing, and evolving with the current science and patient needs. I will view my nursing

philosophy in this same way and continue to add to it as my practice develops.

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References

Cornell, A. (2020, April 13). 5 Leadership styles in nursing. Relias.

https://www.relias.com/blog/5-leadership-styles-in-nursing

Cronenwett, L., Sherwood, G., Barnsteiner J., Disch, J., Johnson, J., Mitchell, P., Sullivan, D.,

Warren, J. (2007). Quality and safety education for nurses. Nursing Outlook, 55(3)122-

131.

Hunt, D., (2012, September/October). QSEN competencies: a bridge to practice. Nursing Made

Incredibly Easy. 10(5). 1-3. https://www.doi.org/10.1097/01.NME.0000418040.92006.70

Masters, K. (2020). Role Development in Professional Nursing Practice, 6th ed. Jones & Bartlett

Learning. ISBN-13: 978-1-4338-32161

Meier, J. D. (n.d.). 5 Conflict management styles at a glance. Sources of Insight.

http://sourcesofinsight.com/conflict-management-styles-at-a-glance/

Petiprin, A. (n.d.). Helen C. Erickson. https://nursing-theory.org/nursing-theorists/Helen-C-

Erickson.php

Wolters Kluwer. (2018, October 4). Best practices for ethical nursing leadership.

https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/expert-insights/best-practices-for-ethical-nursing-

leadership