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Personal Nursing Philosophy

Hailey Kivinski

Nursing 478: Nursing Leadership and Management in Health Systems

November 15, 2022

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Nursing, to me, is more than just a career. I feel as though nursing will give me the

opportunity to express my morals and values through caring for individuals and making an

impact on my patients and the community that I serve. I define nursing as a profession that heals

individuals by actively participating in their care plan and incorporating all aspects of a person,

including physical, mental, emotional, and psychosocial well-being. My mission, as a nurse, is to

provide compassionate and competent care by taking a holistic approach and ensuring that the

mind, body, and spirit are all addressed in every patient that I treat. I will go the extra mile to

ensure that I am providing competent evidence-based care and providing a safe environment for

healing.

In my lifetime, my personal values and beliefs have evolved into what I stand for today. I

believe that health is a sum of all aspects of a person’s life and should be confronted with a

holistic approach. I believe that all patients should be treated equally with respect and dignity

regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, or beliefs. I believe that it is my job to do everything

in my power to provide competent and empathetic care and to act as a patient advocate, educator,

and promoter of disease awareness and safe health practices. My individual core values and

beliefs are dignity, compassion, family, integrity, respect, and personal success with goals that I

set for myself. These values and beliefs coincide with my professional philosophy as these same

aspects of myself are what pushed me to pursue a career in nursing. It is my goal to persevere

through failures and learn from them instead of letting them hold me back. I will continue to

reflect my confidence in my nursing care abilities and stay informed on the newest research and

evidence-based practices that will benefit my patients

My mission and values are who I am, no matter the setting. I will let them motivate me to

achieve as much as I can in all aspects of my life. My adaptability and ability to critically think
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and effectively communicate are all skills that have improved my patient care and have become a

crucial part of my nursing practice. I will continue to prioritize patient and family needs, promote

healing through a holistic approach and work to empower each patient in their care.

When reflecting upon my clinical experience, I will always remember a certain patient

situation when a young girl came into the emergency department after a suicide attempt. Prior to

this experience, I had never communicated with an individual in such intense and acute distress.

During this time, I offered my self and waited in the room with her until her family arrived. I

held her hand and let her cry when no one else was there. I had the opportunity to care for her in

one of her most vulnerable times and I will never forget that. This experience was just another

time when I was confident that I chose the right career path as a nurse.

My personal values and beliefs in nursing shape my nursing practice and overlap with the

use of the INFF Integrative Nursing Principles. I believe that my values and emphasis on holistic

and patient-centered care align with the first two Integrative Nursing Principles, “Human beings

are whole systems inseparable from their environments” and “Human beings have the innate

capacity for health and well-being” (Kreitzer, 2015). Knowing this, I strive to look at the whole

picture and focus on all aspects of each patient, including mind, body, and spirit. I plan on

utilizing the first integrative nursing principle by personalizing the care of each patient and

developing a unique plan of care that promotes the healing of both the patient and their family.

The third Integrative Nursing Principal is “Nature has healing and restorative properties

that contribute to health and well-being” (Kreitzer, 2015). Because I am aware of the evidence-

based practice techniques that boost healing in patients, I will do my best to incorporate nature

into the care plan of those that I serve. I believe that nature can empower individuals and help to
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provide clarity for them during their stay in a hospital. I will utilize this principle by providing as

much access to natural lighting as I can and encouraging patients to spend more time in nature.

My ability to effectively communicate coincides with the fourth Integrative Nursing

Principal — “Integrative nursing is person centered and relationship based” (Kreitzer, 2015). My

strong therapeutic communication skills will allow this principal to guide my nursing practice. I

vow to be a patient advocate and strive to build a trusting relationship with each of my patients.

One way that I will utilize this in my nursing practice is by applying professional and therapeutic

touch while actively listening to my patients concerns.

The fifth Integrative Nursing Principle is “Integrative nursing is informed by evidence

and uses the full range of therapeutic modalities to support/augment the healing process, moving

from least intensive and invasive to more, depending on need and context” (Kreitzer, 2015).

Because I value a holistic approach to nursing, I will ensure to carry out this principle

incorporate these integrative therapies that are within my scope of practice in the care plan of my

patients.

Concerning the last Integrative Nursing Principal, “Integrative nursing focuses on the

health and well-being of caregivers as well as those they serve”, I believe that my values align as

it is important for me to ensure that my needs are met prior to care for others (Kreitzer, 2015). In

order to deliver optimal care to the patients that I serve, I must feel comfortable and confident in

my skills and practice self-care interventions. I have developed a personal care plan for health

and well-being to limit burnout in my nursing practice. Following this plan will ensure that I am

being attentive to my own lifestyle and behaviors amongst caring for others.

As a nurse I plan to use my voice, education and clinical experience to positively impact,

empower and treat each of my patients. I will advocate for health equity and social justice within
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my community and work in policy development at the local and state level. My goal is to

continue to deliver evidence-based practice interventions and ensure that my patients are

connected to the appropriate resources to optimize their health and well-being. I plan on

engaging with community health services to impact the well-being of whole communities,

especially those who are under-deserved. My actions and values will positively reflect on the

community as I will consistently support the health and well-being of the community as a whole.

I will maintain my commitment to cultural humility and ensure that I am advocating for patients

equally across all backgrounds, ethnicities and races. My belief in social justice will push me to

support the movement for equitable access quality and availability of healthcare.

Overall, my personal values and goals will drive my nursing practice and push me to

achieve my aspirations while improving the health and well-being of patients in the community

that I serve. I will provide care for the whole person and use the integrative nursing principles to

support my patients. I am inspired and motivated to be a competent and empathetic nurse that

will make an impact on people’s lives.

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References

Kreitzer M. J. (2015). Integrative nursing: application of principles across clinical

settings. Rambam Maimonides medical journal, 6(2), e0016.

https://doi.org/10.5041/RMMJ.10200