Personal Nursing Philosophy

Melina Barragan
University of Arizona College of Nursing
NURS 478: Nursing Leadership and Management in Health Systems
Instructors: Sarah Hoogasian, Mary O’Connell, Rajni Parmar, Philip Moya
November 20, 2023
 Personal Nursing Philosophy

Nursing cannot be summed up in one cohesive definition. It is a career, a collaboration, a

feeling, and much more. Nursing is bringing new life into the world while also holding the hand

in the passing of another. More so than anything, nursing is the protection and promotion of

health in all aspects; physical, mental, and emotional. Personally, I view nursing as an

opportunity to see beyond differences that would normally divide people to give equal quality

care. Regardless of race, gender, sexuality, education level, socioeconomic status, or any other

factor, healthcare should be accessible and affordable to those in need. Nurses form the

foundation of that ideal by creating trust between their patients, their fellow staff, and their own

minds to form a tightknit collaborative for which their care is built off. My own mission reflects

this ideal in that I aim to be the type of nurse that my patients, my staff, and anyone else I

interact with feel safe with. I hope to create equal quality care for anyone I work with and to be

an advocate for those who may not receive this care from others. My goal is to be the type of

nurse that I would feel comfortable confiding in, and the type of nurse I would want to care for

the ones I love, even if it means I give a part of myself to the job. I wouldn’t have it any other

way.

Defining Nursing Practice

I grew up in a multigenerational household of eight. I believe that my experience caring

for my loved ones from the time I was a child prepared me and guided my ideals that eventually

led to my values in nursing. I was taught that caring for others is the highest form of respect and

love and even when times are hard, you never give up on those who rely on you. My family

instilled the values of hard work, perseverance, determination, and kindness in me from a young

age. This shaped me into the type of nurse I work hard to be. With my patients, I strive to go
beyond the normal call to action. I try to make their time with me as comfortable and tolerable as

possible. If possible, I try to at least make sure they have food, pillows, blankets, television, or

some kind of distraction from what must be a very difficult adjustment to their normal routine.

To me, the act of running to grab an extra glass of water or spending five minutes to get their

remote working isn’t a waste of time. I view it as an opportunity to extend a bit of kindness to

someone in their hour of need. Maybe it is just enough to keep them distracted for an hour, but

that is one hour that they aren’t dreading their next dressing change or an hour spent able to take

a nap after a night of waking up every hour. I hope that even when I am a nurse, on my own in

the real world, I still make time to give my patients this kind of care.

Nursing care is not just passing medications and completing assessments, its combing out

the tangles in a sedated patient’s hair, its ordering their favorite meal when they can’t figure out

how to use their room phone, or its even bringing their loved one a blanket because they know

that they are cold but are too embarrassed to say anything. We have the honor to be with patients

in their darkest hours, we have a duty to make sure that we extend every possible kindness we

can to make their time a little brighter. During my time on the Neuro ICU, I have had the

pleasure of working with people who had been on the unit for several days, sometimes weeks

and I was able to see their progress until their eventual discharge. However, this wasn’t always

the case. I specifically remember an instance where I took care of a patient for four days in a row

after a rapid decline and intubation. The family was terrified, he had already been in the hospital

much longer than anticipated, he had suffered several complications and adverse events, and they

were still no closer to receiving any answers. I made it a point to explain everything I possibly

could to the family, I researched everything I was unsure about to give them all the answers to

their questions within my scope. I took time to talk to the patient any time I was in the room with
him just in case he also had questions that no one was able to answer since he was intubated.

Even when he coded on me on my last day of caring for him, I stayed by his side the entire time,

explaining what was happening to the family and to him. It was my first code, and I was equally

scared, but I reminded myself that as scary as it was for me, this may be the most difficult

experience for him and his family, I must hang in there. The weeks following, I checked in on

him and his family every chance I could, reminding them that I was thinking of them always.

They were always so kind and reminded me every time that they appreciated me being there to

offer support during their most difficult time. The patient eventually passed, and I couldn’t be

there, but I hope that what support I could offer made a small difference.

Integrative Nursing Principles

My beliefs align with the integrative principle of patient-centered and relationship-based

practice. I am of the belief that caring for someone is an intimate act that requires trust. I work to

develop trust with my patients in order to deliver the best quality of care I can. Without that

foundation, there is a barrier between you and the patient that can interfere with their care. It is

up to you as the nurse to address that there may be hesitation to put such a large amount of trust

in a stranger but help the patient feel safe in doing so. I will always be sure to remember this

sentiment when approaching a new patient for the first time.

My beliefs also align with that of, “Human beings have the innate capacity for health and

wellbeing” (Kreitzer, 2015). I have seen firsthand how a patient’s innate resiliency has the power

to overcome most any hurdle. Our bodies were meant to combat and cure within themselves and

as a nurse, it is important that we don’t squander that ability. We must support and assist in any

way we can while also respecting the body’s natural cycle and giving it the time it needs to

adapt. Along with this, I also find it important that we advocate for our patients’ wishes to allow
nature to run its course while also supporting any alternative medicine they may believe in. We

are not with our patients in their everyday life and their beliefs, even if we don’t agree with them,

are as sacred to them as our practice is to us, therefore it must be respected as such.

Finally, I also am of the belief that, “Integrative nursing focuses on the health and

wellbeing of caregivers as well as those they serve” (Kreitzer, 2015). Coming from the

perspective of a caregiver, it is important for me to remind myself of the tolls it takes mentally

and physically to care for someone. It is because of my experience that I am reminded in my

nursing practice that my patients’ caregivers are a valued part of their care team and should take

care of themselves as well. It is not easy to focus on yourself when you are also caring for others.

However, if it is not done, the entire care system suffers. This is important not only for the

patient caregivers but also for me as a nurse. As hard as it may be, caring for myself must take

priority if I hope to give my patients the best possible care.

Impact on the Profession

I began my nursing education believing in the idea that healthcare is a linear process. I

thought that people got sick, they received treatment, they got better, then they went home and

lived normal healthy lives, with the rare extreme exceptions of chronic conditions and more

serious ailments. I was surprised to discover that this was not at all what healthcare was. I was

exposed to social determinants, barriers to healthcare, institutional deficits, and various other

factors that impact health. It was apparent that healthcare wasn’t linear, there are steps

backwards, alternative medicine, regression, and inability to continue treatment due to even more

factors. As a nurse, I will be sure to use my experience working within various populations to

guide my care. I will also take time to address any other biases I may have when approaching a
new situation and set them aside, for all patients deserve the same level and quality of care

regardless of any other outside factors.

Conclusion

In conclusion, nursing has become a large, important part of my life. It has not been an

easy road to get here but I am honored to be among devoted hardworking individuals in this

field. My hope is that I will make an impact on the lives I serve but more than anything, that I

don’t lose these ideals that I hold so dearly. My goal is one day to become a nurse educator and

emphasize the importance of equal quality care to future nurses. I plan to continue working,

learning, and sharing all I have learned these last two years in hopes that it makes a difference in

someone’s life. I stated earlier that I wouldn’t mind giving a part of myself to this job, and I still

don’t, because I know I will get so much in return, in the form of experience, motivation,

guidance, support, relationships, and fulfillment.

 Reference List
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