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My Nursing Philosophy

Emma Kampschroeder

College of Nursing, University of Arizona

NURS 478: Nursing Leadership and Management in Health Systems

Professor Mary O’Connell

April 19, 2024

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My Nursing Philosophy

Introduction

Growing up, I was surrounded by the nursing profession. My father attended nursing

school as I was learning how to tell time and count coins in kindergarten. He worked as a night

nurse in an intensive care unit for several years before pursuing further education as a CRNA.

Each night at the dinner table I heard stories about the patients that my father had cared for,

which eventually inspired both my older sister and me to attend nursing school. Interested in

working in the ICU, I know that ethical concerns are widespread in these units. Compassion is

crucial in nursing, and my personal ethics emphasize the importance of quality of life for

patients. As a nurse, I will advocate for my patients’ wellbeing. During my preceptorship in the

emergency department, I worked to prevent the development of pressure sores in a cancer patient

and provided ice for a dehydrated, bedfast older adult. The ethical principles that guide my

nursing practice are beneficence and nonmaleficence, as well as justice. I have respect for every

patient that walks through hospital doors, no matter their background. I strive to provide all

individuals with care that meets their needs, including those who are unhoused, mentally ill, or

otherwise stigmatized. I consider myself to be intelligent, observant, detail oriented, and patient.

I believe that it is important in a nurse-patient relationship to be amicable and converse with

patients in order to establish rapport. These are all traits that help me to provide competent care

in the hospital.

Integrative Nursing Principles

One integrative nursing principle that drives my practice is the idea that integrative

nursing is person-centered and relationship-based. I am amicable and compassionate with

patients, always treating them with respect. Being in the hospital is often a difficult time for
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patients, and kindness and respect can go a long way when establishing a nurse-patient

relationship. I have taken the time to talk with patients about their frustrations related to their

illnesses and injuries and empathize with them, such as one older man who considered himself to

be very active and healthy but presented with a hip fracture and was frustrated after having been

hospitalized for several days with pneumonia. It is important that patients feel valued and

understood and know that their feelings and opinion matters. Establishing trust and rapport with

patients allows me to get to know them and their health goals, so I can advocate for them when

speaking with a provider. Nursing is not about just treating a disease but treating and providing

support for the individual as a whole.

Another integrative nursing principle that I believe in is that human beings have an innate

capacity for healing and wellbeing. Nurses do not cure patients but instead provide support while

the body does its own healing. The work that nurses do in the hospital, administering medication

and performing interventions, helps the healing process that the body has already begun.

Patience is key as it takes time for the body and mind to heal. Working with patients who are

recovering from critical conditions such as aortic aneurysms and subarachnoid hemorrhages, it is

heartening to see their resilience and ability to recover. Being compassionate, amicable, and

respectful helps to form a strong nurse-patient relationship that provides patients with support

during difficult times. Supporting their healing journey acts in the patients’ best interests and is

part of the ethical principle of beneficence.

The last principle I practice is that integrative nursing is informed by evidence and uses a

full range of conventional and integrative approaches, employing the least intensive intervention

possible depending on the need and context. Understanding this principle requires intelligence

and competent care, as students are taught in nursing school that the least invasive approaches
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should be used first. The ethical dilemma of harm versus benefit from a medical intervention

must be weighed. More invasive procedures being completed first can violate patient autonomy

and cause more harm than necessary. In critical care units, I have seen noninvasive bilevel

positive pressure ventilation utilized before intubation to lower the risk of aspiration. Being a

trustworthy nurse is crucial as nurses are responsible for advocating for what is most beneficial

to the patient and results in the least harm done.

Future Impact on the Profession

The role of a professional nurse is not limited to the care that can be provided for

individual patients. They have a duty to support and advocate for the health of the community

and marginalized populations. This can be accomplished through public health education about

topics such as healthy diet, exercise and hand hygiene, as well as other more targeted

interventions to promote and protect health in vulnerable communities. Nurses should advocate

for public health policy that benefits the population. They are also responsible for contributing to

advancements in the nursing profession through collaboration with other health professions and

development of evidence-based practice in order to provide quality patient care.

American Nurses Association Code of Ethics

Provision 1 of the ANA Code of Ethics states that “The nurse practices with compassion

and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person” (ANA, 2015).

This provision closely aligns with my personal ethics about the importance of having respect and

compassion for everyone and maintaining patient dignity. Whether they came from a skilled

nursing facility or were found unresponsive on the street, each patient deserves to be treated with

respect and should not be discriminated against in any manner, nor should care be withheld.

Many interventions done in the hospital can leave the patient feeling vulnerable, and privacy
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should be maintained whenever possible. This provision summarizes a few key values of the

nursing profession that all nurses should maintain.

Provision 5 affirms that “The nurse owes the same duties to self as others, including the

responsibility to promote health and safety, preserve character of wholeness and integrity,

maintain competence, and continue personal and professional growth” (ANA, 2015).

Competence is one of my core values as quality education and ability to perform skills safely

leads to improved patient care and better outcomes. Nurses have a duty to maintain competence

as they are one of the most trusted professions, and their actions should align with health and

safety standards. Continuing education is a crucial part of professional growth as best practices

can change over time. Nurses can also pursue special certifications, such as their CCRN. This

certification communicates one’s specialty knowledge of critical nursing care to patients and

other healthcare professionals in the hospital.

Provision 8 suggests that “The nurse collaborates with other health professions and the

public to protect human rights, promote health diplomacy, and reduce health disparities” (ANA,

2015). The duty of a professional nurse is not limited to hospitalized patients, but includes health

promotion and protection for all members of the community in which they serve. This aligns

with the ethical principle of beneficence as interventions are performed to improve health

outcomes for the target population. Reducing health disparities is a form of justice for

marginalized communities who are at higher risk for certain medical conditions, ensuring that

everyone has equal access to health and preventative services. Nurses also advocate for the

community through public health policy at the primordial level of intervention. Examples of

interventions to promote health and reduce disparities include increasing access to nutritious

foods in food deserts and education on road safety in communities where traffic-related deaths
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are higher than average. These interventions seek to improve quality of life and protect human

rights.

Defining My Practice

Having grown up with family members in the nursing profession, I have always seen

nurses as role models who exemplify hard work and trustworthiness. Nursing is a 24-hour job

that is not limited to administration of medications but involves holistically supporting patients

and advocating for their wellbeing. Nurses work closely with patients and act as care

coordinators with providers and other healthcare disciplines. This profession is defined by the

commitment of nurses to establishing trust and rapport with patients, maintaining ethical

responsibility, and providing quality, evidence-based care to support patient wellbeing.

Additionally, respect and compassion are crucial to maintaining patient dignity and autonomy

while hospitalized. Outside of patient interactions, nurses are also responsible for continuing

their education and staying up to date with current practices to improve patient outcomes.

As I gain more clinical experience and develop my own nursing practice, I have become

closely acquainted with the duty nurses have to patients and their wellbeing. My personal

nursing mission is to provide competent and compassionate care by treating all patients with

respect. I endeavor to listen to patients and work with them to develop and implement a plan of

care that meets their health needs. Compassionate nursing care helps to create meaningful

experiences during difficult times in the lives of patients and family members, and this will

continually steer my future practice.

Conclusion

Having been exposed to the nursing profession from a young age, my understanding of

the values and responsibilities of a registered nurse has developed over time. The past two years
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in nursing school have highlighted to me the importance of compassion and trustworthiness in

this career. All patients deserve to be treated with kindness and respect, knowing that their

autonomy is valued and nurses will advocate for their health needs. Justice and beneficence also

play important roles in healthcare. Integrative nursing principles that drive my practice include

the idea that integrative nursing is person-centered and relationship-based, and informed by

evidence, using the least invasive interventions possible. I also believe that human beings have

an innate capacity for healing and wellbeing, and it is the duty of nurses to support patients

during their healing journeys. The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics also influences

my nursing philosophy. Nurses should practice with compassion and respect for every person

and collaborate with other professions to protect human rights and reduce health disparities.

They have a duty to promote health and safety, maintain competence, and continue personal and

professional growth. For me, the nursing profession is defined by a commitment to establish trust

with patients, uphold ethical standards, and provide safe, quality patient care. My goal for my

future practice is to work with critically ill populations, providing competent and compassionate

care by pursuing opportunities for further education and treating all patients with the respect they

deserve.
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References

American Nurses Association (ANA). (2015). Code of ethics for nurses. American

Nurses Publishing.

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

for-nurses/