Attention Nurses....

Nurses General Nursing

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I would like to get some feedback from a few nurses on the following topic:

What is your personal nursing philosophy? How does your philosophy affect you as a nurse? How long did it take in your nursing career to develop your own philosophy on nursing? What advice do you have to new nurses wanting to develop their own nursing philosophy? Has anyone influenced your nursing philosophy directly?

If you answered one or all, thanks! It is greatly appreciated.

Specializes in Neurosurgery, Long Term Care,.

There is nothing wrong with what you posted. People are just so sensitive these days. I start August 22nd. well I had to take Intro to Nursing and Dosage calculations over the summer (it is required before fall semester starts). I will be taking Fundamentals of Nursing and Health assessment this fall. I have been a CNA for 6 years and I am also an EMT. I didn't answer your questions because I am not a nurse but I can share a little bit about what you said about CNA's and nurses appearing to have no philosophy. From my experience, it seems that when you are in school and new..you want to change the world. I was picked to give a speech to my CNA class because I had the highest grade and I remember saying I will not compromise my standards for nobody and the truth is...in the 6 years I have. The system sets us up to get burnt out. I have been on floors as a CNA where i was the only one to provide care for 37 residents. Although compromising my standards was not my fault, it saddens me to think of the ideals I once had. I have worked so many doubles back to back due to shortages on the floor that my care became almost robotic, like it was a factory line. I think everyone has a philosophy but it changes over time. You have to be flexible in healthcare. Right now I am reworking my philosophy. I am going into nursing school and pretending like i don't know the ugly side of the profession so I can be open minded. I am glad you are throwing these questions out there. If anyone has a problem with you asking these questions then you probably don't want their opinion anyways.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

If this is for personal reflection and not for a school assignment then I commend you for thinking about your own philosophy and you come up with insightful thoughts....

I must say, though, the only thing I found offensive was the title of the threat...the "Attention Nurses" made me think this was going to be a life or death issue about how we function day in and day out as nurses...while out philosphies of nursing are important to think about, it definitely did not warrent the "attention" headline.

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Specializes in Neurosurgery, Long Term Care,.
1. i'm telling you, op did not write those questions herself.:twocents:

also, she's asking us because she was inspired by her philosophy class? (hmmmm)

2. this type of assignment is so predictable when school starts. And, last yr's student could have given copy of assignment.

i've known that to happen as well...quite frequently, unfortunately.

when my gut is whammed like it was, i stay with it.

if i'm wrong, i'm wrong.

but i've learned to finally trust my instincts, and it doesn't feel right.

and, it's normal for an instructor to hear/read, how you see yourself in beginning.

i do believe i'm done here.

op, good luck in school.

leslie

So lets say this question is an assignment, what is wrong with asking these questions. No one person can give an absolute answer for this type of question. I just don't see the problem with this. Its not like they are asking a specific question with a specific answer. Its a philosophical question, meant for discussion. Most people just don't randomly come up with their own philosophies. They usually expand on anothers philosophy. I just dont' understand why someone would even want to answer the way you answered...why not just move on to the next post. Instead you could have possibly chased a new nursing student away from a potentially good resource. It just baffles me!!!

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Hello, Skeptical! (Sorry, had to)

Okay, where did I say I had been working on this for a month? I never said this was for a paper either. Geez.

You know, I have been counting down the days until August 18th since I got my acceptance letter in April. I start August 18th at 8 a.m! This is ridiculous! Please, go back and re-read because you are either confusing me with another poster, or you are just not thoroughly reading my posts. Did you read anything I wrote, or just responses from others?

If this question does come up when I start school, then good for me for thinking ahead. :mad:

I've been working as a CNA for a month. I have been watching other nurses and CNA's I work with and it seems like a lot of them don't really have any kind of philosophy for what they are doing. They just come to work, get through a shift and go home. It made me think on what mine would be and forgive me for wondering what those of you who are already RN's think as well. I look up to all of the RN's on here and I didn't think twice when posting my questions for you. Well, obviously I should have and I will next time.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean when you say you see nurses who work like they "really don't have any kind of philosophy for what they are doing." What is it you think is lacking in their work? Maybe we need to have you explain what you mean by "philosophy of nursing."

This is not meant to be a slam, but I find it a stretch that someone who isn't even a student can judge other nurses as being lacking when it comes to a philosophy of nursing. It's a pretty abstract concept that even experienced nurses have a hard time defining.

FWIW, there are a lot of days when just getting through a shift with everyone safe and cared for is the best you can do.

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Specializes in Neurosurgery, Long Term Care,.
Like I said, I am working as a CNA in a hospital around RN's and since I am getting ready to start NS, it was on my mind. Maybe I think too much. I have been thinking about what my philosophy would be since I decided to begin a career in nursing. Isn't that only natural when you choose a career? Teachers think about what theirs would be, lawyers, doctors, etc. Don't you think it's a good question to ask yourself? Even your philosophy on life in general?

I don't need to be accepted into NS or already a student nurse or even a RN to already be thinking on how I feel about nursing.

My comment wasn't to your post. It was reply to the skeptical post.

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OP,

If Les and others are honest enough to say they are skeptical it does not mean they aren't good folk. Nurses are trained to be critical thinkers.

To be totally honest with you the first thing that came to mind when I read your header and post was that you could possibly be gathering "snippets" and ideas for a nursing school application essay. The only reason that popped into my head was because I had to write an essay on this topic when I applied to NS. As a nurse it's important to have an open mind and skin thick enough to hear opposing/ dissenting viewpoints.

Best, CS

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Specializes in Neurosurgery, Long Term Care,.
I'm not sure I understand what you mean when you say you see nurses who work like they "really don't have any kind of philosophy for what they are doing." What is it you think is lacking in their work? Maybe we need to have you explain what you mean by "philosophy of nursing."

This is not meant to be a slam, but I find it a stretch that someone who isn't even a student can judge other nurses as being lacking when it comes to a philosophy of nursing. It's a pretty abstract concept that even experienced nurses have a hard time defining.

FWIW, there are a lot of days when just getting through a shift with everyone safe and cared for is the best you can do.

Thats understandable, however, I have been in healthcare as a CNA and EMT for 6 years and I have met nurses with no philosophy, no skill, and no common sense. I have seen this so many times that it would anger me. I have met nurses that I have had to show them how to do certain aspects of their job. I have seen nurses that don't care about the Art and Science of Nursing and all they cared about was a paycheck. You don't have to be a nursing student to see this if you have some health care experience and they did say she was a CNA.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Thats understandable, however, I have been in healthcare as a CNA and EMT for 6 years and I have met nurses with no philosophy, no skill, and no common sense. I have seen this so many times that it would anger me. I have met nurses that I have had to show them how to do certain aspects of their job. I have seen nurses that don't care about the Art and Science of Nursing and all they cared about was a paycheck. You don't have to be a nursing student to see this if you have some health care experience and they did say she was a CNA.

I'm not sure someone would be able to identify my philosophy of nursing merely by observing me at work.

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Specializes in FNP.

I agree with Leslie. This is obviously someone's homework, probably obtained in advance by an eager student from an upperclassman. People who aren't taking N101 doesn't even know there is such thing as "philosophy of nursing," lol.

I did my (own) homework 25 years ago. I'm not doing anyone else's. That said, Sr. Calista Roy can speak for me on this issue.

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I agree with Leslie. This is obviously someone's homework, probably obtained in advance by an eager student from an upperclassman. People who aren't taking N101 doesn't even know there is such thing as "philosophy of nursing," lol.

I did my (own) homework 25 years ago. I'm not doing anyone else's. That said, Sr. Calista Roy can speak for me on this issue.

Sigh. Your above statement on "People who aren't taking N101 don't even know such a thing as 'philosophy of nursing' is just plain ridiculous. Are you saying you never once thought before you where a nurse at what kind of nurse you would be? I think that's an important questions to ask yourself no matter what career you are getting into. So, LOL at you and your ignorant idea. :D

Good for you for doing your own homework. I do mine too and since this semester has not even started yet, I don't have any! But when I do....I will be the one doing it.

You can have a philosophy on anything by the way

Sure, I am an eager student. I don't even know any "upperclassmen" to get anything from. I'm not from the town I live in. I have my husbands family and those I work with.

I've had enough of AN for awhile. Thank you to those who responded. I appreciate it.

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I am working as a CNA on a med/surg floor and so far my philosophy is to see my pt as a human being and treat them how I would want to be treated. I believe a smile can go a long way. I tend to see the smaller things like; opening the blinds in the morning so the pt can see the sunrise, or bringing in a warm blanket when they are chilly, changing the water in flowers in the room so they last longer.

A smile can go a long way even towards the ones who may grunt or scowl back at you.

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Specializes in Neurosurgery, Long Term Care,.
I'm not sure someone would be able to identify my philosophy of nursing merely by observing me at work.

I would seriously hope that one's work as a nurse would reflect ones personal philosophy of nursing.

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