Philosophy of Nursing

A nurse is their own person with their own ideas but some ways of thinking are beneficial to nurses. Their philosophy shapes the way they work and interact. Nurses General Nursing Article

Philosophy of Nursing

To develop an accurate philosophy of nursing, one must contemplate the qualities of the endeavors to which a nurse obligates their heart and soul to.

A nurse commits to being the embodiment of altruism, charisma, empathy, and knowledge applied to the enterprise of protection, promotion, and enhancement of the holistic health states of all persons. This includes, and is not limited to a nurse's practice in the professional arena, but also a nurse takes this proclivity outside the workplace to uphold these ideals.

Nurses also must sustain an ever increasing knowledge base to allow for changes and improvements to the health care system.

As British philosopher, Allan Watts, likened his fellow philosophers to "intellectual yokels;" or someone who always wants to understand every new advent and apply that intellectual understanding to their pursuit of philosophy. So to should nurses reflect on their own knowledge base and strive to become a "nursing yokel," always yearning for new experiences and understanding to elevate the level of professionalism inherent in their application of nursing.

Furthermore, nurses are obligated to their fellow professionals, as an integral part of the health care team, to aid and improve the ability of their peers. This collegiality is essential to the upkeep of the trusted image a nurse has among their colleagues and the public. Additionally, this allows for greater cohesion between health care workers and provides the patients with requisite care that espouses the statement of nursing above.

Finally, a nurse must always remember to whom they are ultimately accountable; their patient. This accountability is first and foremost in upholding the principles a nurse represents.

A nurse should constantly be asking themselves whether or not the care they are providing is exceeding the expectations of their patients and bestowing health advancement to preserve the patient's health integrity. Moreover, a nurse must remain vigilant of the duty to themselves in the same regard by being able to self-evaluate: "Am I providing the exceptional, empathic, and optimal holistic care that my patient deserves and that I can be proud of?"

All this and more make up a nurse. Not only does a nurse perform these duties in a professional sense but also in a personal sense. In order for a nurse to be the holistic provider of excellence incarnate, a nurse must champion the same ideals in their everyday life. This is what being a nurse is all about.

Philosophy-of-nursing.pdf

Up Vote Up Vote ×
gsmeagle2918

About gsmeagle2918

1 Article   12 Posts

Share this post

Share on other sites

It is good to recite this article from memory whenever I am wiping poo from a 400 lb. pt. and wondering why my PhD. nursing professor from the ivory tower never told me about how often this skill would be employed.:mad: As I search through the folds of blubber, hoping the Foley will find its place, a singular thought repeats itself in my mind, "Am I providing the exceptional, empathic, and optimal holistic care that my patient deserves and that I can be proud of?" :confused::uhoh3:

To be a nurse philosopher is much better than a nurse "holistic provider of excellence incarnate/champion",------ or as Confucius say "Much nicer to shovel poo, than to swim in poo!" :p Why don't nurse philosophers get a REAL job!:rolleyes: :D:twocents:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

Now, THIS is an interesting discussion!

From my perch, I think I can see the Promised Land. I can also see the waste.

I think of the words of Joseph Campbell, who said something like, "Mystics swim in the waters where others sink."

Somebody else said some fitting words, too. I wish I could remember what their name was. Anyway, the other quote goes something like, "A person gazing at the stars is still subject to the pot holes in the road."

Reality is like that.

But when I listen to Bach's Brandenburg Concerto on my walkman, it always makes anyplace more pleasant.

See ya.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).

Personally, I like Chrissy Hinds: "We're all down here in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." I love this article. The words may not all be the specific ones I would choose, but I agree with the general idea. Then again, I suppose I had a Philosophy of Carpentry when I was a carpenter. Some of us just tend to be more philosophical.

I'm beginning to think a philosophy of nursing is a bit like a careplan. I think we all have one, even though we may not have time to articulate one when we are up to our elbows in bodily fluids and the monitor's reading V-tach. I also think it's worth the effort to try to put it into words when circumstances permit.

I think we all have moments where we walk through the hospital door wondering, "Why am I doing this?" I think it helps to have already given some thought to an answer.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Just so you all know I wrote these words with only a few days of clinicals from my first semester of nursing school under my belt. Since then I have finally gotten some real experience as a nurse tech and those words still hold true for me. Granted I haven't reached the same levels as you all have, but I plan to! Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Just so you all know I wrote these words with only a few days of clinicals from my first semester of nursing school under my belt. Since then I have finally gotten some real experience as a nurse tech and those words still hold true for me. Granted I haven't reached the same levels as you all have, but I plan to! Thanks!

It is nice to know that you are still thinking of your philosophy and trying to figure it out!

Keep it up and do post if you think of anything else. This thread actually helped me tackle how I'm to even begin to write my own philosophy of nursing.

It is definitely intimidating writing your philosophy and submitting it to your employers and hope they do hire you and look in your philosophy and know that you are in truth a novice to the field, no experience of what it is out there... only armed with the knowledge and the promise of being the "future" of nursing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Nurses have a very responsible job. They help people every day.

By the way, read essays on the topic.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The article is missing how you would maintain these ideals under real world pressure. A nurse has to be a soldier these days to uphold these expectations. To literally push themselves physically.

The realities of today's nursing conditions reminds me of the Amazon warehouse jobs. Where a strong healthy hungry college student without any other outside responsibilities can withstand the physical stressors of the job for a summer, a middle aged single mom is going to look like a poor performer in comparison. Should nursing jobs be something only the temporary young athletic male can endure and be prohibitive to a relatively aging nurse who finally has acquired those years of experience and wisdom?

I am fortunate, I graduated at a great time for securing a job in my niche that has been doable all of these years. Having learned of the conditions other nurses are working under, it would seem to take a Herculean effort to maintain the philosophies every nurse might have started with.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment