Personal Philosophy of Nursing
Personal Philosophy of Nursing
Nursing is an important part of healthcare, and it involves taking care of the physically or mentally ill. It is giving a patient the kind of treatment that they require. Nurses are an important part of the society and for this reason; they should be treated with respect.
Imagine you are sick in the hospital, and the nurses in the facility are not taking proper care of you, no one is. It’s pathetic, and you wish for just that one nurse who will at least try taking good care of you. No one would want to be in such a position not even think about it. This is why I chose nursing.
I chose nursing because it offers me a great opportunity to serve and take care of people in need. These include the physically and mentally ill, the disabled, pregnant and little children. I can call nursing a calling because it is the only way I will feel accomplished fulfilling my desires for humanity. I believe every human being has a right to be treated well under any circumstances, and I offer myself to serve in this profession.
Essence of Nursing
The essence of nursing varies from one nurse to another the essence should be having the ability to take care of a patient the way one would take care of them. A nurse should be able to take care of any patient regardless of their age, gender and beliefs. A good nurse should have basic skills such as observation skill and connect with the patients (Risjord 2011)
Initially, nursing was regarded as work meant for women. This is because it was mainly women who practiced nursing then. It was considered a feminine job and the male gender was discouraged from practicing nursing. They were rather encouraged to do masculine jobs such as engineering. This is the reason there are fewer male nurses in the profession.
Nurses are faced with many ethical issues that tend to bring them down. Such issues include honesty versus information. Nurses should be honest with their patients regardless of the information they are to give them. Nurses are usually left in a dilemma between telling their patients the truth about their condition even if it might hurt them and simply not telling them.
Beliefs and values
I believe that patients, being ordinary human beings, should be treated well. A patient is a vulnerable person who yearns for proper care. Therefore, they should be given the right information regardless of the consequences. Also, they should receive adequate emotional support.
A patient’s family or spouse should be given the right information, and it’s upon them to relay the news to their patient. They should be updated on the patient’s progress frequently. They should also be informed immediately in case of an emergency that involves their patients’ health.
Fellow health providers should be respected and valued. Their health is very important; therefore, they should not be exposed to disease-causing organisms. I believe that my fellow health providers are qualified, and their information can be of great assistance to me at all times.
I believe that my health comes first, therefore, should be vaccinated against diseases so that my chances of contracting any diseases can be low. Also, I should do exactly as I say to those patients that are drinking plenty of water, exercising and practicing proper hygiene since my health determines other people’s health in some way (Hesook & Ingrid, 2006).
Visions for the Future
In 2 years’ time, I would want to have finished my nursing studies, graduated and started practicing as a volunteer before am I formally employed. After that, changing lives out there as a nurse would redefine the meaning of nursing. I would want to have changed the perspective of nursing by being a good example to my fellow nurses by the end of 5 years of my profession. Further, it would be proper for me to further my studies in nursing in order to be recognized as one of the best nurses in the country. Thereafter, I would love to start a nursing school in the next 10 years that would equip future nurses with certain skills that they cannot acquire anywhere else.
Summary
My future goals are realistic and will need my strengths to get where I would love to be. My strengths include fast learning, this I can use during my studies. I have excellent group work skills; therefore, can work with anyone at any time. Nursing requires great responsibility which is another of my strengths.
I am poor at receiving supervision, hence I would rather do something the way it pleases me. Also, I am easily irritable and these may cost me because to start a school, great patience is required. Some patients may be very irritating, and being easily irritable I might snap and shout at a patient. All in all, am working on overcoming my weaknesses so as to achieve my goals.
References
Hesook, K & Ingrid, K. (2006) Nursing Theories: Conceptual and Philosophical Foundations. New York: Springer Publisher Company
Risjord, M. (2011) Nursing Knowledge: Science, Practice and Philosophy. New Jersey: John Wiley & sons
