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A Student’s Philosophy of NursingSamanthe DoughtenOld Dominion UniversityA Student’s Philosophy of Nursing It is difficult to distill out a clear answer to such a poignant question as one’s own philosophy of nursing since, like the profession, this should be an ever-growing and evolving position. Each nurse learns and finds what seems to work for themself, as they progress along their own individual journey. This paper is an attempt to define and discuss the purpose of nursing as I currently see it, as well as examine underlying values, beliefs, and core concepts of professional practice.Definition of NursingNursing is truly a beautiful blend of art and science; it is the crossroads of compassion and knowledge. In short, nursing becomes the process of helping accomplish whatever the patient will need. Virginia Henderson defined nursing as “assisting the individual, sick or well, in the performance of activities contributing to health, or its recovery, (or to peaceful death), that he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will, or knowledge.” (Henderson, 1964, pg. 66). This means that the nurse would help the patient with whatever he cannot do independently. As the needs of the patient increase or decrease, the nurse’s assistance would shift continually. Outside of a hospital setting, nursing may well largely become the role of educator, but it still refers back to the definition of helping the patient in the goal of achieving optimal health at their point in life.Purpose of NursingThe purpose of nursing can best be described by citing the many functions or roles of the nurse. Hildegrard Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relations in Nursing proposed six nursing roles including: stranger, resource person, teacher, leader, surrogate and counselor (Alligood, 2013). A nurse has many roles and each role has a different purpose to complete in the entire picture of patient care. The nature of nursing is not just treating those who are sick or ill. It is being active in preventing an illness when possible, through education and the promotion of healthy life choices. Values and BeliefsOne cannot be a good nurse without the core values of compassion and knowledge; indeed, one cannot be successful without both in constant interplay. Nursing is based on evidence-based information, and this is a knowledge base that is ever-changing. Nurses must be lifetime learners to stay current with new technology, drugs, and procedures that their patient might potentially need. However, a nurse with a very high level of knowledge and skill would be virtually useless without compassion and a connection to the patient she is caring for. Compassion should be a combination of respect and a devotion to the core idea of the human dignity of the person in care. Although emotional connections should of course remain professional, the concept of treating each patient the way that we would want our own family members to be treated is a goal which may all too often be forgotten, as we respond to time constrictions and patient census overloads. It must be a goal to actually take the time to explain as much information as possible to the patient/family member, and make sure that this is understood. If we offer comfort and consolation when needed, along with the connection of understanding, it is therein that we reap the substantial intangible rewards that nursing as a profession can provide. As a nurse we must “get into the patient’s shoes” and show empathy; we can connect with the essential thehuman bonds that make life so very precious.Empathy and therapeutic communication can help to build a bond and create a relationship between the nurse and patient. This allows for a more honest exchange and a collaboration of ideas between patient and the health care team, with a significant improvement of the level of care that is received. Knowledge delivered with compassion can combine to make the patient comfortable enough that they can accept and utilize the information received. Clients who feel safe and cared for will heal faster, and report a much higher assessment of satisfaction in regard to their hospital stay. They also experience far better patient outcomes of recovery and resolution of the issues that brought them to seek care.Guiding Principles of Professional PracticeCommunication with fellow workers is a constant bulwark of support and strength for a nurse. Although occupying a “front line” position for a much larger team which is providing the care for the patient, directions can seem to emanate from a safe bunker miles away; however, truly, the nurse is never alone. When one considers the input from the doctors, charge nurses, fellow RNs, care partners, social workers, custodial staff, physical therapy, dieticians and so forth, a solitary nurse is never alone in taking care of a client. The collaboration and relationships with other health care workers and facility staff is invaluable. Therapeutic communication must be used with co-workers as well as with the patient; this can facilitate a solid chain of information to be disseminated. An open line of communication can help to ensure that information is not lost or garbled, and that the patient’s needs are effectively addressed.A real life scenario: a patient is admitted as a John Doe, diagnosed with syncope; he is alert but not oriented to place or time. The patient continually attempts to leave the room and unit, tries to remove his armbands, and is a high fall risk due to the syncope. He is friendly and likes to talk but needs continual reorienting. Unfortunately, the unit is close to full, with the only open room at the end of hallway on the far side of the nursing station. A female patient who is low-risk, not requiring close supervision, is talked to about moving rooms and getting to a quieter spot, away from the bustle of the nursing station. The care partner moves the low-risk woman to the far end of the hall, and housekeeping quickly cleans the room for the disoriented man’s use. The social worker and charge nurse work together with police to figure out who the John Doe is, and to contact next of kin. The man is more content to stay in the room where he can see the nurses working. Although only one nurse is assigned to the patient, all of the nurses work together to keep an eye on him and reassure him as much as possible. The man’s assessment and health history are completed because he has been identified, and medical records have been found. The attending doctors order tests and the catheterization lab is called to take him down to have a pacemaker placed. The man is discharged three days later, happy and healthy, to his long-term care facility. This intervention was only successful because of collaboration amongst the health care team. As previously stated, the nurse is often the face of an entire health care team for patients; this is one of the many reasons it is so important for nurses to maintain a professional appearance. This means that all details of a nurse’s entire self-presentation can be significant in their connection to a patient: dress, make-up, grooming style including hair and nails, perfume/cologne, verbal and nonverbal communication, and attitude. A patient’s first impression of a nurse is from her appearance, and therefore it should be appropriate and reflect well on the individual and the facility. A positive professional image is an important aspect of having patients and staff respect the nurse (Hatfield, 2013). Let us consider a real scenario: a patient, normally a smoker, who has been ordered confined to strict bed rest after surgery. The nurse comes back from a cigarette break and quickly pops in a piece of gum prior to walking in to the patient room. She is there to give meds, offer a nicotine patch and give post-operative teaching. The patient is offended by the nurse chewing gum, and can smell smoke on the nurse. It strikes the patient as hypocritical that the nurse is offering her a nicotine patch. Despite the compassionate and knowledgeable care that the nurse is trying to give, there are inherent barriers to the therapeutic communication and trusting relationship which needs to be built. As with parenting, the message of what you are needs to coincide with the message that you are trying to state.ConclusionEvery nurse must figure out his or her own philosophy of care on a continual and never-ending journey of self-discovery. While each nurse will come to their own individualized definition of what nursing is, carefully considered values and beliefs can be guiding principles of professional practice along this journey. The common tenet for all nurses is a commitment to others, with the unquestionable objective to use your scientific knowledge to help those in need. A critical facet of professionalism in nursing is professional appearance and the collaborative relationship between other members of the teams. All of these qualities will help to build a nurse’s profile into becoming the skilled employee who can provide high quality, compassionate patient care. ReflectionThis course and paper have helped me to formulate a clearer idea of whom I hope to be as a nurse throughout my career. I have solidified my views of patient care as a holistic method that cares for and treats every aspect of the patient. My goal is to be able to continue to see each patient as an individual, each with specialized needs both physically and psychologically. I hope to be able to keep my skills at a very high level corresponding to the most recent evidence-based practice, finding new and improved ways of executing care. The rewards that come from competence and connection with others are a huge part of what has called me into this profession.ReferencesAlligood, M. (2013). Nursing theorists and their work (7th ed.) 5. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Health Sciences. Kindle Edition. Hatfield, L., Pearce, M. (2013). The professional appearance of registered nurses: Aan integrative review of peer-referred studies. Journal of Nursing Administration, 43,. pg. 108-112. Henderson, V. (1964). The nature of nursing. American Journal of Nursing. pg. 62–68. “I pledge to support the honor system of Old Dominion University. I will refrain from any form of academic dishonesty or deception, such as cheating or plagiarism. I am aware that as a member of the academic community, it is my responsibility to turn in all suspected violators of the honor system. I will report to Honor Council hearings if I am summoned.”Signature: Samanthe Doughten 11-7-14Grading CriteriaCommentsPointsAppropriate introduction is included. (5%)5The student's definition of nursing, whether borrowed or original, is described and explained. (15%)15The purpose of nursing from the student's perspective is clearly described. (10%)Elaborates from Peplau10Values and beliefs about nursing are clearly identified. (10%)10TWO principles or rules that guide professional practice are identified; and a specific example of how each rule or principle has been utilized or demonstrated in the daily practice of nursing are included. These can be specific examples from your clinical experiences. (15%)Good examples provided15Conclusion summarizes main points of paper, *Remember that the conclusion of the paper should reiterate the main points. It should never introduce new ideas or things not discussed in the body of the paper. Try not to repeat the exact language you used in other areas of the paper, especially the introduction. (10%)10Reflection- Reflect on or evaluate what you learned. (5%)5Three (3) references are cited in the paper and included on the reference list (10%)10Correct grammar, spelling and punctuation (10%)10Correct use of APA format, including adherence to page limit of 6 pages (10%)Need to add page number for direct quotes for in text citations. Reference page: minor errors, see corrections. 9Final Grade: (100%)Excellent paper Samanthe, I enjoyed reading your writing. It was very easy to hear your voice and compassion for nursing.99 ................
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