Modules 1–2 Assignment: Written Philosophy of Nursing Practice
Modules 1–2 Assignment: Written Philosophy of Nursing Practice
Writing a personal philosophy statement is one strategy that nurses can use to demonstrate that their professional practice is congruent with the values that they uphold. A generic philosophy statement, such as a philosophy that relates with one’s life values, is one option for the philosophy statement (McEwen & Wills, 2017). It is also possible for it to be a philosophical statement that is in accordance with one’s convictions regarding the nursing profession, or it may be a philosophy that is specific to nursing school. The act of writing a nursing philosophy statement encourages nurses to articulate their core beliefs and examine the ways in which those beliefs relate to their professional work (McEwen & Wills, 2017). In this paper, I will describe how my philosophy of nursing practice accommodates practice concerns and encourages advocacy for social change. I will also present my philosophy of nursing practice. In addition, I will talk about the middle range theories as well as the interdisciplinary theories, focusing on how these theories support and inform my philosophy.
A Philosophy Statement Should Contain the Following Recommendations:
My understanding of nursing is that it is a humanistic science committed to a compassionate concern for maintaining and promoting health, preventing sickness, caring for and rehabilitating the sick and disabled, and promoting health in the general population. My understanding of nursing originates from Virginia Henderson’s conception of the nursing profession. My understanding is that professional nursing is a multifaceted service that aids people in carrying out actions that are beneficial to their health and that these individuals would carry out unassisted if they have the appropriate strength, willpower, or knowledge. To support folks in being independent even when they are in need of assistance as soon as it is possible is a distinctive and valuable contribution made by the nursing profession. My approach to nursing is centered on providing high-quality care that is compassionate, empathic, and centered on the needs of the patient, using the best techniques available. In addition to this, it is governed by the ethical principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, and fairness, all of which assist me in arriving at the choice that is most appropriate.
Modules 1–2 Assignment: Written Philosophy of Nursing Practice
Caring, self-worth, honesty, justice, empathy, and compassion are just a few examples of the personal values that guide my nursing work. I am of the opinion that the practice of nursing is predicated on the principle of compassion, which necessitates maintaining connections with others and ensuring that both individuals and institutions are given significance. Therefore, a nurse who demonstrates a loving attitude creates the capacity for coping in the face of danger and vulnerability in the patient population. My nursing practice is also guided by my professional values, which include a strong dedication to service, autonomy, a belief in the dignity and worth of each individual, and a commitment to education. In order to give quality care that is in line with the most recent recommendations, I think it is imperative for a nurse to make a commitment to education and innovation by constantly seeking to improve their knowledge and abilities in the field.
How the Application of My Philosophy Can Adapt to Your Increased Awareness of Practice Problems When You Are a DNP
Modules 1–2 Assignment: Written Philosophy of Nursing Practice
The nursing profession struggles with a number of problems, including inadequate staffing, workplace violence, poor safety measures, and a lack of focus on nurse self-care. My philosophy places an emphasis on providing high-quality care that is centered on the patient and tailored to fit the specific requirements of each unique patient. As a doctoral nurse practitioner, I am aware of the challenges that need to be addressed in order for nurses to offer patients with quality treatment and effectively satisfy their requirements. For nurses to be able to deliver care that is both secure and centered on the needs of patients, for example, staffing ratios need to be improved and workplace safety has to be enhanced. Because of the philosophy, I am in a position to exert some influence over the discourse around issues such as staffing, the promotion of safe working environments, ethical care of patients, decisions regarding budgetary allocations for health care, and organizational rules and procedures. In addition, the philosophy has the potential to equip me with the tools necessary to function as a moral actor within the context of nursing practice and to cultivate the ability to identify, reflect upon, and carry out moral obligations.
Modules 1–2 Assignment: Written Philosophy of Nursing Practice
How the Advocacy of Social Change is Supported or Reflected in My Philosophy as a Doctor of Nursing Practice
Advocating for social justice and the nursing profession by critically examining health policy in order to bring about social change is one of the fundamental components of a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. In order to be an active participant in the formation of health care policy, a DNP must first locate areas of weakness within the health care delivery system and then steer legislative efforts via the processes of negotiation and consensus-building (Edwards et al., 2018). Because it emphasizes providing exceptional patient care that is personalized to the needs of each individual, my philosophy is reflective of advocacy for societal change. This is because it will promote better health outcomes for the population as a whole. The ethical value of justice, which places an emphasis on the fair treatment of individuals and the equal distribution of resources, serves as its guiding principle.
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By bridging the gap between theoretical understanding and actual patient care, which is one of the requirements for the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, I have the potential to become a social activist. Facilitating evidence-based practice (EBP) to enhance patient care and outcomes within the context of the healthcare environment and the community at large is one of the responsibilities of a social change agent (Edwards et al., 2018). Community service is one approach to engage in activities that are beneficial to one’s health. This type of activity can also give members of the community the tools they need to adjust the health behaviors that they engage in, which in turn can lead to improved health outcomes.
The Middle Range Nursing Theories and How They Support My Nursing Practice Philosophy
The scope of middle-range nursing theories is limited; they focus on one particular issue and reflect current nursing practice. The Behavioral System theory developed by Dorothy Johnson and the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms formulated by Elizabeth Lenz and Linda Pugh are two examples of nursing theories that fall into the middle-range category. According to the Behavioral System idea, each individual possesses a set of behaviors that are purposeful, patterned, and repetitive, and these behaviors make up a behavioral system that is unique to that individual. The notion recommends fostering healthy and productive behavioral functioning in the patient as a means of protecting them from getting sick (Alligood, 2017). The following are the four goals that the model specifies for nursing: to provide assistance to the patient whose behavior is appropriate given the expectations of society.
should provide assistance to the patient so that he can adjust his behavior in ways that are consistent with the biological imperatives. to provide assistance to the patient so that they may derive the greatest possible benefit from the knowledge and expertise of the attending physician while they are ill. should offer support to the patient whose behavior does not suggest that they have been subjected to needless trauma as a result of their sickness (Alligood, 2017). My philosophy is supported by the theory, which demonstrates that a nurse plays a one-of-a-kind function in assisting patients in becoming independent when those patients require assistance. My philosophy focuses on preventing illness from contributing to health, much like the theory, which argues for developing efficient and effective behavioral functioning in the patient in order to prevent illness. In this way, my philosophy is similar to the theory.
The Health Promotion Model provides an analysis of the factors that influence the likelihood that individuals will engage in actions that are beneficial to their health. The model outlines seven cognitive-perceptual elements and five modifying factors that influence a person’s propensity to engage in health-enhancing behaviors. These factors affect a person’s likelihood of participating in these behaviors (Aqtam & Darawwad, 2018). A person’s perceptions of the meaning of health, the importance of health, the health status, and control over health are examples of cognitive-perceptual factors. Other cognitive-perceptual factors include perceived self-efficacy and the benefits and barriers to engaging in health-promoting behavior (Aqtam & Darawwad, 2018). My philosophy is supported by the theory since it shows that a nurse can favorably affect health-promoting behavior in patients, which in turn helps patients achieve healthier states. My worldview places a strong emphasis on health promotion, which I believe has the potential to dramatically affect the health-promoting behaviors of individuals.
The Role of Interprofessional Theories in the Development of My Nursing Practice Philosophy
One definition of an interdisciplinary theory is that it is “a systematic interpretation of a phenomenon that is specific to the discipline of study.” The Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) theory places a greater emphasis on the ways in which team members communicate and collaborate with one another than it does on the individual qualities of team members (Pype et al., 2018). The CAS provides a framework that enables me to explain patient care needs and processes to other members of the healthcare team, which in turn helps to shape my philosophy of nursing practice. As a DNP, the theory enables me to engage in conversation and critical thinking with other members of the healthcare team. When working within an organization that is confronted with obstacles such as uncertainty, the requirement to act, the absence of a predictable outcome, and a high level of complexity, it has proven to be effective (Pype et al., 2018). In addition to that, it has taught me that when an organization is dealing with unpredictability, a leader may best function by delegating control and providing support to members of the organization who are attempting to find answers to the problems.
Conclusion
My approach to nursing is based on the principle that quality care for patients should be personalized to meet the requirements of each specific patient. Caring, self-worth, honesty, justice, empathy, compassion, commitment to service, autonomy, dignity, and devotion to education are some of the values that guide my nursing profession. I am able to apply the philosophy to clinical scenarios in which patient safety, nurse safety, and ethical nursing care are at risk and utilize it to examine, critique, challenge, and argue these issues. My philosophy statement can serve as a map for me to follow as I pursue innovation and the generation of ideas to advance health fairness in society.
References
Alligood, M. R. (2017). Nursing theorists and their work-e-book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Aqtam, I., & Darawwad, M. (2018). Health promotion model: An integrative literature review. Open Journal of Nursing, 8(07), 485-503. doi: 10.4236/ojn.2018.87037
Edwards, N. E., Coddington, J., Erler, C., & Kirkpatrick, J. (2018). The Impact of the Role of Doctor of Nursing Practice Nurses on Healthcare and Leadership. Medical Research Archives, 6(4). https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v6i4.1734
McEwen, M., & Wills, E. M. (2017). Theoretical basis for nursing. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Pype, P., Mertens, F., Helewaut, F., & Krystallidou, D. (2018). Healthcare teams as complex adaptive systems: Understanding team behavior through team members’ perception of interpersonal interaction. BMC Health Services Research, 18(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-018-3392-3
My Nursing Philosophy
The development of an effective nursing philosophy is one of the most important drivers of the high quality of healthcare services. The rapid expansion of globalization processes, frequent changes in the external environment, political tensions, scientific and technological progress, and other phenomena contribute to a high level of uncertainty surrounding the nursing practice (Black, 2022). The abundance of narratives with conflicting implications makes nursing a challenging profession, especially considering the number of obstacles faced by nurses on a regular basis. In this paper, I would like to discuss my nursing philosophy of patient-centered care in an attempt to show that paying attention to patients, ensuring their safety, and educating them on relevant issues related to their diagnosis, treatment options, and lifestyle adjustments could make a significant contribution to patient satisfaction, wellbeing, and quality of life. The discussion paper relies on the social cognitive and self-care deficit theories to illustrate the significance of my nursing philosophy and illustrate how it could be utilized to provide high-quality care to patients.
Middle Range Theories
Middle-range theories play a major role in social sciences. Unlike “grand theories”, which adopt a deductive research approach in an attempt to advance some general idea, these frameworks start with an empirical phenomenon and address it in a systematic manner. According to Mcewen and Wills (2019), middle-range theories are characterized by a specific focus, operate with a relatively low number of parameters, and address a small number of phenomena. The focus on specific propositions and concepts that can be defined and measured predetermines the growing popularity of middle-range theories in nursing research (Mcewen & Wills, 2019). Because of this reason, it seems justified to refer to such theories in the current discussion paper to illustrate the significance of my nursing philosophy.
Reflection on My Nursing Philosophy
My philosophy of nursing practice is based on the assumption that a patient-centered care approach is capable of providing mutual benefits to nurses and patients. In my experience, unnecessary emergency department (ED) visits and the lack of knowledge of patients’ mental health conditions are critical challenges faced by emergency departments. Hospital staff often does not have the time to properly educate each patient on all the nuances of their diagnosis, home discharge instructions, and continuation of care in the hospital. For example, nurses might not be able to explain in detail all the instructions regarding the administration of meds or the way to change a colostomy bag. Poor communication between healthcare team members regarding such issues undermines the quality of care and results in undesirable outcomes, such as unnecessary ED visits, low patient satisfaction rates, and nurse burnout. I believe that these risks can be mitigated by applying evidence-based practices to improve communication among the healthcare team to better educate patients and improve their safety. The Social Cognitive Theory and Self-Care Deficit Theory offer valuable frameworks for launching and supporting such initiatives.
The Social Cognitive Theory
The social cognitive theory (SCT) is a highly popular theory in social sciences. In the most general view, it could be defined as a framework explaining the effect of individual experiences and various external factors on individual behavior (Strudwick et al., 2016). According to this theory, people usually learn by witnessing the behavior of others in a particular environment or observing changes in their surroundings (Bandura, 2023). It also depicts people as active agents of learning since they not only consume information but also process it in light of their personal attitudes and individual experiences. SCT is of paramount importance for my nursing philosophy because it implies that nurses are in a position to educate patients on relevant aspects of their mental conditions.
One of the key constructs embedded in SCT is the phenomenon of self-efficacy. According to Bandura (2023), self-efficacy refers to the belief that people have full control over their behavior. Addressing self-efficacy is a crucial part of the learning process since it is responsible for the application of new knowledge in practice. The notion of reinforcements, which is another important element of the SCT, also is relevant from this perspective since a combination of positive reinforcements can strengthen an individual’s desire to change their behavior (Aliakbari et al., 2020). SCT offers a convenient and practical framework for maximizing the value of learning by addressing learners’ self-efficacy and applying reinforcements. Both these issues are vital components of my nursing philosophy.
SCT is relevant for understanding the relationships between nurses, physicians, and patients. I believe that healthcare professionals can use SCT to improve patient safety and exchange the best experiences in improving patient education. Pinpointing specific faults committed by members of a unit and demonstrating the appropriate conduct for healthcare team members to watch, learn from, and emulate is an example of how SCT can be utilized to improve patient safety. In addition, individual members of the team can provide direct instruction and feedback to guarantee that the appropriate procedures and education are being followed.
The Self-Care Deficit Theory
The Self-Care Deficit Theory (SCDT) is another construct that is pertinent to my nursing philosophy. This framework emphasizes individual’s capacity to care for themselves (Gligor & Domnariu, 2020). It could be inferred from this theory that healthcare professionals have a responsibility to help patients care for themselves by providing them with the tools and knowledge that are necessary for improving their health and overall wellbeing (Yip, 2021. SCDT might be instrumental in helping patients in emergency rooms and their family members learn how to provide self-care. Such a goal can be accomplished by providing access to resources assisting with self-care, educating patients and family members on the significance of self-care, and creating an environment that supports self-care. These initiatives can improve patients’ health and wellbeing, while also reducing the likelihood of unnecessary emergency department visits in the future.
Summary
This discussion paper provided a brief introduction to my nursing philosophy, which is grounded in a commitment to improving the quality of care for patients. I believe that enhanced communication between nurses and patients as well as among healthcare professionals, which can be achieved with the help of the Social Cognitive Theory, can lead to improved patient safety. The theory also might facilitate the exchange of best practices among nurses in regard to patient education. SCT is a highly effective framework that can provide nurses with an opportunity to educate patients on their diagnosis, meds administration instructions, and home discharge by applying reinforcements and appealing to their self-efficacy. A responsibility to help patients care for themselves derives from the Self-Care Deficit Theory. My nursing philosophy suggests that these two theories should be applied together to help nurses communicate with patients, prioritize their self-care needs, and help patients overcome various challenges related to their conditions. In my opinion, these two theories can support the implementation of evidence-based practices to improve patient care.
References
Aliakbari, F., Alipour, F.M., Tavassoli, E., & Sedehi, M. (2020). The effect of empowerment program based on the social cognitive theory on the activity of daily living in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 9, 146. https://doi.org/10.4103%2Fjehp.jehp_752_19
Bandura, A. (2023). Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective on human nature. Wiley.
Black, B. (2022). Professional nursing: Concepts & challenges. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Gligor, L., & Domnariu, C.D. (2020). Patient care approach using nursing theories – Comparative analysis of Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory and Henderson’s model. Sciendo, 25(2), 11-14. https://doi.org/10.2478/amtsb-2020-0019
McEwen, M., & Wills, E. M. (2019). Theoretical basis for nursing. Wolters Kluwer.
Strudwick, G., Booth, R., & Mistry, K. (2016). Can Social Cognitive Theories help us understand nurses’ use of electronic health records? Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 34(4), 169-174. https://doi.org/10.1097/CIN.0000000000000226
Yip, J.Y.C. (2021). Theory-based advanced nursing practice: A practice update on the application of Orem’s self-care Deficit Nursing Theory. Sage Open Nursing, 7, 1-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/23779608211011993