NUR 700 Discussion 1.1: Metaparadigms and Impact of Theoretical Statements
NUR 700 Discussion 1.1: Metaparadigms and Impact of Theoretical Statements
- One of the four concepts of the nursing metaparadigm is the person. The person is further defined as a human being. Human beings are embodied by wholeness, sophistication, and cognizance (Smith, 2020). They differ from other species based on their complex intellectual development and ability to speak (Littzen et al., 2019). The human being of the nursing metaparadigm would be the client, or the patient receiving the care. These can also be broken up further into individuals, families, groups, and communities (Smith, 2020). Human beings have physiological, psychological, sociocultural, developmental, and spiritual aspects that must be taken into consideration when interacting or caring for them (Littzen et al., 2019). As a result, if all of this is not taken into consideration, one fails to adequately treat the person as a whole, and instead only treats one very minor aspect of what makes up a person (Alligood, 2014). The ultimate goal is that the person is empowered to oversee their own health and well-being with dignity and self-preservation (Bender & Feldman, 2015). I currently work in a rehabilitation hospital that focuses on rehabbing patients who have been affected by stroke, open heart surgeries, bone fractures, systemic infections, and other various ailments. On a daily basis, I look at my patients in a holistic manner. Meaning, I am treating not only the physical effects of the illness, but the mental and emotional toll it takes on them as well. For example, a stroke patient with expressive aphasia might feel far more frustrated and mentally drained trying to express their wants and needs than that of a patient who is only suffering from hemiparesis. Therefore, one way to ease the mental strain might be to provide them with picture boards to point at what they need. By giving them another means to communicate, the anxiety or fear associated with this particular aspect of stroke is greatly reduced.
- Three major tenets of my personal nursing philosophy are that I must be empathetic, well-informed, and display integrity at all times. In doing so, I will be a competent and effective nurse. I must focus on patient needs, healing, empowerment, and safety. I must do this, all while hypothetically placing myself in the patient’s situation in order to understand their feelings and perspective. I must also apply these beliefs to my daily life outside of nursing as well because the characteristics that comprise a good nursing theoretical foundation cannot be switched off at the end of shift. Rather, they are innate, and part of the nurse as a person. Smith (2020) mentions that classifying nursing as the physical tasks or actions that a nurse executes is a hindrance to the nursing profession. Instead, there must be a deeper set of ideas and beliefs behind those actions and mannerisms that ultimately focus on healing and health promotion rather than just fixing the affliction (Alligood, 2014).
- After seeing a nurse take care of my mother in an unprofessional, unkind, and unempathetic manner, I came to believe in these ideals. After witnessing this, I thought to myself, if this is how this nurse cares for patients going through a very difficult time in their life, I wonder how they treat people during a regular encounter. This happened before I was a nurse, but after I had decided I wanted to become a nurse. I told myself, that if I do ever become a nurse, I will never treat my patients in this manner, and instead would do my best to make them feel comfortable, help heal them, and understand what they and their families are going through. I further developed my holistic approach during my Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing program that focused heavily on nursing theory and practice application. This plays a huge part in why I started working in rehabilitative nursing. I wanted to do my best to get patients back to their prior level of function not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spYou will find important health information regarding minority groups by exploring the following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) links:
- Minority Health: http://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealt/index.html
- Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations: http://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealt/populations/remp.html
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iritually as well.
References
Alligood, M. R. (2014). Nursing theorists and their work (8th ed.). Elsevier.
Bender, M., & Feldman, M. S. (2015). A practice theory approach to understanding the interdependency of nursing practice and
the environment. Advances in Nursing Science, 38(2), 96–109. https://doi.org/10.1097/ans.0000000000000068
Littzen, C. R., Langley, C. A., & Grant, C. A. (2019). The prismatic midparadigm of nursing. Nursing Science Quarterly, 33(1),
41–45. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894318419881806
Smith, M. C. (2020). Nursing theories and nursing practice (5th ed.). F.A. Davis.
- Nursing metaparadigm
The environment is a critical nursing metaparadigm that defines how a person’s surrounding affect their perception of care. Fundamentally, a patient’s experience is determined by the impact of environmental factors and their capacity to overcome adverse
influences. Internal influences such as beliefs, perspectives, and customs have an immense impact on a person’s perception of care. External issues, including ecological problems such as warfare, terrorism, racism, and family dysfunction, also markedly affect a person’s attitude towards healthcare services (Nikfarid et al., 2018). An individual’s social circle has a direct bearing on the outcomes of medical treatment as they have the capacity to influence the experiences of the person. A supportive environment significantly aids the realization of improved recovery prospects due to the sustained assistance in adherence to the treatment program. The elderly are especially in need of support from those around them due to declining cognitive capabilities. Care providers in majorly minority communities must endeavour to be culturally competent improve the receptiveness of the members to healthcare.
2.Tenets
The three major tenets that define my nursing practice are advocacy, commitment, and compassion. Compassion is central to the provision of care as it improves the rapport between the practitioner and patient. Nurses are advised to be empathetic to the needs of the subjects and empathize with their situation to realize improved adherence and recovery outcomes. Advocacy is also an integral part of medical practice that involves community engagement to increase awareness of common public health challenges and adequately equip members to address them. Minority groups such as the elderly are at an increased risk of being affected by prevalent health problems due to limited exposure to information; thus, nurses should be committed to reaching the demographics to secure positive outcomes.
3.
I grew up around my grandparents, who were integral in instilling foundational social values that have defined my existence to date. However, as they got older, I noted that they experienced immense communication challenges due to age-related impairment. They cannot clearly voice their concerns or raise sound arguments. My grandparents also required frequent medical attention. Papa was hypertensive, with his wife suffering from diabetes. I would frequently interact with the nurses who provided care to them. I noted that while a majority of them were empathetic and kind, others were inhospitable and appeared not to be sympathetic to the fact that the patients were septuagenarians and needed to be treated with compassion, gentleness, and tenderness. The experience inspired me to pursue nursing as a career to offer more compassionate care, especially to traditionally disenfranchised groups, including minorities and the elderly.
References
Nikfarid, L., Hekmat, N., Vedad, A., & Rajabi, A. (2018). The main nursing metaparadigm concepts in human caring theory and Persian mysticism: a comparative study. Journal of medical ethics and history of medicine, 11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6150916/
1) Environment is one of the four concepts of the nursing metaparadigm that plays a key role when providing nursing care. This metaparadigm is comprised of both internal and external factors that contribute to the care that patients receive. Components such as lighting, the amount of space in a room, or the levels of noises and disruptions can either enhance or hinder a patient’s ability to heal (Zborowsky, 2014). In addition, the camaraderie amongst staff is another factor that can make or break a patient’s experience in the hospital (Branch et al., 2016). I am a travel nurse and I just started at a new hospital last week. I was helping out another nurse in her patient’s room and when she left the patient commented on how great it is that we are so nice to each other and asked if we were friends. I had actually never met this nurse before entering that room to help her but the patient wasn’t able to tell that based on our mutual respect for each other. According to Watson, establishing a “home-like environment” with adequate amounts of privacy and maintaining a quiet, serene atmosphere are ways to promote healing in the hospital (Branch et al., 2016). While this is not always possible in an acute care setting, I try to do my best to create as little disturbances throughout the night. For instance, I always try to cluster my care while working night shifts so that I am interrupting my patients sleep as few times as possible. In addition, simple tasks such as making sure my IV pumps are plugged in and that I have a full fluid bag handy helps decrease the chance of any extraneous noises disrupting sleep.
2) My nursing philosophy is characterized by providing culturally competent care, continuously advocating for my patients, and the ongoing commitment to learn. By maintaining these beliefs, I will be able to provide my patients with individualized care that is both evidence-based and promotes the best possible outcome. Due to the increase of multiculturalism here in the United States, the need for culturally competent care is essential and can help target vulnerable populations (Abualhaija, 2021). Whether it’s by avoiding assumptions, overcoming language barriers, or having the willingness to learn about the patient’s culture, cultural competence can help provide the best possible care to my patients. Patient advocacy is another important tenet of my nursing philosophy. As nurses, we spend the most time with our patients and have good sense of what is best for the patient and what the patient desires in terms of their care. We can be a voice for our patients when they are unable to speak up for themselves. We can also ensure our patients feel supported when it comes to decision making. Lifelong learning is another essential tenet that defines my nursing practice. Being up-to-date on all policy changes and using evidence-based practice are just a few ways I can provide quality care to my patients.
3) One of the best parts of travel nursing is getting to experience working in different parts of the country. This means working with a wide range of cultures and people of various socioeconomic statuses. Although I may not have the same upbringing or cultural beliefs as the individuals I am treating, it is important that I am still able to provide the best possible nursing care for that patient. Understanding what is important to my patient and being able to advocate for them when they are in need goes a long way, especially when that patient is unable to do so themselves. This was particularly relevant when I was working in Boston during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. I noticed that the majority of the patients being treated on my floor were Black and Latinx, many of whom spoke little to no English. These patients and their families had very little knowledge of the disease and the health risks associated with contracting it. Additionally, visitors were not allowed in the hospital, making the experience all the more intimidating. Seeing how vulnerable my patients were at this time highlighted just how important my job is and helped me identify the importance of providing culturally competent care, advocating for my patients, and continuing to educate myself in the discipline of nursing.
References
Abualhaija, N. (2021). Clarifying Cultural Competence in Nursing: A Concept Analysis Approach . Journal of Cultural Diversity , 28(1), 3–14.
Branch, C., Deak, H., Hiner , C., & Holzwart , T. (2016). Four Nursing Metaparadigms . IU South Bend Undergraduate Research Journal, 123–132.
Zborowsky T. (2014). The Legacy of Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory: Nursing Research Focusing on the Impact of Healthcare Environments. HERD, 7(4), 19–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/193758671400700404
2. The personal belief system valued by each nurse shapes the way he or she practices and provides care to patients. The main tenets that compose my personal philosophy of nursing include respect, collaboration, and advocacy. The different medical settings I have practiced in helped me prioritize my beliefs as a nurse. While pursing my undergraduate degree, I was a part of the health care team as a patient care technician. This job allowed me to float to different in-patient units at my hospital to experience a wide range of specialties. My first nursing job was as a perioperative nurse in an orthopedic operating room. I exclusively cared for patients while they were inside the operating room and usually under anesthesia. My current role is a nurse clinician at an outpatient dermatology clinic. The exposure to multiple health care settings, various health care teams, and diverse patient populations has solidified my principal beliefs.
References