NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages
Walden University NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages-Step-By-Step Guide
This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Walden University NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.
How to Research and Prepare for NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages
Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Walden University NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.
After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.
How to Write the Introduction for NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages
The introduction for the Walden University NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.
How to Write the Body for NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages
After the introduction, move into the main part of the NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.
Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.
How to Write the Conclusion for NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages
After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.
How to Format the References List for NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages
The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.
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Sample Answer for NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages
By composing a personal philosophy statement, nurses can demonstrate that their practice is in line with their value system. The philosophy statement can be general, such as a philosophy relating to one’s life values (McEwen & Wills, 2017). It may also be a philosophy statement that reflects one’s beliefs about the nursing profession, or it may be a nursing school-specific philosophy. Writing a philosophy statement encourages nurses to articulate their values and demonstrate how their philosophy relates to their professional practice (McEwen & Wills, 2017). This paper will present my nursing practice philosophy and discuss how it accommodates practice issues and supports social change advocacy. I will also discuss how the middle range and interdisciplinary theories support and shape my philosophy.
Recommendations Regarding a Philosophy Statement
I view nursing as a humanistic science committed to maintaining and promoting health, preventing illness, and caring for and rehabilitating the ill and disabled with compassion. My nursing definition is based on Virginia Henderson’s nursing definition. I view professional nursing as a complex service that assists individuals in performing health-promoting activities that they would perform independently if they possessed the necessary strength, will, or knowledge. It is the unique contribution of the nursing profession to assist individuals in regaining their independence as soon as they require assistance. My nursing practice philosophy is based on providing quality, compassionate, empathetic, patient-centered care in accordance with best practices. In addition, it is guided by the ethical principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice, which help me make the best decision possible.
Caring, self-worth, honesty, fairness, empathy, and compassion are the personal values that guide my nursing practice. I believe that the nursing profession is founded on the value of caring, which necessitates connection and the belief that people and things are significant. Therefore, by displaying a caring nature, a nurse increases the likelihood of coping with risk and vulnerability. My nursing practice is also driven by my professional values, which include a strong commitment to service, autonomy, belief in the dignity and worth of each individual, and dedication to education. I believe that a nurse should be committed to education and innovation by continuously seeking to improve their knowledge and skills in order to provide quality care in accordance with the current standards.
How My Philosophy Can Adapt to Your Increased Awareness of Practice Concerns as a DNP
The nursing profession faces numerous challenges, including workplace safety, workplace violence, insufficient staffing, and nurse self-care. My philosophy emphasizes providing individualized, high-quality patient-centered care. As a DNP, I am aware of the issues that must be resolved for nurses to provide quality care and meet patients’ needs adequately. For nurses to provide safe, patient-centered care, for instance, staffing ratios and workplace safety must be improved. The philosophy enables me to influence conversations about staffing, promotion of safe working environments, ethical care for patients, budgetary decisions in health care, and organizational policies and procedures. In addition, the philosophy can equip me with the skills necessary to act as a moral agent in the nursing practice setting and to develop the ability to recognize, reflect on, and act upon moral responsibilities.
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How My Philosophy Supports or Reflects Social Change Advocacy as a DNP
One of the essential components of a Doctor of Nursing Practice is advocating for social justice and the nursing profession by analyzing health policy to effect social change. A DNP identifies gaps in the health care delivery system and leads legislation through negotiation and consensus-building in order to participate actively in health care policy (Edwards et al., 2018). My philosophy reflects advocacy for social change because it emphasizes providing individualized, high-quality patient care that promotes better population health outcomes. It is governed by the ethical principle of justice, which emphasizes fair treatment of individuals and equitable resource distribution.
I can become an agent of social change as a DNP-prepared nurse by bridging the gap between theory and clinical practice. Facilitating EBP to improve patient care and outcomes within the healthcare setting and the community at large is the responsibility of a social change agent (Edwards et al., 2018). One way to engage in health-promoting activities is through community service, which can empower community members to modify their health behaviors to promote better health outcomes.
Middle-Range Nursing Theories and How They Support My Nursing Practice Philosophy
Middle-range nursing theories are limited in scope, focus on a particular phenomenon, and reflect nursing practice. The Behavioral System theory by Dorothy Johnson and the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms by Elizabeth Lenz and Linda Pugh are examples of middle-range nursing theories. The Behavioral System theory posits that each individual has patterned, purposeful, and repetitive ways of acting that are unique to that individual. To prevent illness, the theory advocates fostering efficient and effective behavioral functioning in the patient (Alligood, 2017). The model identifies four nursing objectives: To assist the patient whose behavior is consistent with social expectations. To assist the patient in modifying his behavior in accordance with biological imperatives. To assist the patient in receiving the maximum benefit from the physician’s knowledge and skill during illness. To support the patient whose behavior is not indicative of unnecessary illness-related trauma (Alligood, 2017). The theory supports my philosophy by demonstrating that a nurse has a unique role in assisting patients in need of assistance to be independent. Similar to the theory, which advocates for fostering efficient and effective behavioral functioning in the patient to prevent illness, my philosophy focuses on preventing illness from contributing to health.
The Health Promotion Model describes variables that influence the likelihood that an individual will engage in health-promoting behavior. The model identifies seven cognitive-perceptual factors and five moderating factors that influence an individual’s propensity to engage in health-promoting behavior (Aqtam & Darawwad, 2018). Cognitive-perceptual factors consist of an individual’s perceptions of the significance of health, health status, control over health, and meaning of health, as well as perceived self-efficacy and the benefits/barriers to health-promoting behavior (Aqtam & Darawwad, 2018). The theory confirms that a nurse positively influences health-promoting behavior in patients to promote healthy states, thus supporting my philosophy. My philosophy emphasizes health promotion, which can significantly affect the health-promoting behaviors of individuals.
How Interdisciplinary Theories Influence My Nursing Practice Philosophy
An interdisciplinary theory describes a systematic perspective on a phenomenon that is specific to the field of study. The Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) theory focuses more on the interaction between team members than on their individual characteristics (Pype et al., 2018). CAS influences my nursing philosophy by providing a framework for communicating patient care needs and processes to other members of the healthcare team. The theory enables me, as a DNP, to engage in conversation and reflection with other health team members. It has been useful when working within an organization facing challenges such as uncertainty, the need to act, the absence of a predictable outcome, and a high degree of complexity (Pype et al., 2018). In addition, I’ve learned that when an organization faces uncertainty, a leader can operate most effectively by delegating authority and assisting those who are attempting to identify solutions.
Conclusion
My nursing practice philosophy is centered on providing quality, individualized care for each patient’s specific needs. Caring, self-worth, honesty, fairness, empathy, compassion, commitment to service, autonomy, dignity, and commitment to education guide my nursing practice. I can analyze, critique, challenge, and debate clinical situations that endanger patient safety, nurse safety, and ethical nursing care using nursing philosophy. My philosophy statement can inspire me to be creative and generate ideas to advance health equity in the community.
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
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Sample Answer 2 for NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages
A philosophy statement is a self-reflective statement that outlines what one believes and what one does in the practice classroom to support these beliefs. In the previous weeks, I explained my philosophy of nursing practice and identified theories that can be applied to address a practice issue. In this assignment, I will expound on my philosophy and describe how it is supported by advocacy of social change and middle-range and interdisciplinary theories.
Philosophy Statement
My philosophy of nursing practice is based on the notion of nurses providing quality, empathetic, compassionate, patient-centered care that is guided by best practice. I identify nursing as a humanistic science devoted to a compassionate course of maintaining and promoting health, preventing diseases, and rehabilitating the sick and disabled. My philosophy of nursing practice is driven by my belief that nurses should strive to provide the best patient care possible based on integrity, fairness, and respect. Nursing practice is based on the value of caring, which involves making patients feel that they matter. Furthermore, my philosophy is based on the belief in continuous improvement. Consequently, I strive to improve my nursing knowledge and skills continuously.
How My Philosophy Can Accommodate My Expanded Awareness of Practice Issues
The nursing profession encounters a wide range of practice issues related to the delivery of patient care and healthcare conditions linked with poor outcomes. One of the practice issues I identified in week two is hypertension. Hypertension is a chronic lifestyle disease that has been on the rise globally in the past decades. Uncontrolled hypertension is associated with complications such as cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, nephropathy, and retinopathy. My philosophy is committed to enabling individuals and communities to maintain and promote health, prevent diseases, and rehabilitate the sick and disabled (Edwards et al., 2018). Thus, I can apply my philosophy to address the issue by providing health education on the prevention of hypertension and measures individuals can take to promote a healthy life.
How My Philosophy Reflects or Supports Advocacy of Social Change as A DNP
The DNP, as a social change agent, has the role of advocating for social justice. This can be achieved by engaging in advocacy and policy initiatives. My philosophy of nursing practice reflects the advocacy of social change since I believe that the nurse has a role in advocating for positive social change by critically analyzing existing health policies to identify gaps that should be bridged to improve healthcare access and delivery (Rivaz et al., 2021). Nurses should be at the forefront of healthcare policymaking and should propose policy amendments or new policies to improve the quality of healthcare in the community they serve.
Middle-Range Nursing Theories and How They Support My Philosophy of Nursing Practice
Middle-range nursing theories that support my philosophy are Orem’s theory of Self-Care and the uncertainty in illness theory. The self-care theory asserts that each person has self-care needs and the right and ability to meet these needs themselves, except when their ability is compromised in some way. Self-care requisites are universal. This means that they are common to all human beings and associated with human functioning and life processes (Yip, 2021). According to Riegel et al. (2019), the self-care theory is meant to maintain health through health-promotion practices and managing illnesses. The self-care theory supports my philosophy of practice, which emphasizes helping individuals meet their needs either by helping them directly or educating them to meet these needs appropriately. Furthermore, my philosophy focuses on promoting health, preventing diseases, and rehabilitating the sick and disabled, which is vital in helping individuals meet their self-care needs.
The uncertainty in illness theory (UIT) explains how patients and caregivers facing acute and chronic diseases perceive and cope with uncertainty. UIT aims to provide a comprehensive framework that helps view the experience of patients with acute and chronic illnesses (Taş Bora & Buldukoğlu, 2020). The framework also helps to coordinate nursing interventions to promote optimal adjustment in patients. UIT supports my philosophy of practice since I advocate for healthcare professionals to provide adequate and clear information to patients and their families about their health conditions. This supports them in understanding and managing uncertainty.
How Interdisciplinary Theories Inform My Philosophy of Nursing Practice
The Disease causation theory is an interdisciplinary theory that informs my philosophy of nursing practice. One of the theories that make up the Disease causation theory is the theory of general susceptibility, which aims to identify why some social groups are more susceptible to a disease and its mortality than others (Dharmashree et al., 2020). This informs my philosophy’s element of disease prevention and health maintenance since there is a need to identify factors that influence disease in a certain population and identify preventive or mitigation measures.
Conclusion
My philosophy of nursing practice centers on providing compassionate and patient-centered care. I can apply the philosophy to help persons diagnosed with hypertension control BP and prevent complications. The philosophy is supported by the theory of Self-Care and the uncertainty in illness theory, as well as interdisciplinary theories like Disease causation theory.
References
Dharmashree, S., Manish, K., Radha, D., Sharmistha, M., & Karishma, R. (2020). Theories of disease causation: an overview. Indian J Forensic Med Toxicol, 14(1).
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
Riegel, B., Jaarsma, T., Lee, C. S., & Strömberg, A. (2019). Integrating Symptoms Into the Middle-Range Theory of Self-Care of Chronic Illness. ANS. Advances in nursing science, 42(3), 206–215. https://doi.org/10.1097/ANS.0000000000000237
Rivaz, M., Shokrollahi, P., Setoodegan, E., & Sharif, F. (2021). Exploring the necessity of establishing a doctor of nursing practice program from experts’ views: a qualitative study. BMC Medical Education, 21(1), 328. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02758-w
Taş Bora, S., & Buldukoğlu, K. (2020). Using the Uncertainty in Illness Theory to provide care for the caregiver: A case report. Journal of Psychiatric Nursing, 11(1), 70–77. DOI: 10.14744/phd.2019.44365
Yip, J. (2021). Theory-Based Advanced Nursing Practice: A Practice Update on the Application of Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory. SAGE open nursing, p. 7, 23779608211011993. https://doi.org/10.1177/23779608211011993
Sample Answer 3 for NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages
Thank you for your detailed post on Nursing philosophy. I enjoyed reading your post, especially where you narrated how your grandmother inspired you to become a caring nurse. I indeed agree with you that all patients need to be treated with respect and as an individual to avoid generalization and bias.
I became a nurse more than ten years ago. I started as a caregiver for adults with mental challenges. After seeing their challenges in meeting their daily function, I decided to go back to school to provide a higher level of care. After completing my school, I was more compassionate with my patients and could communicate their needs to other staff members and the management. I was also able to build good relationships with family members when explaining conditioning changes about their clients, whether getting better or worse. Nurses need to have the knowledge and use evidence-based practice to offer the best care to their patients. (Hirani et al., 2018)
With the knowledge from my education and experience with clients from diverse communities, I am involved in community health activities where we offer screening for hypertension and diabetes every year. Now that I am in the DNP program, I look forward to going the extra mile and getting involved in state- and country-wide community health events.
Now, as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, I feel happy when I serve others. My nursing philosophy is centered on the desire to serve and be compassionate toward others. I hope to reach and serve a significant population with mental illness who are not able to access care.
I also encourage you to use interdisciplinary team collaboration to offer better holistic care to our patients. Nurses should have strong self-confidence and intelligent collaboration to make changes in the quality of life of others while caring for their health at the same time. (Suandika et al. 2021).
References
Hirani SAA, Richter S, Salami BO. Realism and relativism in the development of nursing as a discipline. ANS Adv Nurs Sci. 2018;41(2):137-44. [PubMed ID: 29595527Links to an external site.]. https://doi.org/10.1097/ANS.0000000000000207Links to an external site..
Suandika, M., Tang, W.-R., Ulfah, M., & Cahyaningrum, E. D. (2021). Self-confidence of Nurses Philosophy: A Concept Analysis. Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences, 9(T4), 206–211. https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2021.5788
Sample Answer 4 for NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages
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
Sample Answer 5 for NURS 8114 Develop your written philosophy of nursing practice in a paper of 3–5 pages
In everyday practice, nurses come across different patients with different health problems requiring relevant and up-to-date interventions. As the professional nurse’s role dictates, a nurse should examine the patient holistically to provide medical assistance that matches specific patient needs. Nurses should also develop creative ways of reducing illnesses and related burdens in healthcare organizations, families, and communities. Regardless of their specialties, nurses should be guided in everyday practice by nursing philosophies. They should know what quality health entails, understand patient needs and how patients should be handled. This paper describes my philosophy of nursing practice. Focus areas include how the philosophy accommodates my expanded awareness of practice issues as a DNP, supporting advocacy of social change, and relevant theories supporting and informing my philosophy.
Philosophy of Nursing Practice
Nurses serve in different fields whose care models differ according to experiences, patient needs, and resources, among other factors. Despite situational differences, nurses have goals and envision delivering care in specific ways guided by their philosophies. Cheraghi et al. (2019) described a nursing philosophy as the values, ethics, beliefs, and motivations that inspire nurses to be health care professionals. Personal beliefs represent what motivates nurses to do what they do. I believe that I am the bridge between illness and healing. To achieve the goals that guide my everyday practice, I must serve patients compassionately, empathetically, and in the most patient-centered way possible. My professional and moral role is to promote healing through my skills while advocating for patient needs as situations necessitate.
While growing up, socializing, and in routine practice, nurses come across situations that require their input to change them positively. Mental health disorders have plagued families and societies for a long time, and the impact of mental illness is profound. At a personal level, physical and emotional health aspects are adversely affected besides mental instability (Morrison-Valfre, 2020). Due to the far-reaching impacts of such illnesses, nurses have a pivotal role in reducing disease burden and promoting healthy living. Their everyday role should be assessing patients holistically and address them wholly to enhance recovery and begin the patient’s journey towards healing and wellness.
Philosophy Accommodating Expanded Awareness of Practice Issues
Philosophies are guiding principles and dictate how nurses approach care and implement their professional roles. Since I believe in holistic care, my philosophy can accommodate my expanded awareness since it allows me to embrace change and integrate new concepts as I continue learning and become more experienced. In today’s health practice, the issue of diversity has dominated care and affects health outcomes depending on how nurses handle it. Patients are diverse in many ways, including culturally, ethnically, and religiously (Harrison et al., 2019). They also come from various regions, and such differences affect how they understand the care process and patient-provider relationship. Promoting holism as a nurse recognizes the need for a detailed analysis of patient needs and factors influencing the development of an illness (Rajabpour & Rayyani, 2019). Such an approach respects diversity, implying that the diverse nature of the patient is respected and integrated into the overall health plan.
The other critical practice issues that I have become more aware of as a DNP include ethics and patient-centeredness. Over time, ethics in care has become more critical as nurses continue handling complex patient matters. For instance, the chances of harming a mentally ill patient are higher than a typical patient due to self-expression challenges. Ethical guidelines provide a framework of nurses’ conduct through challenging situations and ensure that nurses have a moral compass to perform their roles reasonably. Holistic care, the motivation to promote wellness, and treating patients in the most patient-centered way possible are founded on ethics. As a result, my philosophy can accommodate my expanded awareness of practice since it incorporates efforts that promote high levels of care, attention to patients, and avoiding risks.
Supporting Advocacy of Social Change as a DNP
Besides the basic assessment of patients and recommending appropriate treatments, nurses have a critical role as advocates of social change. My philosophy of promoting healing and wellness is rooted in compassion, empathy, and patient-centeredness. To achieve this goal in everyday practice, it is important to be aware of patient needs and be determined to ensure that all needs are addressed appropriately. Generally, social change involves applying appropriate strategies and ideas to develop individuals, communities, and societies (Walden University, 2021). In this case, nurses should be committed to social transformation by using their skills and influence to reduce the illness burden. My commitment as a DNP to promote healthy living through psychiatric care aligns with the basic definition of social change.
As a Walden DNP, I look forward to promoting healing and fighting for patient needs as situations compel. In this case, I will engage in continuous learning and collaborating with appropriate groups to ensure that mental health issues are addressed appropriately in healthcare organizations and communities. The primary focus is issues such as stigmatization, discrimination, and inequality that patients with mental health disorders experience. Such effort coincides with what advocacy for social change represents as the continuous effort to transform societies and communities and ensuring that people live better lives.
Middle-Range Nursing Theories
Theories contain concepts and propositions explaining a phenomenon. Middle-range nursing theories are less abstract and more limited in scope as they address a specific phenomenon. A relevant theory supporting my philosophy of practice is Katharine Kolcaba’s Theory of Comfort, advocating for placing comfort at the forefront of healthcare. Kolcaba described comfort as relief, ease, and transcendence (Gaibor et al., 2021). A patient receiving psychotherapy to overcome depression is receiving relief comfort. Calming the patient through compassionate care leaves them in a state of contentment (ease). Transcendence is enabling the patient to rise above the challenges they are facing. All these elements characterizing the Theory of Comfort are guiding principles of my philosophy of care since patient-centeredness is centered on promoting healing in the most comfortable and patient-friendly way possible. The patients’ needs guide the care process as the nurse develops appropriate interventions to holistically respond to all patient needs.
The other appropriate theory is Jean Orlando’s Deliberative Nursing Process Theory. In routine care, nurses converse with patients to ensure that the care plan is understood. However, some issues may emerge during the process and affect outcomes adversely. According to Orlando, patient participation is critical in the nursing process. The nurse’s role is to assess and meet the patient’s immediate needs for help (Zerwekh & Garneau, 2020). The in-depth assessment is founded on the tenet that all patient behavior can be reflecting the need for help. Due to the helpless nature of the patient, the primary mandate of a nurse is to determine the patient’s distress and act accordingly (Smith & Gullett, 2020). Orlando’s goal of care coincides with my nursing philosophy since the focus is on the patient. In mental health care and other practice areas, healthcare providers can only determine immediate patient’s needs and respond to them if they are compassionate and empathetic, as my philosophy suggests.
Interdisciplinary Theory
Interdisciplinary theories apply to nursing and other areas such as sociology, education, and psychology. A suitable theory under this segment is the social learning theory of Albert Bandura. The primary tenet of social learning theory is that people learn behaviors by observing and imitating (Deming & Johnson, 2019). Desired and undesired traits can be learned socially. In mental health and other areas, patients learn a lot by examining healthcare providers’ behavior. They also learn and copy what they see in mental health support groups and their immediate environments. Due to the profound impacts of socially learned behavior, nurses should structure the nursing process in a way that gives the patient confidence and hope in healing. Nurses should also link patients with appropriate support groups and other resources where they can learn safe and appropriate behaviors that enhance recovery and promote healthy living.
In conclusion, nurses provide care guided by skills, experience, philosophies, and theories. As discussed in this paper, my philosophy is using the necessary skills and experience to address patient needs compassionately, empathetically, and in the most patient-centered way possible. My role also encompasses promoting healing and using my skills and influence to advocate for patient needs. My philosophy supports advocacy of social change as a DNP since it is rooted in reducing the illness burden to transform individuals, communities, and societies. Theories supporting and informing my philosophy include Katharine Kolcaba’s Theory of Comfort, Jean Orlando’s Deliberative Nursing Process Theory, and Albert Bandura’s social learning theory.
References
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Deming, P., & Johnson, L. L. (2019). An application of Bandura’s social learning theory: A new approach to deafblind support groups. JADARA, 42(4), 5. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2537&context=jadara/
Gaibor, D. M., Auquilla, J. Y., Sinche, N. P., & Paredes, N. V. (2021). Stories of the elderly in relation to Katharine Kolcaba’s Theory (Chillanes-Ecuador). Journal of Advanced Pharmacy Education & Research| Jan-Mar, 11(1), 49. https://japer.in/storage/models/article/JFVPzYs0La6sVQLS38exY5cCA4siLPl7EbP8tlsBD2Shy0UbRYcuCw2mhlMV/stories-of-the-elderly-in-relation-to-katharine-kolcabas-theory.pdf
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Morrison-Valfre, M. (2020). Foundations of mental health care. Mosby.
Rajabpour, S., & Rayyani, M. (2019). The relationship between Iranian patients’ perception of holistic care and satisfaction with nursing care. BMC Nursing, 18(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-019-0374-7
Smith, M. C., & Gullett, D. L. (2020). Nursing theories and nursing practice. F.A. Davis Company.
Walden University. (2021). Vision, mission, and goals. https://catalog.waldenu.edu/content.php?catoid=179&navoid=65155
Zerwekh, J. A., & Garneau, A. Z. (2020). Nursing today: transition and trends. Mosby.