My Portfolio

Philosophy of Nursing

 

Molly A. Wolf

Department of Nursing, University of Mary

NUR 240 01: Intro to Nursing as a Profession

Professor Sara Gebhardt

April 20, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Philosophy of Nursing

     What is my philosophy of nursing? My philosophy of nursing includes experiences that influenced my decision to choose this profession, what nursing means to me, how I will use my leadership skills to positively influence society, and what skills mean the most to me for my future practice.

     First, what does nursing mean to me? Nursing means that I am not just using the skills I learned in school to care for the body, but also the art of caring for the patient’s mind and soul. The care I incorporate and how I view it can be described through the four domains of nursing, which are person, environment, health, and nursing. The domain person is how I plan to care for each person regarding their mind, body, and soul. The care I incorporate for each person will range in respects for different cultures, ethnicities, and populations. Environment involves the surrounding factors such as income, living conditions, and other qualities of living that influence people’s health. Health is described as family history and living habits that influence a person’s mental and physical state. Nursing is the way I will use my skills to care for each patient in a way that meets their needs. These four domains show what I need to be aware of when caring for a patient, and how I need to determine care plans to treat the situation.

     I have had many experiences that influenced my decision to choose nursing, which started at a young age. Before I was of school age, I liked to play nurse. Especially when my family members were home sick, I knew it was my time to shine. I would bring them platters of food, medicine, blankets, and ice packs. I even remember putting string around a bell from the basement to upstairs for my brother, so he could let me know when he needed something. My drive to care for others transitioned into getting my CNA in high school. I worked at a local hospital on the med/surg floor. There, I learned the basics of nursing which was taking vitals and helping with ADL’s. While that was caring for the physical side of the patient, I also learned to care for their mental health. I did this by having conversations with the patients when I had time in between tasks. That part of my shift was my favorite, and it gave me more confidence that nursing was going to be my future career. I noticed that those conversations lead to more trust and positive attitudes toward the treatment they were receiving.

     How will I incorporate servant leadership on a global perspective through nursing? I will show leadership through the skills and way I present myself in the facility. I will strive to be an advocator for the patients and facility, while also being a positive influence. These skills for leadership and the way I incorporate my care is what I will use to strive for positive social change. While nursing can treat people on the outside, it can also care for people on the inside. The way I present myself and skills can influence peoples’ confidence in healthcare. I strive for people to have a positive perspective on the care they need. This will allow more people to reach out for treatment which results in them feeling physically and mentally better. People’s health can determine their quality of life. By caring for patients, my hope is for them to be happier and live a better life by doing the things they love. This mindset of using servant leadership skills to help others is important because it can rub off on others and have them strive to do the same.  

     The skills that mean the most to me in nursing are communication and accountability. I will use communication with both the patients and my co-workers. With the patients, I know that it is important to communicate care plans and answer any questions they may have. By talking through those topics, patients will have more trust and confidence in their care. This extra knowledge they have of their situation will result in less readmissions and better results with their treatment. Communication with co-workers is also important. Reading instructions back to one another and doing a thorough job during report, less mistakes will happen during care. Accountability is also an important skill when it comes to nursing. Whether you made a minor or major mistake, it is our duty to confess and be responsible for the outcome. While you are legally responsible for this action, it is also important in respect for the patient. That is so you can potentially reverse a medication error or take the next step to help them due to the error. I plan to use these skills for my future practice to help create a trusting and organized environment for the patients and faculty.

     I plan to stay true to what the four domains mean and the importance of skills during my practice. These topics will help develop a controlled and trusting work environment with my co-workers and for the patient’s undergoing treatment. As I continue my journey in nursing and gain more knowledge, I perceive my philosophy of nursing may change. However, I know that this profession was my calling from a young age.