Essay Sample on Nursing Philosophy

Nursing is a profession that would mean different concepts to different people. At a personal level nursing means that I get a chance to help those who are in need and cant fight for themselves. My field is hospice nursing which I believe is the best practice ever developed for nurses; patients are allowed to die in their own homes with dignity and comfort. I am compelled to advocate for others. After intensive self-assessment, I have come to conceptualize few ideas of what nursing means to me and integrated the concepts into various theoretical frameworks that guide the nursing practice.

Concepts from The Jacksonville University School of Nursing Philosophy

The Jacksonville University School of Nursing philosophy has been a crucial guideline for reference regarding creating a framework and guiding me to analyze personal thoughts on nursing. As one of the primary foundations of nursing philosophy, Jacksonvilles university schools of nursing is based on caring in the nursing practice. According to (University Alliance Online, 2011), the philosophy emphasis on being convened to protect and enhance patients dignity and being compassionate with the client as these aspects are essential components of care.

In nursing, care is defined as the efforts to meet the needs of the patients their significant others while paying attention to the environment to determine a patients experience. The Jacksonville University School of Nursing upholds the philosophy of care arguing that nurses can pass care in their professional practice and hence the educational curriculum foster caring attitude among its students. I have developed personal nursing concepts and principles from the philosophy and other theories.

It is critical to have the necessary nursing knowledge and uphold honesty when relating with patients. Clear, accurate and timely communication is a basic skill for nurses. A nurse should communicate on behalf of their patient when the patient cannot communicate for themselves. It is paramount to create a trusting relationship with the patient and their significant others. A nurse should be sure to create a safe and clean environment that communicate respect for human dignity and the patient in hospice.

It is also crucial for the nurse to learn and collect data on the best practices for offering care in hospice settings. I believe that as a nurse, I should maintain professionalism, promote patients dignity and create a trustful relationship where they volunteer themselves to receive nursing care. Patients in hospice only have the option of dying but nursing care can and should make the experience less painful by facilitating the fulfillment of possible patients desires like reuniting them with their loved ones.

In hospice, patients have limited or no independence especially about what the medical staffs do to their bodies (Ferrell, 2010). As a principle, I would ensure that I empathize and acknowledge that the patient is vulnerable and communicate care in nursing as opposed to being cold and fulfilling professional nursing duties only. It is important to make efforts to connect with my patients engage them in conversations using topics that are of mutual interest or doing activates that they enjoy reading a book or watching movies. Patients will be more at ease when they learn that at least someone cares about their happiness even in their dying stage.

In the provision of hospice care, it may be challenging for the significant others to watch their loved ones go through painful experiences while expecting death in the long-run. As the patient goes through the loss and dying process, the family also goes through the loss and grieving process (Thompson, 2012). People deal with death and loss in different ways. Some family members may prefer to isolate themselves since they feel it would be unbearable watching their loved one go through unbearable pain, getting wasted and eventually dying. The role of the role should include offering support to the whole family. Some skills include offering educational sessions and preparing the family for the inevitable loss. At the same time, the nurse offers accurate explanations to the patient making sure to emphasise that it is not the clients fault that family members are disengaging but rather they are also suffering. Further, the nurse would also be vulnerable and empathize with the family through the grieving process.

Various Nursing Theories a Framework for My Philosophy.

In practice, Jean Watsons theory best fits when working with patients in hospice. The theory emphasizes on using wholeness, appreciating the dignity and promoting confront. Chantal Cara introduces a new aspect to Watsons theory emphasizing on the need to make conscious efforts to understand the patient in their environment for instance by asking them about their feelings, culture, significant others, and expectation (Schober, 2017). The theory best fits in hospice care since it is patient driven, an aspect that is very critical for patients to feel that they have regained some control over their lives.

However, it is most likable and realistic to use multiple theories to provide the most responsive care individual patient. I would be comfortable using multiple theories including those developed by Virginia Henderson, Orems theory which emphasizes on self-care agency, self-care and nursing system I appreciate caring as the basic concept and focus for nursing in a hospice setting.

References

Ferrell, B. (2010). The Voice of Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing. Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing, 12(1), 1. doi:10.1097/njh.0b013e3181cdeda7Schober, M. (2017). Theories of Social and Healthcare Policy. Strategic Planning for Advanced Nursing Practice, 35-47. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-48526-3_3

Thompson, N. (2012). Loss and grief. Grief and its Challenges, 17-37. doi:10.1007/978-0-230-35635-1_2

University Alliance Online. (2011, September 30). Jacksonville University School of Nursing Announces New Online RN to BSN Degree Curriculum [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jacksonville-university-school-of-nursing-announces-new-online-rn-to-bsn-degree-curriculum-130840623.html