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The Journey to Discovering My Personal Nursing Philosophy

Suzanne M. Fletcher

School of Nursing, James Madison University

NSG 463: Professional Role Transition

Dr. Nena Powell

September 27, 2020

APA 7th Edition

Abstract

The journey to discovering my personal nursing philosophy proved to be an enlightening

experience. I was able to utilize several tools in my quest to understand the meaning of nursing,

how my values and beliefs may collide with nursing values, and how my goals may create an

impact in professional nursing. Self-reflection, examination of my current nursing experience,

and deep thought about my future intent to impact professional nursing were excellent methods

of developing of my personal nursing philosophy.

Keywords: nursing philosophy, values, nursing values, self-reflection, professional

nursing
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The Journey to Discovering My Personal Nursing Philosophy

The road to a career in nursing and its personal impact has been an inspiring and eye-

opening experience for me. During my childhood or teenage years, I did not consider nursing as

a career. Nurses are professionals that care for patients, families, and entire communities in an

effort to help them to achieve and maintain the best quality of life and optimal health (Black,

2020). The thought of becoming a professional who would advocate for the health,

independence, education and welfare of patients and their families had never crossed my mind. It

wasn’t until my father died after a 10 year battle with Alzheimer’s disease, that I began to

entertain the career choice. The long, sad and mostly uninformed journey throughout my father’s

struggle with Alzheimer’s disease was the catalyst that led me to my decision to pursue a nursing

career. One year after obtaining my nursing license, I am beginning to understand the following:

what nursing means to me, how my personal beliefs and values interrelate with nursing values,

and how I hope to make an impact. Through reflection, I am able to see how the story behind my

initial decision to become a nurse, my nursing experiences to date, and the vision of my future

goals as a professional have helped to shape my personal philosophy of nursing.

The Road to My Nursing Career

As I mentioned earlier, I did not grow up with the goal of becoming a nurse. After raising

a family of my own, I worked in the administrative side of the healthcare field, but not in the

clinical realm. As time went by, I realized that I wanted to make an impact in my work

environment that would include the use of many of my core values. Some of the core values that

I deem important are: empathy, honesty, respect, courage, determination, and service. After

reflecting on my life, I realized that I missed the many opportunities that I had experienced

during my younger years: caregiving for my grandfather at the end of his life, visits to nursing
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homes with my church group, and conversations with many of my elderly neighbors. I was

purposeful in interacting with coworkers and patients with the utmost respect and service at my

current job; however, I realized that I wanted to obtain the opportunity to interact with patients

and their families directly. Around the time of my revelation, my experience with caregiving was

to begin again, but this time for my own father. My mother had been the sole caregiver for my

father, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. As my father progressed in the stages,

it became apparent that my mother needed emotional support as well as help with caregiving.

Our family had never been affected by Alzheimer’s disease and it immediately became a

frustrating and complicated puzzle at every turn. Many serious issues had to be confronted: my

mother’s continued devastation due to my father’s diagnosis and the stigma that surrounded it,

the lack of specialized medical care in their area, and the availability of resources and support for

caregivers. I began to research, contacted the local adult services organization, and

communicated with my father’s neurologist. I was intent on obtaining a better understanding of

this horrific disease and its impact on both the patient and the caregiver. As the years went by, I

was present in my parent’s lives on a continual basis to ensure their well-being and provide

support. I spent weekends listening to my mom’s concerns, comforting her, offering her respite,

and loving and caring for my father. During the last moments of my father’s life, I sat next to

him with his hand in mine and reminded him that he was so loved by his entire family. After a 10

year battle with Alzheimer’s disease, he was at peace. It was in the following year after my

father’s death that I realized my passion to support, educate and advocate for patients and

caregivers who were dealing with any kind of disease. I possessed first-hand knowledge of the

impact of disease on patients and families who did not have the resources available to help them

maintain a quality of life and independence. I believe that many of the core values that I honor
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helped to guide me in my decision to go to nursing school at the age of 50. I decided to use the

community college track for my education. I chose this type of education for two reasons: I

could remain employed part-time and I could obtain my nursing license in two years. I graduated

in May 2019, from Lord Fairfax Community College with an Associate Degree in Nursing and

became licensed in June 2019. My journey had just begun.

Evaluation of Nursing Experience

As stated by Denehy (2001), “As nurses examine their practice, they also are questioning

what is fundamentally important to them as nurses and as individuals-their values and beliefs”

(p.1). I have found this statement applicable to my nursing experience to date. I chose to stay at

the neurological practice where I was employed for 10 years in an administrative role and

transition in to a clinical role. I have been the Triage RN for just over one year. I interact with

patients in the clinical world now and have already many several observations that are useful for

improving my delivery of holistic care. I have had to reflect on my own personal values and

beliefs and how they interrelate to nursing values. I strive to provide care for all of my patients

and their families while promoting independence, respect, honesty and empathy. There have

been many instances when dealing with Alzheimer’s patients and their families that I have had to

remember to check my personal feelings and promote a nonjudgemental attitude. I have had

personal experience with the havoc that is created by Alzheimer’s disease. I can understand the

importance of promoting quality care that involves the patient and their families and supports

their decisions and efforts to cope. I am now able to direct patients and their families to the

support and resources that are necessary for them to make informed decisions. I have also had to

stay vigilant in providing culturally competent care, as well as educate my providers and staff on

its importance. Our practice population has many patients with limited English profiency. As
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noted by Black (2020), nurses must recognize the culture and belief system of each individual

patient in order to guarantee their value, dignity and individuality. I have educated both my

providers and the staff on the necessity of the use of professional interpreters to ensure that

communication is clear and understood. I will continue to grow and reflect on my personal

beliefs and values in relation to those of my patients and their families.

Future Goals in Professional Nursing

I have recently discovered several future goals in professional nursing. First, I am

currently working towards obtaining my baccalaureate degree. I value the importance of

advanced education in order to provide optimal care and the knowledge to answer questions for

my patients. I value the ability to use evidence-based practice for the care of my patients. As

noted by Black (2020), nurses must be able to act on the values that they consider important in

order for them to be considered real. I have made the choice to further my education and also

complete continuing education. I strive to be a continual learner; not only to renew my license,

but for personal growth. In my current role as a Triage RN in an office setting, I consider myself

an initiator. I have to be willing to find evidence-based solutions and provide guidance for many

situations or questions that arise. I remain steadfast in my role as a leader. I strive to be easy to

approach and willing to help all of my coworkers. Next, I hope to obtain a position in the

community health setting. I would like the opportunity to work with a diverse population of

patients with an emphasis on the elderly. I desire to advocate for the patient’s ability to maintain

their independence, while providing the support, education and treatment necessary for their

success. I also desire to educate the public and caregivers on disease processes and treatments.

My memories of the torment of the unknown as it relates to my father and Alzheimer’s disease is

a constant reminder of the necessity of education.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my journey to discovering my personal nursing philosophy has been an

enlightening experience. I believe that nursing should be focused on the importance of holistic

care and support of the dignity, values and independence of patients. I agree with the ANA

(2010, as cited by Black, 2020) that the “the interaction between the nurse and patient occurs

within the context of the values and beliefs of the patient and the nurse” (p.192). This means that

I will allow my patient’s thoughts, beliefs and values to impact me directly. In addition, I will

strive to make an impact on professional nursing by continuing to learn and advocating for all of

my patients as individuals. Therefore, I have established my personal nursing philosophy:

“Nursing is a beautiful process. It is allowing your heart, soul, body and mind to be impacted by

every patient and then providing them all of the tools necessary to achieve their best quality of

life, optimal health and individual goals. I am in awe of this process and vow to promote and

respect my patient’s dignity, individuality, values, and independence while providing the

education and resources necessary for their success.”

References

Black, B. P. (2020). Professional Nursing: Concepts & Challenges. (9th ed.). Elsevier.

Dennehy, J. (2001). Articulating Your Philosophy of Nursing. The Journal of School Nursing,

17(1), https://journals.sagepub.com/home/jsn