Nursing is an exceptional occupation related to the field of health care that has an arrangement of unique scientific knowledge and methods of their application in practice. In addition, it has its own philosophy, which is a system of views on the relationship between a nurse, a patient, society, and the environment. This set of ideas is based on theories and universal principles of ethics and morality at the center of which is a patient’s well-being. In other words, the nursing philosophy should only focus on a human who is in need of professional help. First of all, a patient is a person who has the right to an active, harmonious life and development. For this reason, he or she deserves to receive nursing services, regardless of religion and social status.
My personal nursing philosophy includes the implementation of my knowledge in my work with decency and respect to patients. For this reason, I have to constantly work on my skills and be aware of ethical codes. The Japanese philosophy seems to fit me the most because it teaches healthcare workers to have respect for “consumers’ ways of life and their self‐realization, as well as to find harmony between the view of life and work” (Tanaka et al., 20118, p. 766). In other words, nurses should value life, dignity, and human rights, which are fundamental tenets of the philosophy of nursing.
There are many different professional nursing theories that help medical professionals to improve their work and guide them. They include more abstract or more specific concepts, which divide them into grand or narrow practice-level theories. However, middle-range theories seem to align with my personal philosophy since they are placed between two extremes. According to researchers, they provide a “practical way for nurses to connect the discipline’s philosophical perspectives to the real world and applications of theory to clinical practice” (Brandão et al., 2017, p. 6). Middle-range theories implement both broad ideas and specific frameworks in practice. Alternatively stated, they have the best characteristics of both grand and practice-level ideas.
Nursing, being part of the health care system, has its own philosophy, which considers nursing as an art and a science. The philosophical nature of this approach to the professional activities of nurses is fully justified by the mission that the medical staff carries out for a specific patient. As an art, nursing is seen as the systematic craft of applying knowledge and skills. In addition, it is viewed as the art of caring, which requires compassion, creative imagination, intuition, the ability to express one’s feelings and take into account the feelings of the patient. Researchers even note that in nursing education, “a variety of art forms, such as drama, literature, music, and painting, could be used to help students grasp the significance of certain topics, such as human emotions, as they relate to nursing” (Duran & Çetinkaya-Uslusoy, 2015, p. 380). For this reason, this field of healthcare cannot possibly be considered an easy profession.
As a science, nursing can be considered as an organizational systematized structure of knowledge that is obtained and verified through research activities. For this reason, the process of education does not stop after finishing school, and a good professional constantly learn. While a nurse is caring for a patient, he or she should actively monitor the course of the disease. In addition, medical staff must make sure that the patient does not only survives but continues to live a fulfilling life. In other words, nurses should help them to quickly gain independence, return a sense of harmony with themselves and the world. In this case, there would be no doubt that a patient is satisfied with the outcome of treatment. These principles, along with high professional qualities, are the guarantee of adequate assistance to those in need in solving their physical and psychological problems.
As was stated earlier, education is an integral part of nursing, and that is why it should be updated with the recent trends of healthcare to conduct a professional practice. The purpose of the training is to learn methods of maintaining a patient’s good condition. In addition, a nurse should know how to help a patient in case of dysfunction of any organ of the human body. There are many methods and strategies that could be implemented in practice. For instance, informal training can be carried out when during their work nurses communicate with patients about problems and concerns. Aside from monitoring a patient’s condition, a nurse reminds about proper eating habits and side effects of the medicine.
In addition, training can be done individually or in a group. The last strategy of teaching has several advantages; for instance, it helps nurses to share their experience, get support from more knowledgeable professionals, and get motivated. For a more active involvement of nurses in the educational process, different teaching methods can be implemented, including the analysis of specific situations. It can help nurses to get engaged in discussions, improve the skill of problem-solving, which certainly is useful in professional nursing practice.
References
Brandão, M. A. G., Martins, J. S. A., Peixoto, M. D. A. P., Lopes, R. O. P., & Primo, C. C. (2017). Theoretical and methodological reflections for the construction of middle-range nursing theories. Texto Contexto Enferm, 26(4), 1–8.
Duran, E. T., & Çetinkaya-Uslusoy, E. (2015). Opinions of nursing students on the art of nursing: a qualitative study. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 8(2), 308.
Tanaka, K., Hasegawa, M., Nagayama, Y., & Oe, M. (2018). Nursing Philosophy of community mental health nurses in Japan: A qualitative, descriptive study. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 27(2), 765–773.