NSG 350 Nursing Philosophy Paper

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NSG 350 Nursing Philosophy Paper
Matilda Mullen
James Madison University

NSG 350 Nursing Philosophy Paper

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I don't think I truly understood the choice I was making when I
applied to James Madison University as a nursing major. I had no clue
how challenging my classes would prove to be. But more importantly, I
didn't realize the importance of nursing and all of the crucial
responsibilities that come along with it. The American Nurses
Association defines nursing as the protection, promotion, and
optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury,
and alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of
human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families,
communities, and populations. I now understand that nursing is much
more that an occupation.
The central concepts of the nursing metaparadigm are person,
environment, health, and nursing. All of them address imperative
elements of the field of nursing and prove that this field has a lot of
depth. As my view and understanding of nursing changed, my
definition of nursing evolved. Initially, my focus was simply on helping
people who are sick. Now, as I have progressed further into the
program and began working with actual patients in my clinical, I have
learned about, and can relate to the central concept of person. This
states that the person is unique and worth of dignity, respect, and

caring. The person seeks to maintain balance through purposeful and

dynamic interactions. They interact with external and internal
environment. Lastly, the person has needs! They need to be valued,
respected, a supported, and cared for (Craven). The care that nurses
provide for their patients literally influences the patients entire future
and life. This is because the patients experience with their healthcare
providers will determine both their
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state of physical and mental health for the rest of their lives. Caring for
a patient is not simply a task nurses do to pay the bills just like nursing
is not simply a job because it involves this concept of person. I cant
help but empathize for my patients and picture myself in their position
so I feel that this concept affects me on a personal level. In the future, I
see myself advocating for patients and doing every little thing I can to
care for them. I will strive to make them feel comfortable and safe
because I am able to imagine myself in their position and I know that if
I were the patient, I would want my nurse to do the same. No matter
what field of nursing I choose to pursue, the concept of person defines
and outlines my role because it has transitioned my focus from merely
alleviating a patients suffering to helping them reach an optimal state
of mental, physical, and functional health.

The microsystem refers to a persons immediate surroundings.

Microsystems in medicine, or clinical microsystems are the place
where patients, families, and care teams meet. Clinical microsystems
do the real, hands-on, value-added work within an organization. They
are living units that change over time and always have a patient
(person with a health need) at their center (Batalden). Therefore, it is
safe to say that as a nurse, I will primarily be performing in the
microsystem environment of the JMU Undergraduate Nursing Curricular
Model. Nursing involves working side by side with patients on a very
personal level. Nurses are responsible for providing care that ranges
from administering medicine to simply ensuring that their patient is
comfortable and happy. The duties of a nurse are direct part of the
patients life. Nurses are responsible for continuously assessing their
patients in all
NSG 350 Nursing Philosophy Paper

realms such as their psychological state, spiritual, behavior,

socioeconomic and psychosocial states. They carry out physical
assessments on their patients on a regular basis and recognize any
safety or health risks the patient may have. Nurses spend more time
with their patients than doctors do so they are the most important
advocators for their patients. Although I would like to specialize and
obtain a higher degree than my bachelors in nursing, my role as a
nurse will always include these internal environments of care that are a

part of the microsystem environment, so the microsystem is the

environment that I see myself performing in.
One of the most important best practices in nursing is evidencebased practice. It is essential to know all of the facts about a patient
before making a medical or nursing diagnosis. Every little detail is
important in recognizing what is wrong with the patient and what
needs to be done to help them. Once you know these details, the
healthcare provider must gain in depth knowledge and understanding
of them. It is not enough to simply know a patients symptoms and
condition, so healthcare providers must incorporate research into this.
The journal, Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing, states
that evidence-based clinical decision-making involves integrating the
knowledge arising from ones clinical expertise; patient preferences
and actions; patient clinical states, settings, and circumstances; and
research evidence within the context of available resources (Ciliska,
Cullum, DiCenso, p. 11). Nurses must assimilate details from all
different factors related to a patients condition and support it with
data and evidence to
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ensure that they have all the necessary knowledge to provide their
patient with effective healthcare. I will use evidence- based practice
regularly as a nurse. For example, when we give medications we are
required to know every single detail about the effects of that

medication, in addition to its purpose. When treating patients, I will

obtain thorough knowledge of the patients situation and use research
and evidence to ensure this. Only then will I be able to provide care,
with a full understanding of what needs to be done to provide
competent and quality care.
Eventually, I would like to go back to school and obtain a higher
degree in nursing. I am planning on going to school to be a certified
nurse practitioner. I have a close relative who is a Nurse Anesthetist
and loves it so I have recently began to consider pursuing this degree
afterward. If I don't end up going back to school for a higher degree, I
would like to be an ER or trauma nurse. Lastly, my family is from
Rockland County, New York, which is right outside of New York City.
Ideally, I would like to work in New York City. No matter what kind of
nurse I choose to be, in the next 5 years I see myself walking the
streets of New York City in my scrubs on my way to work at a renowned
hospital!

Refernces

Batalden, P. (n.d.). The Dartmouth Institute | Microsystem Academy.

Retrieved
November 10, 2015.

Ciliska, D., Cullum, N., & DiCenso, A. (n.d.). Implementing EvidenceBased Nursing:
Some Misconceptions. Retrieved November 10, 2015.

Craven, R. (2012). Craven fundamentals of nursing, 7th ed crave prepu

for cravens
fundamentals of nursing. S.l.: Wolters Kluwer Health.

What is Nursing? (2015). Retrieved November 10, 2015.