Transcript for VoiceThread
Today I will be discussing my personal definition and philosophy of nursing as well as theories that I incorporate in my current nursing practice. Nursing is a combination of knowledge, skill, and the passion for providing care to individuals during some of their most vulnerable times. Nursing is very unique in that it is not only a science, but an art as well. There is not a class that provides nurses with what to say or do when speaking to a young mother about redirecting care on her child, or having to help a military veteran cope with having an amputated limb. Nurses are responsible for safe and quality care while maintaining the dignity of their patient and the patient’s family.
My philosophy of nursing consists of personal values as well as actions that are important for nurses to take while providing care. Nurses should be honest, understanding, non-judgmental, empathetic, compassionate, and have the ability to maintain their professionalism in the toughest of times. Nurse need to provide patient centered and holistic care not only providing clinical skills and education, but attempting to alleviate and/or eliminate any extra stresses that could affect the patient and family during this difficult time of admission. Nurses are responsible for advocating for patients while also educating them as well as their families to make difficult decisions, and even if the nurse disagrees it is crucial to support the patient and family in making their said decisions. Most importantly, nurses should treat their patients like they would want their family to be treated.
The following theories are fundamental to my clinical practice:
Faye G. Abdellah’s “Twenty-One Nursing Problems” as well as her theory on patient-centered approaches to nursing. Faye’s twenty-one nursing problems theory focuses on ten steps to identify the problems of patients, as well as eleven nursing skills that need to be implemented.
Hildegard E. Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relations. As a NICU nurse many of my patients are long term. It is important maintain a healthy nurse-patient relationship to include the termination of the relationship after the patient’s discharge.
Lydia Hall's Aspect of Care, Cure, and Core Theory of Nursing by addressing my patients as a person/family vs only focusing on their illness.
