PERSONAL NURSING PHILOSOPHY 1
Personal Nursing Philosophy
Author Note
This author has no known conflict of interest.
PERSONAL NURSING PHILOSOPHY 2
Personal Nursing Philosophy
I have never considered a nursing philosophy. Nursing is innate for me, much like being a
mom or a Christian. It is something I grew up knowing I would do. I have set out to be three
things in life, a wife, mom and nurse. I have accomplished all three and all of them have
influenced each other through this walk of life.
Nursing is a dynamic, emotional, physical undertaking that demands so much of your
brain, your heart and your body. Nursing is a calling. It is worrying about a patient long after you
have discharged them, it is laughing and celebrating with a patient and their family, nursing is
crying with a patient when the outcome is horrible, it is knowing you have done your best and
not caused harm to anyone in your care. Nursing is a way of life. I am a nurse even when I am
not at work, it is a hat I never take off.
In nursing school, we are taught the nursing process: assessment, diagnosis, planning,
intervention, and evaluation. I believe that this process is based off of Nightingale’s personal
nursing philosophy. She made it clear that nursing knowledge and medical knowledge are
distinctly different (Leahy, 2010, pp. 3–4). Her philosophy of changing the environment in order
to help heal the patient aligns with mine. I also embrace that as nurses, we are partners with our
patients. We question our patient’s definition of their health and work with and empower them as
we help them gain their point of homeostasis. Many friends and family come to me for nursing
advice, and I often answer their questions more holistically than clinically. I practice the same
way in the hospital. A patient will often hear all the medical jargon that does not get absorbed or
understood. A good nurse will assess that their patient is floundering with all the information and
educate them from their level. That level is not necessarily defined by education, but by a
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patient’s pain, grief, anxiety and fear. This intuition is needed to provide care wholly to the
patient and sometimes the entire family.
Another philosophy from Nightingale that I find to be intuitive for me is nurses don’t just
give medications and enforce rules, but we invoke a change of environment and motivation for
our patients recognizing that these things are often overlooked as a promotion of health. In her
Notes on Nursing, Nightingale promotes that nursing should be defined by “the proper use of
fresh air, light, warmth, cleanliness, quiet and the proper selection and administration of diet”
(Leahy, 2010, p. 8) for their patients. I am a postpartum nurse and recognize the need for a
proper diet for a new mom to promote healing or if she has comorbidities such as gestational
diabetes or pregnancy induced hypertension. I also know to encourage the best form of feeding
for her newborn. I encourage and educate new families the art of taking care of their newest,
smallest member and delight in the fact that I may be the first person to call my patient “mom
and dad”. I am not a nurse only to the new mom and infant but to the entire entourage that is in
that room. While my job is mostly happy and satisfying, I do have moments of sadness and
worry.
It is heartbreaking watching a mom and dad grieve over the loss of a full-term newborn.
One that was alive hours before birth or mom noticed movement has stopped a day ago. Most of
the time, those babies will stay with the parents in the room (we use a device that the baby lays
on and keeps the body cool) until time to discharge mom. I am haunted by the cries of the moms
who watch their infant leave with the funeral home attendant. Even though I have sat in the room
with these moms and helped them prepare a funeral for their baby, they are never prepared to be
separated. It is at this time I will hug mom and begin praying with her. I have developed a bond
with her that I already know where her faith stands and how close I can be to her. This isn’t an
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occurrence that happens often but enough to know that I am grateful my Christian values can
intertwine with my nursing life.
Another time of sadness is when an infant may have abnormalities, especially if
unexpected. These are times when education is so important yet difficult because the parents are
taking in all that is wrong and grieving what they expected their future to look like. Assisting
these parents with feeding is sometimes the biggest hurdle if the infant has a cleft palate or
trisomy. As their nurse I am not just treating their physical pain but their mental anguish as well.
Again, my life as a Christian spills over into my life as a nurse and I can help these new parents
see the “beautifully and wonderfully made” being that they hold. I help them form a new picture
of their future and help them celebrate the small milestones while in the hospital. Sometimes I
will see this family in the community months and even years later and see success as they have
grown, and I take this opportunity to give God the glory.
Lastly, I do have those moms who are drug abusers or substance addicted. While I hate
to admit these patients are the most difficult to reach out to. In the past I would have a mindset
that all of these patients are the same. My attitude regarding them was that they were all
manipulative and obviously did not care about the baby they were carrying. I prayed for a change
of heart because judging a person does not define who I am, and I knew I could not provide
proper care if I had an uncaring attitude towards them. If I give off an air of judgment, this will
impede care and education and could delay knowledge that these new moms need to properly
care for an infant who may need extra watchfulness and attention. Often these babies will spend
some time with nurses during the night shift. It is during this time I find myself holding these
babies and praying for their future. I pray that mom will choose to find help with her addiction,
and I pray that this baby will have someone in their life who will point them to Christ.
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My nursing philosophy aligns with my personal values. Kindness, honesty, integrity,
lifelong learning, perseverance, and community (family). Nursing is important to me because it
is a calling. It is the same kind of calling as being a Christian, a wife, or a mom is. I wake up
every day and don’t question any of those items of who I am. As a nurse I feel that my
contribution to my community is important. Being a postpartum nurse helps new moms not only
in the 24 to 48 hours of admission but beyond discharge. I help connect her with resources
regarding breastfeeding help, WIC, new mom groups and churches who promote help for new
families. While skills are important in nursing (we all appreciate someone, who can start IVs
well or understands medication interactions) those skills must work in tandem with heart of a
nurse.
The everyday act of caring for others allows me to live out my faith. I have the ability to
be the hands, feet and mouth of Jesus. It is a gift I do not take lightly. Christ calls us to care for
on another, the healthy to take care of the weak during their time of need. I am fortunate enough
to call this calling a job.
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References
Leahy, R. L. (2010). Florence nightingale's notes on nursing and notes on nursing for the
labouring classes (1st ed.). Springer Publishing LLC.
