Personal Nursing Philosophy: What Is It, and How Will It Benefit My Nursing Career?

By Editorial Team Last updated: Oct 12, 2023

It's possible that, as a working or aspiring nurse, you have your own ideas about what it means to be a nurse. Nurses who have a philosophy of nursing can better understand the beliefs and theories that guide their daily decisions.
It is not uncommon for nursing professors to assign a paper on the philosophy of nursing to their students. For students, this is a chance to examine the field they've chosen or are about to enter with a critical eye.

So what exactly is a "philosophy of nursing"?

What Is the Purpose of a Nursing Philosophy?

A nurse's philosophy of nursing is a declaration of their values, ethics, and beliefs, as well as their motivation for being a part of the field. A nurse's perspective on education, practice, and patient care ethics are all addressed in this article. This helps you uncover the beliefs and theories that guide your decisions on the work every day.

Writing a nursing philosophy

Begin by writing down the answers to the following questions:

Why am I/was I interested in becoming a nurse in the first place?
Why am I interested in becoming a nurse?
In what ways do I view nursing?
What are my nursing hypotheses?
What are the characteristics of a top-notch nurse?
What are the essential abilities of a nurse?
What are some of the values that nurses hold dear?

The purpose of this exercise is to assist you in discovering your core values and personal convictions. The stages listed below will help you begin writing your own nursing philosophy.

1. Determine what it means to be a nurse for you.

Begin your philosophy of nursing by understanding what nursing means to you. Why did you chose nursing rather than another profession?

2. Add a personal story that expands on your values and expertise.

Consider sharing a personal anecdote that relates to your career interests. Include insight into the traits and ideals that pertain to nursing.

3. Describe how you intend to make a difference in the world through your work as a nurse.

No, I don't intend to utilize my nursing career as a vehicle for social change. Do you think this is the case?

Think about the larger image you have for yourself and the world around you and what it means to you.

4. Emphasize your personal core principles and strengths.

Make a list of the abilities that are most important to you and explain why you value them. Think about how you'll put them to use in the future.

Nursing Philosophy: How to Come Up with Your Own

As a nurse, it is empowering to have your own personal nursing philosophy.
You gain a better understanding of how to prioritize your time and effort in the midst of daily tasks and challenging decisions, based on your values and beliefs.

It's inevitable that as you gain experience and learn new things, your philosophy will change.

The following questions can help you get a better sense of your present philosophy.

1. What Is the Meaning of Nursing to Me?

A nursing philosophy is based on a personal concept of nursing, which may be more emotional or theoretical than any term you've ever heard.

Get clear on what you mean by "health" and what you mean by "patient care."
Is there a beginning point?
There's no end in sight.
Do they ever come to an end?
Determine what nurses' duties are in promoting and supporting your definitions, and decide why these roles are important to you.

Having an overarching notion of nursing may contain views about your personality, relationships, way of life, and ethics. That's all OK!
Being able to describe nursing in this way sets the tone for the remainder of your philosophy, and it will help you pull together all of the aspects that define your unique viewpoint as a nurse..

2. Who or what sparked your interest in this career path?

A nursing career should be pursued only if you have a strong desire to do so.

It's not uncommon for a life-changing event to inspire a career.
It's not uncommon for inspiration to come from a combination of our personal relationships with others, as well as our exposure to various types of situations.

Recall the moment in your life when you determined that pursuing a career in nursing was essential to achieving your life's goals.
To assist you fine-tune the rest of your philosophy, center your thoughts around this essential issue.

3. What Are My Personal Opinions on the Positive Effects of Nursing on People's Lives?

This topic can be answered by focusing on the many responsibilities that nurses play.
Depending on how they work, nurses can take on responsibilities from any variety of vocations. Nurses can serve as advocates, educators, change agents, and more..

A nurse's job isn't done once they've treated a patient.
Patients are connected to other people, such as family members, friends, and coworkers, in a direct way.
They're connected in other ways as well.
An individual patient's lifespan can have a significant impact on a large number of individuals simply by serving as a positive role model for others.

Visualize the ripples that your hobbies and strengths can have on the world around you.

You should know why you find this portion of the job so rewarding.

4. What are the most important nursing abilities and values to me?

Nursing is a vocation and a profession in one. Prioritize your professional development goals and consider about your overall goals and tendencies as a person. People's daily decisions are guided by a moral compass and their inherent affinities for the things they value.

Be honest with yourself about your needs and boundaries because nursing is a profession that requires making ethical decisions.
Having a thorough grasp of this information can not only aid you in making important decisions at work.
It will also assist you in locating the ideal career path.

If you know what you want to do and what you believe in, it will be easier to look for jobs that will allow you to advance professionally and personally.
In addition, it will aid in navigating your profession when you are presented with new possibilities.

5. What Is the Impact of My Work as a Nurse on My Local and Global Community?

Nurses have the opportunity to make a significant impact on the world around them. Consider the scope of the problem while assessing your contribution.

Nurses, for example, are the primary healthcare providers in some towns.
They don't just treat the symptoms.
Their contributions to medical science and public health are invaluable.

It's not just those communities that are affected by this.
The job of a nurse can be used to advance a bigger cause or to participate in local community activities at the grassroots level.
A "bigger picture" should emerge when you consider your personal values and motivations in relation to patient care.

Spend some time thinking about the answers to each of these inquiries. Once you've finished, look for areas where your views overlap and write a few paragraphs addressing those points. Your nursing philosophy is expressed in this written statement.

Nursing Philosophies: Some Examples

It was Florence Nightingale who formulated a core nursing philosophy that is still in use today. She proposed that the patient's surroundings be altered to allow nature to do its work on him or her. A few paragraphs are usually sufficient for a nursing philosophy. However, here are a few examples of student-created nursing philosophies:

For Carolann McLawrence, she is an an advocate and an educator who works to raise knowledge of disease awareness, good health habits, as well as strong family values in her community and the world.
Brandi Dahlin believes that nurses have a duty to offer safe, comprehensive care that is centered on the needs of the patient. She argues that it is important for her to keep in mind that her patients aren't just names on a list or medical issues to be treated; they are unique persons who deserve and require specialized care.
Being able to use one's own life experiences to help a client recover and thrive makes one proud of what they do, which in turn deepens one's dedication to the nursing profession, says Joanne de Guia-Rayos.

Nurses' philosophy of nursing is based on the following:

Patients and their families are treated holistically, empathetically and culturally sensitively.
In order to offer the best possible nursing care to patients, a nurse must be a patient advocate, a provider, a teacher, a manager, and an overall leader.
A large part of what one ought to consider nursing to be is compassion and a sincere desire to learn about people on all levels—emotional, physical, and scientific.
In order to enhance one's expertise, they, as professionals, ought to feel a personal responsibility to lifelong learning through formal education and hands-on experience.

To Advance Your Nursing Career, You Need a Personal Philosophy of Nursing

Your nursing philosophy expresses your core values and aspirations for the profession.
As you define your philosophy, you will have a better understanding of what you believe in.
As a nurse, it can assist define your career and give you a sense of what areas you should focus on developing.
Every nursing position you take on will be influenced by your personal philosophy.

As you advance in your work, your philosophy will very doubt be shaped by the lessons you've learned and the experiences you've had.
That's fine, we at eprowriters understand. Many nurses change their nursing philosophy as they gain more knowledge and experience.

Eprowriters can assist you with all of your nursing school assignments, homework, and research needs.

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