PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING

Philosophy of Nursing

Philosophy of Nursing

What is “nursing?

Nursing, a scientific discipline, requires creativity in its execution. The art of nursing lies in the application of concepts and principles of nursing theory to the design of individualized care using the nursing process. The essence of nursing is to provide evidence-based care to our clients in the performance of those activities that contribute to health promotion, resolution of illness, or end-of-life. This is congruent with Nursing's Social Policy Statement that “nursing is the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual or potential health problems”. The faculty believes that a person is an integrated being with intrinsic dignity and worth. While possessing common needs, a person is characterized by uniqueness and self-determination. As an open system, an individual is in constant interaction with the environment. (Chitty, K. K. 2007)

Who is the “person” that the nurse cares for?

Since the beginning of time, men and women have engaged in the search for reality and truth. This search is called philosophy. Nursing philosophy examines the relationship between truth and ideals in nursing. The examination of these truths and ideals leads to beliefs and ideals that form the framework for nursing practice. This framework is meant to guide the day-to-day process of nurses. (Chitty, K. K. 2007)

How does nursing influence a person's health

People in the older age group who are more prone to illness tend to be cared for in separate places than younger adults. Admiral nurses, are specialist nurses, working in the community, with families, carers and supporters of people with chronic illness. The Admiral Nurse model was established as a direct result of the experiences of family carers. The Admiral nurse role is to work with family carers as their prime focus, provide practical advice, emotional support, information and skills, deliver education and training in illness care, provide consultancy to professionals working with people with illness and promote best practice in person- centred illness care. People generally require an admission to hospital, voluntarily or involuntarily if they are experiencing a crisis that means they are dangerous to themselves or others in some immediate way. However, people may gain admission for a concentrated period of therapy or for respite. Despite changes in mental health policy in many countries that have closed psychiatric hospitals, many nurses continue work in hospitals though patient length of stay has decreased significantly.

What is “health?

Health is metabolic efficiency. Sickness is metabolic inefficiency. Nobody is totally healthy or totally sick. Each of us is a unique combination of health and sickness. And each of us has a unique combination of abilities and disabilities, both emotional and physical.

Nursing philosophy can be individual or it can be global. Individual philosophies belong specifically to the nurse and reflect the nurse's values, logic, morals, and ethics. Global philosophies are usually those that belong to groups or organizations, or to different bodies of knowledge as a whole, such as colleges, hospitals, or nursing organizations. Nursing philosophy is dynamic and changes over time, and with ...