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Running head: NURSING PHILOSOPHY

Nursing Philosophy and Professional Goals Statement

Ahsan Arca

Grand Canyon University: NSG-310

August 10th, 2019

The field of nursing is not simply limited to the provision of relief to those that are sick,

but rather embodies the scheme of caring. This includes sincere compassion incorporated in

every action imparted by a nurse. Throughout one’s nursing career, continual learning and

personal growth are inevitable experiences that will positively impact the nurse’s aspect of the

career. Despite these fundamental premises of nursing, each nurse has his/her own unique

motives in choosing the profession. This paper will address my strong philosophy of nursing that

is highlighted by Jean Watson, which has been developed throughout my experiences as a level

one nursing student that further expanded the professional goals that I aim to attain throughout

the program.

Personal Approach to and Philosophy of Nursing Care

My beliefs of the nursing care are built upon the notion of nurturing others, especially the

vulnerable ones during the most arduous moments of their lives. I desire to be the one to provide

tender care to patients in the happiest or the most sorrowful state that reflects their conditions,

physically and emotionally attending to their individualized needs. The profession requires one

to have knowledge and skills, collaborate not only with other health care providers, but also the

patients themselves to provide quality client-centered care (Currey, Eustace, Oldland, Glanville,

& Story, 2015). It is my philosophy that providing patient-centered care, through the act of

caring, play a substantial role in the healing process of clients. Hence, my ideology towards

nursing is mirrored by the nursing theorist, Jean Watson. Watson’s theory focuses on the

“science of caring as a core of nursing” (Friberg & Creasia, 2016, p. 77), in which she sees the

attribute of the moral characteristic of caring to be the most crucial aspect of human needs. A key

concept of the profession is “transpersonal caring” that suggests the actions of the nurse make a

substantial impact on clients, hence the need for caring in preserving humanity (Friberg &
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Running head: NURSING PHILOSOPHY

Creasia, 2016). My stance in providing compassionate care as the focus of the profession is

stern; along with Watson, I also believe that nursing is revolved around the science of caring and

is the most influential factor in the nurse-client relationship. Given these principles, I ought to

convey merciful care when attending to patients’ needs and that it is not only my job to extend

this attribute, but it is also my duty to do so.

Clinical Experience

Level one of nursing school marks the very beginning of my nursing career, where I

explored the wide-range of learning opportunities on the scope of practice. Students were given

the opportunity of a clinical experience at a nursing home, where my knowledge about the

nursing care further developed. During the five-week experience, I embraced the ethical concept

of caring for others by assisting the elderly. This influenced my philosophy as I saw the

importance of having compassionate care when building rapport with clients, as revealed by the

way the residents would positively respond to my provisions. Giving one’s full attention and

showing care to the residents greatly impacted their self-concept, as evidenced by their enhanced

attitudes. Furthermore, level one courses augmented my philosophy by way of highlighting the

fact that caring is incorporated in every aspect of nursing, from being at the bedside and listening

to clients, to following the six rights of medication to prevent adverse effects. With every

objective in level one courses, I discerned that the nurse must have a concept of caring in all

aspects, as we are the ones that encounter the patients the most.

Professional Nursing and Skills Goals

Throughout the nursing program, it is my ambition to meet three main goals I have set to

give the utmost of my abilities to every one of my clients. My first goal is to be able to build a

strong interpersonal relationship with every client I encounter, no matter how short or long our
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Running head: NURSING PHILOSOPHY

time is with each other. Having an interpersonal relationship built upon empathy and kindness

expands care and promote an intense connection between the nurse and the client, resulting in

positive outcomes (Santos, Nunes, Silva, Poles, & Szylit, 2015). In order to maintain this

relationship with my patients, I will be sure to listen to their needs or concerns, address any

issues they may have regarding their conditions, and be an advocate for them; attending to these

points at every interaction will empower the clients and provide exceptional experiences of care.

My second goal is to apply what I learn in nursing school into practice to deliver competent care.

I hope to take and build onto the knowledge I learned and will learn from didactic, labs, and

clinical experiences, as I advance through the program and in my nursing career. Continued

research on evidence-based practice allows nurses to widen their capabilities to produce efficient

work, which I can grasp onto throughout the program and build a learning foundation through

practice. This aspect of the field will allow me to exercise my knowledge about the scope of

nursing and continue my education to sustain excelled work delivered to clients. My third goal is

to gain residency in a medical-surgery or an emergency room (ER) unit before the

commencement of nursing school. My ultimate dream is become a certified nurse anesthetist

(CRNA), which requires comprehensive knowledge and skills that can be supplemented through

residency experiences. CRNAs work closely with doctors to aid in stabilizing patients, especially

during surgeries where pain management is crucial. Two important skills to have as a CRNA are

exceptional communication skills, as the job involves intensive collaboration with the client and

other health care providers, and proficiency in assessments to address the client’s needs or

changes in health status (“American Association of Nurse Anesthetist”, 2016). Given these

features of a CRNA, it would be beneficial to gain residency in an ER or a medical-surgery unit,

so that I can exercise these characteristics in preparation for the future.

My purpose as a future nurse is deeply consolidated by the proposition of caring. Along

with Jean Watson, providing moral care is the focal point and the foundation where my desire to

become a nurse is built upon. This principle has been influenced through my experiences in

nursing school thus far; I recognized how the art of caring is incorporated in all elements of

nursing, especially when tending to clients at the bedside. Throughout my nursing school

experiences, I wish to direct my work on interpersonal relationships in clinicals, endure my

education, and earn a residency in preparation to become a CRNA. I have made it a commitment

to excel in all facets of nursing by keeping an open mind and a gentle heart in the work that I

contribute to the community.

References

“American Association of Nurse Anesthetists”. (2016). Professional attributes of the nurse

anesthetist: Practice considerations. Retrieved from: https://www.aana.com/docs/default-

source/practice-aana-com-web-documents-(all)/professional-attributes-of-the-nurse-

anesthetist.pdf

Currey, J., Eustace, P., Oldland, E., Glanville, D., & Story, I. (2015). Developing professional

attributes in critical care nurses using team-based learning. Elsevier Ltd. Nurse Education

in Practice, 15(3), 232-238. Retrieved from: https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?

url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=edselp&AN=S1471595315000128&site=eds-live&scope=site

Friberg, E., & Creasia, J. (2016). Conceptual foundations: The bridge to professional nursing

practice. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier

Santos, M., Nunes, E., Silva, I., Poles, K., & Szylit, R., (2018). The meaning of a “good nurse”

in pediatric care: A concept analysis. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagen, 72(2): 494-504.

Retrieved from: https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?

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