Philosophy
Nursing is a multitude of layers. Nurses must be able to maintain professional relationships with patients that require sympathy, a caring nature, etc. Nurses must also be efficient and work towards the goal of decreasing patients' recovery time.
Registered nurses play a very large role in the deliverance of optimal health care by assessing situations, developing plans and proposing interventions, all while assuring safety measures are met.
My end goal as a future nurse is to positively impact as many people I can throughout my life. I believe as a nurse I can do this. A nurse is the front line person in caring for others in health care services. My personal goals are humble. Money has never been a goal, rather doing that which enriches my effect on others I encounter. I am happiest when I am helping others.
My main focus on positively impacting people's lives and livelihoods derives from my activism. I fight to change society by educating and challenging oppression and exploitation. I look forward to nursing and caring for minorities and those that don't fit the social norms. Marginalized groups suffer higher rates of morbidity and mortality from just about every major cause of death, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS.
When I become a nurse, my practice will be culturally sensitive. I will also research, educate myself, and include an appreciation for complementary alternative therapies. I will also ensure that I advocate for diverse groups and vulnerable populations who cannot advocate for themselves. Advocacy is one of the responsibilities of nurses in efforts to eliminate health care disparities.
My Values and Beliefs
A Personal Reflection
My personal values have evolved through experiences. I plan to incorporate my value through my nursing practice to provide optimal care to all patients.
My first value is social justice. In addition to the consideration of people’s dignity and respect, I believe in focusing on equal access to health services and the right of being fairly treated and cared free of economic, social, and cultural status (Farhenwald et al., 2005, p. 50).
My second value is autonomy. This is giving people the right of independence in decision making, right to accept or reject suggested treatments, interventions, or care. In addition, autonomy in decision making necessitates giving appropriate and adequate information to people (Farhenwald et al., 2005, p. 48).
My third value is responsibility. This means being responsible for giving evidence-based care and applicable and valid research. I aim to always be accountable for my actions and duties. I, as a future nurse, would be responsible for the promotion of patients’ well-being, having a holistic approach toward them and completing their duties (Rassin, 2008, p. 625).
My fourth value is trust. I typically gain trust through understanding people’s situation and status. I always try to interpret other's feelings and reciprocate the actions I find best suited for the specific situation. Through gaining trust, people are able to state their conditions in the belief that I will keep my confidentiality code (Fagermoen, 1997, p. 439).
References
Fagermoen, M. S. (1997). Professional identity: values embedded in meaningful nursing practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 25(3), 434–441. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2648.1997.1997025434.x
Fahrenwald, N. L., Bassett, S. D., Tschetter, L., Carson, P. P., White, L., & Winterboer, V. J. (2005). Teaching core nursing values. Journal of Professional Nursing, 21(1), 46–51. doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2004.11.001
Rassin, M. (2008). Nurses’ professional and personal values. Nursing Ethics, 15(5), 614–630. doi:10.1177/0969733008092870
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Personal Experience and a Reflection
As I matured and started researching and understanding social justice crisis, my values began to evolve. I realized the importance of justice and equality for all people, and to fight for change to eliminate oppression and marginalization. Unfortunately, this allowed me to also realize that my friends at the time were not as open-minded and forward-thinking. As much as I had tried to inform and educate them, they were unable to retreat from their bigoted ways. Despite my efforts, I became discomforted in their presence. I had to end the relationships just over a year ago with specific friends in order to continue my growth.
I am fully aware culture plays a large part on people's values. This event made me realize that there are still many misinformed people that hinder marginalized people's lives and social interactions. I was able to utilize this experience as a motivator to promote education on activism. Although sad, the experience plays a large part on the values I have today. I plan to educate people to the best of my abilities about the injustices many people still face. I plan to advocate for patients and promoting optimal health care and aim to eliminate all health care discrepancies.
