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NURSING PHILOSOPHY: ADVOCATING, CONTINUING EDUCATION, HOLISTIC CARE

Nursing Philosophy: Advocating, Continuing Education, Holistic Care

Courtney Kaelin
Old Dominion University

NURSING PHILOSOPHY: ADVOCATING, CONTINUING EDUCATION, HOLISTIC CARE

Nursing Philosophy: Advocating, Continuing Education, Holistic Care

Introduction- What is my Philosophy?
My philosophy in regards to nursing is to use my nursing skills and therapeutic presence
to aid in the healing of my patients both mentally and physically. I should treat all of my patients
will the same respect and courtesy I would treat any human being. I believe a great nurse is not
only a great critical thinker who uses their nursing skills to treat patients, but also one who is
truly compassionate and cares about their patients outcomes. A great nurse is someone who
advocates for their patients to see that they receive the best care possible. I believe a holistic
approach to nursing yields better outcomes for my patients as well. Relieving the patients
symptoms in the body and mind, especially stress from being in the hospital, I find gives better
outcomes. As a nurse I would like to think I possess all of these qualities. I have been nursing for
a year now and I know that my critical thinking and nursing skills are sharp. I believe as I
continue to travel through my nursing career those nursing skills and critical thinking will
continue to grow through school and continuing education.
Part of why I accepted my position at Sentara is because of their shared philosophy of
nursing. I have spent the last year working in an oncology unit and, oncology units, more than
anywhere need nurses with compassion. Our patients are slowly dying, and they know it, its a
difficult thing for anyone to go through. They arent your typical medical surgical patients who
are in and out of the hospital in the matter of a few days and go on to lead normal, healthy lives.
The patients we see are typically the worst case scenario of cancer patients who remain with us
for weeks and months at a time. Their outpatient chemotherapy hasnt worked and now theyre
on our floor for surgeries, transfusions, or even end of life care. Its easily the most difficult, sad
time in that patients life and their familys as well. Compassion is needed with these patients
because their emotions can change dramatically and rapidly as they deal with this trying time.

NURSING PHILOSOPHY: ADVOCATING, CONTINUING EDUCATION, HOLISTIC CARE

The last thing our patients need is a nurse they feel is just there for the money or just waiting for
7 oclock to come around. They need their caregivers to genuinely care for them, to hold their
hands, to cry with them, to walk through their journey with them, advocate for them. Genuinely
caring for patients is my moral responsibility and should be every nurses moral responsibility as
well.
Evidence
One of the many important philosophies of nursing to me is advocating. The Online
Journal of Nursing Issues discusses advocating for patients at length. It mentions that Few
victories are achieved on the first attempt. Most advocacy initiatives are accomplished through
collaboration, negotiation, and compromise; they may require a series of actions over time in
order to achieve a desired outcome (Tomajan, 2012). I think this is important for new nurses to
remember. It can be intimidating to be a young nurse with new, fresh ideas and to bring those
ideas to a seasoned nurse or even doctor. I personally, can recall several times in the beginning
of my nursing careers when an idea I had sounded great until I mentioned it to the doctor and he
completely shot my idea down. Its important to not let times like that discourage a new nurse, to
not keep their ideas to themselves. Several times the ideas I brought up regarding patient care
that was disregarded ended up being problems that needed to be addressed several days later.
Holistic nursing is something that I think many nurses dont feel like they have the time
for. With nursing shortages across the nation, many nurses are overloaded with patient care and
simply dont have time to delve into patient care from a holistic approach. I believe treating the
patient holistically greatly reduces the amount of stress and fear patients have about being in the
hospital. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) noted that stress does effect the
body, it is proven science. A study in 2012 interviewed 276 healthy adults about stressful

NURSING PHILOSOPHY: ADVOCATING, CONTINUING EDUCATION, HOLISTIC CARE

events in their lives and then exposed them to a cold virus. Those experiencing chronic stress
were cortisol resistant and were more likely to get sick. The same article goes on to say,
When under continuous stress, cells of the immune system are unable to respond properly, and
consequently produce levels of inflammation that lead to disease (Agnvall, 2014). This further
proves why I believe that treating a patient holistically is better for their overall outcome. I feel
like they are less susceptible to hospital acquired infections and will relax mentally and allow
their body to heal.
Continuing education is important to me and my philosophy of nursing because it will
allow me to continue learning and be the best nurse I can be. The American Nurses Credentialing
Center (ANCC) states Ongoing educations motivates learners and contributes to their personal
and professional growth (The Value of Accreditation, 2012). I think this is true for nurses
because as a nurse most of us aspire to be the best nurse we can be for our patients. Generally,
most nurses have a love for learning, we are eager to know and understand the newest, greatest
breakthrough in healthcare. We are eager to continue our education to build upon our careers.
This motivation allows us to grow professionally as nurses, and ultimately as a team, to offer the
best patient care possible.
Conclusion
My philosophy of nursing encompasses a lot different ideas and aspects of nursing. I
believe all nurses should advocate for their patients and care for them holistically. We should be
our patients comfort blanket, someone they can trust and rest assure knowing they are in good
hands. We should continue our educations throughout our careers and stay up to date with the
ever advancing medical field to be the best nurses we can be. I hope and promise to always live

NURSING PHILOSOPHY: ADVOCATING, CONTINUING EDUCATION, HOLISTIC CARE

by my philosophy of nursing to offer the best care throughout my nursing career for years to
come.
Reflection
Reflecting back on my nursing philosophy and research Ive done, I am honored to have
the morals instilled in me that I do. Not everyone can be a nurse, you truly do need to have a
great deal of compassion and intellect. What it takes to be a great nurse is not something that can
be taught, its inherited and natural. Im thankful that I feel like I have these traits. Im also
thankful that I was given the opportunity to go to school and become the nurse I am today. Its a
unique and impressive journey Ive been on and Im honored to be the person I am. I look
forward to continuing my education and continuing to make a difference in my patients lives.

I pledge to support the Honor System of Old Dominion University. I will refrain from any form
of academic dishonesty or deception, such as cheating or plagiarism. I am aware that as a
member of the academic community it is responsibility to turn in all suspected violators of the
Honor Code. I will report to a hearing if summoned.
Name: ___Courtney Kaelin_________________________________________
Signature: __Courtney Kaelin_______________________________________
Date: _3/28d/2015____________________________________________

NURSING PHILOSOPHY: ADVOCATING, CONTINUING EDUCATION, HOLISTIC CARE

References
Agnvall, E. (2014, November 1). Stress! Don't Let it Make you Sick. Retrieved March 27, 2015,
from http://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2014/stress-and-disease.html

Tomajan, K. (2012, January 31). Advocating for Nurses and Nursing. Retrieved March 27, 2015,
from http://nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/O
JIN/TableofContents/Vol-17-2012/No1-Jan-2012/Advocating-for-Nurses.html

The Value of Accreditation for Continuing Nurses Education: Quality Education Contributing to
Quality Outcomes. (2012, January 1). Retrieved March 27, 2015, from
http://www.nursecredentialing.org/Accreditation/ResourcesServices/AccreditationWhitePaper2012.pdf