Personal Nursing Philosophy

For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to be a nurse. I’m not sure what influenced me to become a nurse because no one I personally knew was a nurse. I always enjoyed science classes and medical dramas on television. Taking care of people in a time of need has always appealed to me. But, nursing is so much more than the medical dramas played out on television. It’s taking care of people in a time of need with empathy, compassion, and skill. This paper will focus on my personal beliefs and my personal philosophy of nursing. To develop my personal philosophy of nursing I consulted the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics. Provision one reads “the nurse in all professional relationships, practices with compassion and

Provision eight says “the nurse collaborates with other health professionals and the public in promoting community, national, and international health needs” (Finkelman & Kenner, 2013, p. 183). The World Healthcare Organization (WHO) challenged all nations to provide basic care to their citizens (American Nurses Association, 2009). The United States is the only industrialized nation that does not have a system in place to provide basic healthcare to its people (American Nurses Association, 2009). The American Nurses Association supports the WHO’s challenge and has listed ways in which nurses can help make care more accessible to everyone (American Nurses Association, 2009). First, nurse practitioners and nurse midwives should be recognized as primary care providers as this will give patients more choices in their primary care (American Nurses Association, 2009). Second, Registered Nurses (RNs) should be able to practice to the full scope of their licensure by managing chronic diseases, promoting disease prevention, and operating wellness programs (American Nurses Association, 2009). As nurses, we must do our part to help facilitate change and give everyone access to basic healthcare. It is our responsibility to educate the public and contact our lawmakers and urge them to make the changes necessary to make healthcare available for