DNP Nurse Philosophy of Nursing Practice

DISCUSSION: PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING PRACTICE

Discussion: Philosophy of Nursing Practice

Philosophy in nursing, as University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (2020) points out, refers to “a statement that outlines a nurse’s values ethics, and beliefs, as well as their motivation for being part of the profession” (par 3). The said statement is reflective of the decisions that nurses make on a daily basis. I decided to pursue a course in nursing owing to the fact that I wanted to promote the health of people – specifically at the community level. Nursing also happens to align with my personal goal of bettering the wellbeing of humanity in whichever way I can. Working as a nurse has taught me that my main focus should be on patients as well as their environment. In this essay, I will describe my personal philosophy which will describe my area of expertise and experience in nursing. It will also include the role of a DNP as a social change agent and how I will advocate for positive social change as a Walden DNP.

My personal philosophy could be conceptualized as the provision of better health services to persons – especially at the community level - through collaboration while embracing diversity in the community. My belief is firmly rooted upon the perspective that nursing practice ought to be more than the treatment of diseases. This is more so the case given that patients deserve quality care through individualized care. Essentially, care should incorporate the wellbeing of the patient as a whole and just a single health concern. In my experience, I have also learnt that working with other member of staff across the organization comes in handy in efforts to better outcomes. Therefore, I intend to work with colleagues from other disciplines so as to ensure that patients receive the best care. O’Daniel and Rosenstein (2008) point out that team collaboration ensures that relevant information is accurately communicated – effectively ensuring that patients receive quality care and, amongst other things, resulting in the reduction of errors.

As a DNP, I intend to create and advance awareness with regard to diversity, global health and collaboration through advocacy. Therefore, my personal philosophy would be imperative in advocating for positive social change in the community. I also intend to advance diversity at my workplace as a DNP by proposing programs whereby practitioners will be sensitized on the importance of appreciating culture. Going forward, I will also pursue available skill enhancement opportunities so as to ensure that I am able to better deal with diverse and emerging health issues via the deployment of evidence based practices.

DNPs play an important role in healthcare systems. DNP nurses can act as positive social agents in their community by utilizing evidence-based research to effect change in healthcare, i.e. by better addressing healthcare issues as well as engaging in meaningful advocacy efforts. DNP nurses can also form collaborations aimed at achieving the main goal of providing optimal care to patients. The said collaborations tend to be effective in improving procedures and policies in nursing practice (Tenhunen et al, 2020). DNPs may enact change by improving evidence-based skills in diverse settings, implementing policy changes, and driving innovations in clinical practice. It would also be prudent to note that graduate students are required to respond to community concerns by informing or engaging in the development of system changes in their organizations (Walden University, n. d). As a Walden DNP, I intend to advocate for positive social change by transforming myself through the relevant ideas and beliefs. This way, I will be able to deal with problems at the community level by coming up with informed decisions. I also intend to achieve this by, amongst other things, pursuing meaningful collaborations and engaging in systems development so as to improve access to health.