Nursing philosophy and metaparadigm concepts

Nursing Philosophy and Metaparadigm

The concept of nursing in a modern world goes far beyond simply bandaging up wounds and conducting doctors' orders. The contemporary nurse follows a unique philosophy of care, one which is heavily influenced by the four nursing paradigms. This modern nursing philosophy is guided by principles governing how nurses focus on the art of nursing itself, the flexible concept of health, the uniqueness of autonomous persons, and the interrelated elements of a care environment that is supposed to promote recovery and better future health. Together, these are all related in how a nurse responds and strategizes for care in the wide variety of settings seen within the larger philosophy of nursing.

The practice of nursing goes far beyond what it was once thought to be, and incorporates elements of its own philosophy to better serve patients and unique care strategies. The concept of "philosophy is an attitude toward life and reality that evolves from each nurses beliefs" (Baxter, 2012). Essentially, a philosophy will help guide an individual through unique experiences, influencing their thoughts and behaviors to meet a certain end goal. Nursing philosophy influences the modern nurse by imparting certain beliefs on the notion of care and how that should be served to each unique individual. From this perspective, "nursing is an art" (Baxter, 2012). Nursing is how modern practitioners are guided to provide a state of care for vulnerable patients in need. As such, modern nursing philosophies focus on the need to provide appropriate and flexible care for the wide variety of individuals a nurse will encounter during his or her practice.

The concept of the nursing metaparadigms was created to provide a well established foundation for the modern nurse to understand the interrelated parts within the nursing practice and how they all work together to provide a greater strategy for care. These are elements within larger nursing philosophy that help provide an understanding of the main nursing role within contemporary medical practice, yet are fluid enough to adapt to the needs of every unique individual and circumstance. In general, the concept of a metaparadigm is a process "that serves to define an entire world of thought"(Johnson, 2013). It is meant to establish unique practice standards for individual and larger contexts. The nursing metaparadigms become a useful tool in incorporating all of the necessary elements of nursing to provide for the best strategy of care for every individual in every unique situation.

There are four main concepts found within the modern literature's discussion of the nursing metaparadigm. Essentially, these represent "all interactions between the society, the environment, and the recipient of care are dynamic and synergistic" (Baxter, 2012). The literature highlights the notion that all elements of the metaparadigm are interrelated, yet have their own unique focuses that allow nurses to meet the needs of particular care situations and contexts. The first to be discussed here is the concept of nursing. Essentially, the nursing paradigm is the one which presents the element of caring at the foremost level of importance. According to the research, "in general, this refers to any hands-on medical treatment from nurse to patient" (Johnson, 2013). Nurses are providers of care, not a stiff singular concept where everyone gets the same type of care, but a movable, flexible notion of care that works to fit every individual in need. As such, "nursing is caring for people and their environment in ordered to maintain well-being in individual, family, and/or community using therapeutic techniques" (Long, 2012). Caring is at the very center of the nursing paradigm, and helps set a foundation for the other elements. Next comes the concept of health. This "concerns nurses as medical professionals (rather than mere adjuncts to doctors)" (Johnson, 2013). Nurses care because they want to promote health and ease suffering. Yet, "health is not an absolute concept, but exists in the context of the health problems of the individual" (Johnson, 2013). Once again, it must be fluid and flexible enough to be able to adapt to a wide plethora of different types of situations. Both of these first two elements must maintain a certain level of flexibility in order to cater to the third element, the unique individual person that is in need of medical care. Overall, "every person is unique and autonomous" (Long, 2012). Therefore, the strategy of care must be unique to their own individual needs. One individual might need one strategy, while another would react negatively to that same pattern. In such, it is clear that the person is the center of the nature of care and how it is delivered within nursing, where "nursing focuses on the human experiences and responses to birth, health, illness, and death in the context of individuals, families, groups, and communities" (Long, 2012). Yet the environment is the last factor that must be placed in a position of significance as well. The notion of the environment "serves to explain the full context of health care and nursing specifically" (Johnson, 2013). It revolves around the uniqueness of the "home life, mental state, addictions, physical pain, chances of relapse, rewarding work and a host of other variables come to define the context of recovery" (Johnson 2013). The environment is the last influential factor in the nursing paradigm and helps serve as a way to facilitate the most appropriate strategies for care. It can be used to the advantage of the modern nurse who must find a way to work well within it.