¶ … nursing philosophy influenced "Management Care Professional Issues" [capstone nursing] (2) How I live nursing philosophy I enter workforce? Each question answered 2-3 sentences.

My philosophy of nursing: Putting it into practice

When reflecting upon how my philosophy of nursing has been influenced by this Capstone course, my immediate response is that it is the first time that I really have had the opportunity to construct a true philosophy of nursing. Before, I tended to react to events without putting them in a larger context, and approached medical issues in a largely technical manner. Now, I am more inclined to think about how my decisions will interact with a patient's social, psychological, and environmental conditions. My philosophy of nursing is contingent upon the idea that the nurse must treat the whole patient in a spirit of caritas, and take into consideration the 'big picture.' A patient's personal definitions of health and well-being may be different from the nurse's, depending upon the nurse's personal cultural context. The patient's environment will impact the ability of the patient to follow the nurse's orders upon release. A patient is not a problem to be fixed. Nursing is a dialogue, not a monologue, with the patient.

As I enter the workforce, the first critical component of putting into practice my philosophy of nursing will be taking the time to listen to the patient. Although this can be difficult, given how nurses are pressed for time, it is vital to ensure that a correct diagnosis and treatment is made. I will also do the best I can to understand the patient's home situation, level of medical literacy, and competence. I will ask questions that go beyond the obvious. I view my role as a nurse partially as a teacher, but I also see myself as a student of each and every patient I treat. Every prescription for health is unique because no human being is the same. No patient can be reduced to his or her condition and a patient is more than a page in a medical textbook.