Nursing Philosophy: Metaparadigms, Diversity, and Health Promotion
This paper presents a personal nursing philosophy grounded in professional autobiography and theoretical frameworks. Beginning with a career narrative spanning PCT, LPN, RN, and ICU supervisor roles, the paper examines the four metaparadigms of nursing — person, health, environment, and nursing — as foundational to professional practice. It then explores two practice-specific concepts: cultural diversity through Leininger's Transcultural Nursing Theory and health promotion through Pender's Health Promotion Model. Five propositions connect these theories to the metaparadigms, addressing cultural competence, behavioral change, dynamic patient environments, spiritual beliefs, and nurse skill acquisition via the Dreyfus Model.
- Nursing Autobiography: Career journey from PCT to ICU supervisor
- The Four Metaparadigms of Nursing: Person, health, environment, and nursing defined
- Two Practice-Specific Concepts: Cultural diversity and health promotion models
- List of Propositions: Five theory-based propositions for practice
- Concluding Remarks: Nursing as a holistic, theory-driven profession
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What makes this paper effective
- Grounds abstract theoretical content in lived professional experience, giving the paper coherence and personal authority across its sections.
- Connects multiple nursing theories — Leininger's Transcultural Nursing, Pender's Health Promotion Model, and the Dreyfus Skill Acquisition Model — to the unifying framework of the four metaparadigms.
- Uses numbered propositions to make the philosophical argument concrete and testable, bridging theory to clinical practice in a structured way.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates theoretical synthesis: rather than treating each nursing theory in isolation, the author consistently maps each concept back to the four metaparadigms (person, health, environment, nursing). This creates a cumulative argument in which autobiography, theory, and propositions reinforce one another rather than appearing as disconnected sections.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a first-person career narrative that establishes professional credibility and introduces the Dreyfus model as a framing device. It then defines the four nursing metaparadigms as the philosophical foundation. Two practice-specific concepts — diversity and health promotion — are developed with supporting citations. Five numbered propositions synthesize these theories into actionable principles. A brief conclusion ties the discussion back to nursing's holistic character. The reference list follows APA style throughout.
Nursing Autobiography
I began my career in healthcare as a patient care technician (PCT) in a large hospital. Working throughout the hospital as a float PCT, I gained experience with a diverse group of patients on every unit in the hospital. I eventually took a position in the ICU and stayed there for five years.
I enjoyed caring for patients and began taking classes toward my nursing degree. After completing the LPN program, my career in nursing became earnest and more focused by the day. Starting in a long-term skilled care rehab facility and a dialysis unit, I returned to the same hospital where I started as a PCT and worked there for seven years as a staff nurse and, later, an RN. Eventually I became team leader of the cardio unit and simultaneously completed my BSN.
Once I completed my BSN, I began working in home healthcare as a case manager for a community hospice facility. I worked in case management at a hospice and then as an ICU nurse and unit supervisor in a long-term acute care (LTAC) facility. I remained PRN for hospice for another year while I completed my orientation and training for my position at the LTAC facility.
I currently work for the LTAC facility, caring for critically ill patients in the ICU and supervising staff nurses and PCTs. I am now working toward an MSN in education, and my goal is to teach new nurses in the cardiac setting — preferably in the coronary ICU. My nursing career reflects the importance of the Dreyfus Skill Acquisition Model. Since my humble beginnings as a PCT, I now serve in a position of leadership and look forward to reaching a higher level of expertise in my career.
References
Benner, P. (1982). From novice to expert. The American Journal of Nursing, 82(3), 402–407.
Bowers, B. (2011). Managing change by empowering staff. Nursing Times, 107(32–33).
"Health Promotion Model." (2012). Nursing Theories. Retrieved from
Johnson, W. (n.d.). Four basic metaparadigm concepts in nursing. eHow. Retrieved from
Leininger, M. M. (1988). Leininger's theory of nursing: Cultural care diversity and universality. Nursing Science Quarterly, 1(4), 152–160.
Leininger, M. M. (2002). Culture care theory. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 13(3), 189–192.
Leininger, M. M., & McFarland, M. R. (2006). Culture care diversity and universality. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.
Lester, S. (2005). Novice to expert: The Dreyfus model of skill acquisition. Retrieved from
Pender, N. J. (2011). Health promotion model manual. University of Michigan.
Schim, S. M., Benkert, R., Bell, S. E., Walker, D. S., & Danford, C. A. (2007). Social justice: Added metaparadigm concept for urban health nursing. Public Health Nursing, 24(1), 73–80.
Srof, B. J., & Velsor-Friedrich, B. (2006). Health promotion in adolescents. Nursing Science Quarterly, 19(4), 366–373.
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