Personal Philosophy of Nursing and the Metaparadigm
This paper articulates a personal philosophy of nursing by examining the experiences and education that shaped it, then applies that philosophy to the four core concepts of the nursing metaparadigm: person, environment, health, and nursing. The author argues for a holistic view of each concept, emphasizing that quality care requires considering the whole patient rather than isolated symptoms. The paper then identifies Orlando's nursing process theory as the framework most compatible with this philosophy, noting its alignment with holistic care, health literacy, and preventive medicine. Together, the four metaparadigm concepts form an integrated foundation for patient-centered nursing practice.
- Introduction: Purpose and scope of the nursing philosophy paper
- Factors Influencing My Personal Nursing Philosophy: Education and personal observation shaped nursing values
- The Nursing Metaparadigm: Person, Environment, Health, and Nursing: Holistic definitions of all four metaparadigm concepts
- Interrelationship of the Metaparadigm Concepts: How person, environment, health, and nursing interconnect
- Nursing Theory Most Compatible with My Personal Philosophy: Orlando's nursing process theory aligns with holistic philosophy
- Conclusion: Preventive, holistic care as the nursing ideal
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What makes this paper effective
- The author connects abstract theoretical concepts—holism, the metaparadigm—to concrete personal observations, such as watching admired nurses interact warmly with hospitalized family members, which grounds the philosophy in lived experience.
- Each metaparadigm concept receives its own focused treatment before the paper synthesizes them, making the argument easy to follow and demonstrating that the author understands both the parts and the whole.
- The analogy of the mechanic and the car is used consistently across the health and nursing sections, providing conceptual coherence and making abstract ideas accessible.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates reflective academic writing by pairing peer-reviewed citations (Erickson, 2007; Rajabpour & Rayyani, 2019; Faust, 2002) with first-person reasoning. Rather than simply summarizing theory, the author evaluates each framework against personal values and professional observations, which is the standard expectation in nursing philosophy assignments at the undergraduate level.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a brief introduction stating its three aims, then devotes one section to formative influences and another to the four metaparadigm concepts, each treated as a labeled subsection. A short synthesis paragraph follows before the theory-alignment section applies Orlando's nursing process theory across all four concepts. The conclusion reinforces the preventive-care thesis and ties back to the opening framework.
Introduction
Having a personal philosophy of nursing is important because it provides the nurse with a framework to apply throughout a career of caring for patients. Personal understanding is the bedrock of growth and development, so it is appropriate to stop and consider how one's own philosophy of nursing aligns with one's view of the nursing metaparadigm. This paper identifies the factors that have influenced the development of my personal nursing philosophy, discusses my thoughts regarding the four metaparadigm concepts, and examines the nursing theory most compatible with my personal philosophy.
Factors Influencing My Personal Nursing Philosophy
Two primary factors have influenced the development of my personal nursing philosophy: (1) my education, and (2) my own experience and understanding of nursing. My education has taught me the basics of nursing and the need to deliver quality care to patients. However, what it means to deliver quality care differs from person to person. My own experience relates to how I have observed nurses conduct themselves with my loved ones in the hospital. I have always admired nurses who do not even seem like nurse professionals in the clinical sense — rather, when they enter the room they seem like an old friend.
The type of nurse I have always admired is one who knows everything needed to meet the patient's needs, yet whose personality, engagement, support, comfort, and assistance feel like those of a true friend. I find that style of nursing to be most excellent. I have had many loved ones in the hospital over the years, and whenever that type of nurse entered the room, you could feel it — everyone would light up and feel happier that this person was there. That experience is one of the biggest factors that has shaped my personal nursing philosophy, because it is that type of nurse I would like to become.
References
Erickson, H. L. (2007). Philosophy and theory of holism. Nursing Clinics of North America, 42(2), 139–163.
Faust, C. (2002). Orlando's deliberative nursing process theory: A practice application in an extended care facility. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 28(7), 14–18.
Frank, L., Engelke, P., & Schmid, T. (2003). Health and community design: The impact of the built environment on physical activity. Island Press.
McCormack, L., Thomas, V., Lewis, M. A., & Rudd, R. (2017). Improving low health literacy and patient engagement: A social ecological approach. Patient Education and Counseling, 100(1), 8–13.
Rajabpour, S., & Rayyani, M. (2019). The relationship between Iranian patients' perception of holistic care and satisfaction with nursing care. BMC Nursing, 18(1), 1–7.
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