Philosophy Of Nursing Metaparadigm

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Contemporary nursing is based on a conglomerate of nursing models and experiences that nurses use to develop an individual framework from which they base their nursing practice. Nursing philosophy is based on personal reflections, values and beliefs and is connected to the current body of nursing literature; it incorporates understanding of the traditional nursing metaparadigm that includes person, environment, nursing and health. My personal philosophy is characterized by the discipline of nursing using three distinct attributes: (1) holistic (2) culturally competent (3) patient education. The goal of this paper is to discuss each of these attributes in relation to each other, how this philosophy developed, and how one can encounter each attribute …show more content…
Holistic nursing encourages nurses to amalgamate self-care, self-responsibility, spirituality, and reflection in the nursing practice. A holistic view of the patient allows the nurse to connect with patients on a relational level through which nurses get to understand the values of patients, and this kind of practice separates physician care from nursing care. “Holism involves studying and understanding the interrelationships of the bio-psycho-social-spiritual dimensions of the person, recognizing that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” (Dossey, 2010, p.14), meaning holistic nursing is not only concerned with a patient’s physical well being, but it also concerned with patient’s emotional, spiritual, and mental wellbeing.
The aspect of cultural competence takes into consideration more than just knowledge of various cultures. True cultural competence is a multifaceted process, which begins with a personal awareness of one’s own culture, and most importantly one’s own prejudices. As open minded as we all would like to believe we are, it is inevitable that as we grow and learn through our own experiences we develop certain biases, perhaps without realizing. The first step
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It is important to also remember that patients are not simply identified by their room numbers or medical conditions, but are individuals that require and deserve individualized attention and care. Nurses should use clinical judgment to help meet the needs of the patient. As advocates, we should empower patients by encouraging them to become active partners in their own care and engage in mutual goal-setting between ourselves and the patient. We must educate patients and their families on diseases, treatments, and healthy behaviors in order to improve their outcomes. We should also strive to model positive healthy behaviors in our own lives in the belief that we will provide better care to others if we care for ourselves first. Through these forums, therefore, nurses can collectively improve healthcare standards both locally and