Personal Philosophy of Nursing Sample Paper
Introduction
Motivation for Pursuing a Career as an Advanced Practice Nurse
My motivation for choosing to become a nurse comes from my desire and passion to help people to live full, healthy lives. Besides, I have a passion for helping people to live their full lives and fulfill their dreams by living healthy lives. I come from a society where many people struggle with social determinants of health such as high levels of poverty, illiteracy, poor health behaviors, lack of social support, and public safety concerns. These factors impact negatively on the lives of the members of my community, denying them the chance to live a full and dignified life. I decided to become a nurse to help people from my community and the nation at large deal with health problems.
I chose to be a nurse so that I can educate people on how to live a healthy lifestyle. As a young person, I watched some of my relatives and community members struggle with health problems that I later realized are easily preventable with the right information and education. I felt compelled to pursue a career in nursing so that I may be able to educate and help people live a healthy lifestyle. Secondly, my decision to pursue nursing stems from the fact that I wanted to do something interesting and challenging but at the same time make a difference in people’s lives. The nursing profession is very demanding but I do enjoy the routine involved in helping patients to recover as well as seeing communities being active and healthy. I get satisfaction when patients and their families have trust in me to take care of their sick. I get motivated when my patients are satisfied with my services.
My intention in joining the nursing profession is to help patients and communities to improve their lifestyle to take charge of their health. I watched some of my close relatives suffer from health problems that they could have easily managed if they had some information or education about the problem. Apart from giving nursing services to my patients, I have a career objective and mission of educating members of the public to take care of their health by choosing a healthy lifestyle.
Christian Worldview: Describe your worldview of Truth, the Bible, and God.
In terms of religion, many people believe in the role of God in healing illnesses. In this regard, religion is a critical influence on the behavior of patients, nurses, and physicians. A thorough understanding of people’s religious beliefs can lead health practitioners to effectively deal with the needs of their patients (Korup, et al., 2020, p. 188). Religion plays a key role in promoting members of society to live healthy lifestyles. For example, most religions forbid or discourage their members from consuming substances that are harmful to health such as alcohol, and cigarettes.
Culture is the way people do things based on where they come from. Every human being lives in some form of cultural framework defined by rules of conduct, values, and beliefs. Culture has a big role in people’s understanding of diseases and illnesses. In particular, some cultural beliefs or practices may influence how some people react to illnesses. These reactions, as Blackmar (2020) observe, impact the outcome of an ailment and the process of treatment. Based on cultural beliefs and practices, nurses and physicians must be mindful of the care they give to patients since individual cultural beliefs and practices affect how patients perceive illness and treatment.
Sociologically, people perceive religion as an answer to complicated problems. Every society has a way of explaining things that may be difficult to comprehend. For example, societies use religion/spirituality to explain pain, suffering, and even death. Spirituality can help patients to develop an understanding of their situation such as acceptance (Arutyunyan et al., 2018, p. 28). Societies also use religion/spirituality to encourage and give hope to its members, especially those suffering from illness.
Religion help humans to create logical explanations for matters that are beyond human comprehension. Through religion, humans can create an understanding of their world and how it affects them. Besides, religion helps humans to come up with logical answers to complex societal issues such as illness, pain, suffering, emotions, and death among others (Clark, & Clark, 2018). Spirituality and religion help to give meaning to these complex issues and how to deal with them. An understanding of religion/spirituality gives nurses and doctors ideas of dealing with pain, suffering, and bereavement.
The relevance of religion in Health Care and Wellness.
Religion helps patients to cope with feelings of anxiety and depression. Many people become sad when they become ill. In particular, depression is common in patients with terminal diseases and those who have been ill for extensive periods. Other patients become depressed because they are unable to continue with their normal life. To deal with depression, many patients turn to the Bible and God. Not only do they derive hope from spirituality, but they are also able to find peace of mind (Wattis & Curran, 2017). Concerning anxiety, many patients become anxious about many things during an illness. For example, it is common for patients to worry about whether they will make it out of a hospital alive.
Sick people can find help for their anxiety from the Bible. The book of Philippians 4:6-7 in the Bible states that “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (The Holy Bible). Such teachings from the bible help patients to be at peace with their condition having hope in God that through prayer, they shall be healed. The result is that patients abandon their worry, stress, and anxiety and instead replace it with hope and a peaceful mind. Prolonged confinement in a hospital environment also makes patients anxious (Canfield, et al., 2017). Spirituality offer patients a platform to deal with their anxieties. Reducing anxiety and depression in patients’ influences on health outcomes.
Through religion, patients can cope with stress. According to Mishra et al. (2017), people with deep spiritual orientation are less stressed compared to people who are less religious/spiritual (p. 1282). Mishra et al. further assert that patients who are religious or spiritual are less likely to develop high blood pressure. The reason for this phenomenon is because religious/spiritual people have less stress, depression, and anxiety. The patients with deep religious/spiritual connections have high hopes that their ‘supreme’ being is in control of their life and health. These kinds of positive thoughts and hopes help to reduce stress.
The understanding of spirituality helps nurses and physicians to improve health outcomes in patients through compassionate care. Compassionate care calls for physicians and nurses to understand their patients, share their pain, and help patients to find some meaning in their suffering (Zamanzadeh, et al., 2018, p. 92). Compassionate care not only has positive outcomes for patients but is also a critical motivational tool for doctors and nurses. What this statement means is that compassionate care elevates satisfaction in patients while at the same time increasing the level of job satisfaction in physicians and nurses. Where there is no compassionate care, patients undergo more suffering resulting in low-quality care.
The term prime reality refers to a worldview on the existence of God. Some people hold the view that there is a supreme being who controls and runs the universe. The believers in a supreme being believe that the world was created by a supreme God who then left the universe to run on its own (Rasmussen & Leon, 2019). However, even as the universe runs itself, people who believe in the existence of God hold the opinion that humans are answerable to God. This phenomenon means that humans are rewarded where they do right while they get punished for doing wrong.
In prime reality, religions that believe in the existence of God or a supernatural being believe that God is an omniscient and omnipotent being whose abilities are beyond man’s comprehension. Such religions also hold the view that God is the source of morality. In many societies that believe in God, there is a strong belief that God is the ‘master physician who can heal all kinds of diseases and ailments. Hence, in connection with well-being, health, and diseases, some cultures believe that illnesses are some form of suffering sent by God to test or strengthen their faith (Rasmussen & Leon, 2019). Physicians and nurses need to understand how religion/spirituality impact the health outcomes of their patients.
Implications for Practice
Religion plays a critical role in influencing patient outcomes. Nurses and physicians who have an understanding of spirituality and religion can impact positively their patients’ well-being. For starters, knowledge about spirituality can help healthcare providers to reduce stress and depressions in their facilities (Arutyunyan et al., 2018, p. 28). Depression and mental stress in hospitals are a critical concern as far as patient outcomes are concerned. By embracing religion/spirituality, nurses and physicians can make hospitals a stress-free environment for patients. Patients who are allowed and encouraged to observe their religious faith are less stressed compared to those who do not believe in religion/spirituality.
Doctors and nurses should encourage spirituality because it promotes performance. When patients/clients are satisfied, employees also reap from this satisfaction as it speaks to their approval by patients and excellent performance (Arutyunyan et al., 2018, p. 28). Spirituality and religion make physicians and nurses walk the journey with a patient. Instead of just issuing instructions, these workers become partners with patients who are a critical factor in healing. Additionally, patients get both physical healings as well as nourishment of the heart. Thus, spirituality combined with modern medicine provides a powerful-two pronged approach in the healing process. This approach has better outcomes instead of just relying only on one approach.
Spirituality/religion used as an element in compassionate care leads to the improved well-being of patients. Passionate care helps nurses and physicians to give hope to patients by being warm and positive (Canfield et al., 2017, p. 206). Nurses with better compassionate skills make their patients more relaxed and less stressed. Conversations between nurses and patients are ways of making patients relax because they detect friendliness. Even more importantly, nurses and doctors need to take charge of their emotional needs. One way of relieving the stress and pressure of working in a stressful environment is through spiritual nourishment (Canfield et al., 2016, p. 206). Nurses and doctors who are emotionally stable can perform better while patients gain from their emotional well-being.
Conclusion
Scientists have found a link between one’s spiritual beliefs and well-being. In this phenomenon, the peace of mind derived from praying, and positive religious beliefs promote healing. Spirituality does not cure illnesses; however, it makes patients feel good and have hope about their situation. Depression and stress in hospitals are a big concern as far as patient outcomes are concerned. By embracing religion/spirituality, nurses and physicians can make hospitals a stress-free environment for patients. Patients who are allowed and encouraged to observe their religious faith are less stressed compared to those who do not believe in religion. Through religion, patients can reduce stress levels. People with spiritual orientation are less stressed compared to those who are less religious/spiritual. In fact, patients who are religious or spiritual are less likely to develop high blood pressure. The reason for this is that religious/spiritual people have less depression and anxiety, and are unlikely to suffer from elevated blood pressure. Patients with deep religious/spiritual connections have high hopes that their ‘supreme’ being is in control of their life and health.
References
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- Clack, B., & Clack, B. R. (2019). The philosophy of religion: A critical introduction. John Wiley & Sons.
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- Rasmussen, J., & Leon, F. (2019). Is God the Best Explanation of Things?. Springer International Publishing.
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- Mishra, S. K., Togneri, E., Tripathi, B., & Trikamji, B. (2017). Spirituality and religiosity and its role in health and diseases. Journal of religion and health, 56(4), 1282-1301.