Philosophy of Nursing
by Marie Jimenez, SPN
My vision of Nursing
Compassion – As part of my philosophy of nursing, my
this means that you should never judge a person based on their
outward appearance, whether or not they seem to appear
“poor” or “rich” or even “dirty”. These terms are all labels to
describe what the person may look like on the surface level. In
reality, their physical appearance may or may not have
vision of nursing consists of a profession where nurses not only
anything to do with their own personality or educational
care for people who are ill, but it is a profession where you
background. That is why it is very important to be non-
have to develop a sense of compassion. Compassion is very
judgmental when, as future nurses, we come across patients
important to develop in nursing because people are human
who “look” different from us. We should not judge them
beings. As human beings, people have emotions and feelings
regardless if these patients are prisoners or celebrities or the
therefore, it is important to treat every patient with compassion.
average person. Instead, we should view patients in a hostilic
Integrity – As a future nurse, I believe that it is also
point of view. According to Anderson, holism refers to “the
important to develop a sense of integrity. If you lack integrity,
whole person”(Anderson, 2005, p.29). Considering the patient
it makes it more difficult to reach that optimum level of
as a whole person, encompassing their physiological and
personal and professional satisfaction. Being honest and dev-
psychosocial status, helps nurses understand the patient as a
eloping sound judgment is crucial because if you are dishonest
whole being. My philosophy is that it is better to put pieces of
to yourself, then you become dishonest to others.
a puzzle together than isolating fragments of the whole picture.
Non-judgmental – In the nursing profession, it is very
important to be non-judgmental. Living in a diverse population
Nursing as a Hostilic Practice
Health & Wellness – As future nurses, it is important to
such as New York City, it is important to become aware and
consider maintaining a level of optimum health and wellness
familiar with the various types of cultures and backgrounds of
for our patients. In the recovery process of a patient who is ill
people living within the city. As cliché as it sounds, it is
or injured we, as future nurses, should be pro-active on the
important to never judge a book by its cover. In other words,
importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle which also
response to a type of abnormality within the body providing
includes the following:
clues in how the patient is coping and reacting to a particular
 Educating patients on foods that are most nutritious.
disease. A disease is a medical condition where it describes a
 Encouraging safe exercises for patients as part of their
particular location of the body that is affected and not
daily routine.
functioning normally as it should be. In other words, a disease
 Teaching patients about the importance of medications
is like a designated category or label to describe the medical
and their side effects while not withholding information
condition of a patient. For example, a patient may be suffering
that is important for them to know.
from a disease called Pneumonia which primary affects the
 Educating patients on their medical condition and find
alleviating ways to cope with it.
 Encouraging non-pharmacologic ways of alleviating pain
and/or emotional distress.
 Implementing the family in the recovery process of the
patient. This is important because when a patient is
respiratory system. Doctors are responsible for diagnosing a
medical disease while medically treating that disease. In this
case, doctors would have to rule out if a patient was suffering
from pneumonia. This can be very limiting because an
additional disease may occur at any time.
However, nurses are responsible for treating the response to
affected by an illness, the patient’s entire family is also
the disease. In this case, the nurse would be responsible for
affected by it.
assessing the symptomatic responses of a patient suffering
 Creating a sense of balance and harmony between the
from pneumonia. In other words, nurses are the “eyes and
mind, body, and spirit in relation to the patient’s illness.
ears” of a doctor because doctors are not monitoring patients
Illness vs. Disease
24/7. It is the nurse that is constantly observing and assessing
From what I have learned so far, illness and disease are not
the patient because they are responsible for monitoring what is
interchangeable words that mean the same thing. The
really going on, and reporting any adverse reactions or
difference between an illness and a disease is that an illness is a
abnormalities to the doctor. I believe that the nursing
profession should be given the credibility and respect that it
carbohydrates to function properly. As a preventative
deserves. While doctors may treat and medically diagnose a
measure, nurses should encourage patients to eat healthy foods
disease, it is nurses that play a vital role in caring for patients in
by teaching them about why it is important to eat a balanced
the hospital because they are the ones that are always in the
meal. It is not enough to say to a patient to eat a low-fat or
frontline within the healthcare system providing patients with
low-sodium diet because too much fat and salt is bad for them.
quality nursing care.
Nursing & Prevention
In terms of prevention, nurses should be the first ones
Instead, we should adopt the habit of giving proper
explanations and rationales that will encourage people to eat
healthier. For example, if a patient asks a nurse, “I know too
to encourage preventing something before it actually happens.
much fat and salt in my diet is bad for me, but I can’t live
I believe that prevention is an intervention that should be
without it.” In this case, the nurse should respond by
implemented as part of a person’s way of life.
explaining to the patient that although some fat and salt is
When going on rounds in the hospital and getting to
necessary for the body to function properly, exceeded amounts
know patients and their illness, I tend to ask myself “How
of fat and salt intake can lead to further complications such as
could have this been prevented?”. Although there is no simple
heart disease and renal disorders. The objective is to teach
solution for everything, I believe that if we should establish
patients about the body’s anatomy & physiology while
guidelines to follow that will allow us to take better care of
encouraging them to find alternatives ways to balance their
ourselves and future generations to come. As future nurses, we
diet. I believe that if patients understand a little bit about how
should implement preventative measures as part of our daily
the body operates, they will make better choices and become
routine, and teach others on ways to get in the habit of
more aware about the things they put into their body.
developing a healthy lifestyle.
Nutrition plays a big role in prevention because the
body needs nutrients, vitamins, minerals, protein, water, and
Exercise also plays a big role in prevention. Living a
sedentary and inactive lifestyle calls for needed interventions to
encourage exercise as a part of a person’s daily routine. Part
of the problem with living a sedentary or inactive lifestyle is
ance companies, sometimes it is not enough to cover all of the
convenience. It’s more convenient to drive a car to the grocery
medical expenses during a hospital visit.
store than to take public transportation.
Another problem why exercise is not implemented as
As future nurses, we should advocate for a better
healthcare system where anybody can have access to healthcare
part of a person’s daily routine is because of the limited
regardless of the financial ability to pay. Why should health-
perception that exercise only happens at the gym. Not every-
care be determined by insurance companies that do not focus
yone has time to go to the gym, let alone spend unnecessary
on receiving the best quality care for our patients?
amounts of money for membership fees. As future nurses, we
That is why it is important, as future nurses, to become
should encourage exercise by focusing on the individual needs
actively involved in the community and bring awareness to the
of the patient. For example, a patient tells the nurse, “I know
public while educate them on the political issues that we are
exercise is important, but I just don’t have the time like I used
currently facing in the United States.
to.” As a therapeutic response, nurses should encourage
After watching Michael Moore’s documentary on the
alternative ways of exercise to the patient by suggesting other
healthcare system entitled, Sicko, I became inspired and wanted
forms of recreational activities that promote muscle
to make a difference in my community. Therefore, I wrote an
strengthening and cardiovascular exercise. As a future nurse, I
email to Senator Hilary Clinton to pass the H.R. 676 bill which
would suggest dancing as a form of exercise for patients who
would allow for everyone to receive healthcare regardless of
do not want to join a gym.
their ability to pay. I was delighted to receive a response from
Access to healthcare & Nursing
When patients get admitted to the hospital or have to go
for an annual doctor’s appointment, it is important to have
medical insurance. Unfortunately, not everyone has medical
insurance. Although most people are covered by their insur-
her because it inspired me to think about other ways in which I
can make a positive contribution to society.
LaGuardia & its impact on my nursing philosophy
After attending LaGuardia for over a year, I would have
to say that my views on nursing have changed for the better
because I attended LaGuardia. Especially during my final
Witnessing the death of my patient opened up my eyes
semester in the Practical Nursing Program, I learned a lot
to realize that life is short and we should appreciate the things
during my clinical rotation.
we have in our lives. We should not take anything for granted
Clinical Rotation – During my first day of clinicals for
and to always have faith in God.
Medical-Surgical II Nursing, I was definitely not prepared for
I also learned that in the nursing profession it is
the unexpected. I was assigned to a patient who was very ill
important to have empathy and not sympathy. After witnessing
and had very labored breathing. Although my patient was
my patient’s final breath on earth, I became sympathetic not
unable to speak to me, I spoke to my patient anyway and made
only to my patient, but to his wife and family members. After
my presence known to him. Over the course of the day, I
coming home from clinical that day, I became emotional and
noticed that he stopped breathing heavily and eventually died.
started to cry.
I asked the nurse what happened and she quietly whispered,
I realize now that in the nursing profession that there
“He’s dead”. I was immediately shocked because I was not
will be times when people are going to die. That is something
prepared for my patient to die just like that, not even on the
that is expected in the field of nursing and also in life. What
first day of clinical rotation. I didn’t realize that I was going
this clinical experience has taught me is to develop empathy
through the grieving process starting with shock which
instead of sympathy. The difference between empathy and
eventually led to anger. I became angry because I thought
sympathy is that empathy does not require you to involve
about the things that could have prevented him from dying. I
yourself and become too emotional. In other words, you can’t
didn’t realize that, as an advanced directive, the patient didn’t
allow yourself to cry every time a patient is going to die. It is
want to continue living because he signed a Do Not Resuscitate
always sad when someone dies, but it is always good to have
(DNR) and Do Not Intubate (DNI) form which literally says not
faith and hope for the best.
to take any medical action in the event that he was going to die.
References
Anderson, A. M. (2005). Nursing Leadership, Management,
and Professional Practice for the LPN/LVN. (3rd ed.).
Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company, 29.