Philosophy

Running head: PERSONAL NURSING PHILOSOPHY 1
Personal Nursing Philosophy
J’Andra Antisdel
Bethel College

PERSONAL NURSING PHILOSOPHY 2
Personal Nursing Philosophy
Enjoyment and satisfaction in the various fields of nursing is found in empathy, advocacy
and education. One must be empathetic to the needs of all human beings despite any differences,
controversial or otherwise. Shelly and Miller (2006) wrote caring for others is not a universal
human trait (p. 203). This is especially true in our Western culture wherein selfish aspects of
individualism and materialism are emboldened and celebrated (Eckersley, 2005, p. 252). In this
self-focused society, it may become increasingly difficult to find and recruit students to the
profession who already possess the qualities and traits of a nurse. Nurse educators must be
willing and prepared to build empathy in students and foster these traits. Hildegard Peplau, a
renowned nurse theorist, expressed in her theory of interpersonal relations that nurses need to be
aware of the fears and anxieties patients face when seeking assistance from healthcare
professionals (Peplau, 1991). We are meeting patients in crisis, and like Peplau, I believe to be
a success in this field one must either be an individual who possesses an innate sense of care and
well-being for humanity or be willing to open themselves up to the suffering of others and learn
what it might mean to truly be vulnerable.
Beginnings
Among our most vulnerable patients, those who often suffer in silence, and at times are
subject to ridicule and misunderstanding, are the mentally ill. I have always been invested in the
plight of those suffering from mental illness as my mother was diagnosed with a debilitating
mental illness when I was a young child. Beneath the intolerable weight of her diagnosis, my
mother was also a single mother, raising me on her own. My home life was extremely bizarre, as
young children are conditioned to trust and believe their parents, so her fears and paranoid
delusions became mine as well. I have often described my mother as a shattered window and

even as an adult I am still picking out pieces of glass. Despite my mother’s struggle with
discerning reality, she was the one who urged me to go to nursing school. Admittedly I was not
completely enamored with becoming a nurse. I was not moved by some life-long dream of
becoming a nurse, and to be honest, I barely knew what a nurse was. I considered nursing school
as a way out and I worked hard through my courses, hoping by the end, I could find the stability
and normalcy I never knew as a child.
Throughout my college education, I learned more about my mother’s disease and the
rippling effect it had on our lives. I learned about the quiet pain others do not validate as pain. I
learned to see suffering where others saw moral failings. It was not until I learned about more
about psychiatric nursing and nursing care in general that I truly knew I wanted to be a nurse.
Nursing was no longer just a steppingstone allowing me a place in society, but a way of life.
Shift Towards a Career in Education
After seventeen years of working in the mental health field I noticed how insidious and
destructive the stigma of mental illness is to patients and family members of those suffering.
Even nurses are less likely to choose mental health nursing as a profession due to the effect of
stigma (Hunter, Weber, Shattell, & Harris, 2014, p. 5). This led me to take a different turn in my
career, my passion for mental health developed into a new desire to educate and share my
passion with the next generation of nurses. My main goal was to teach nursing students not to
compartmentalize psychiatric nursing care. If I am unable foster a desire to work in the mental
health setting, then I at least want to teach nursing students to understand how to interact with
mental health patients regardless of the field they choose. They need to know that mental health
nursing care is applicable to all fields of nursing.

As a nurse educator I plan be involved in curriculum design with fellow faculty members
to ensure nursing students are receiving the information they need to practice as professionals. A
basic nursing education consists of an understanding of biological and social sciences as well as
the care of patients of all age groups in a variety of healthcare settings. The prepared nurse will
need to be versatile in the multi-generational care of all age groups (ISBN, 2015). It is important
nursing students embrace their work as a patient advocate and learn to respond with empathy and
understanding. Finally, they must always seek opportunities to continue their education.
Nursing students need to be armed with this knowledge in order to apply it to real life scenarios
that occur in the healthcare environment. It is not enough to know the signs and symptoms of
infection; one must be able to recognize the signs and symptoms as they would occur in the
healthcare environment. They need to use their knowledge to make connections as well as learn
how to prioritize and implement care.
There are stories and recollections from those who recount tales of what it was like to
attend nursing school and experiencing nursing incivility stemming from nurse educators.
Students in the past have reported experiences where they were told they would not do well in
the course if a concept was misunderstood or if they did not demonstrate a skill correctly on the
first try. Students also recounted being subjected to weeding out practices that impeded personal
progress leading those to drop out of the nursing program (Muliira, Natarajan, & Van der Colff,
2017).
When I returned to school years later to complete a bachelor’s degree in nursing, I found
teaching had changed. Instructors were incorporating more activities in their classrooms and
content became more learner focused. I noticed that instructors began to take an interest in
nursing students and encouraged them to aspire to more than what they were. I realized I could

be more. It was then I fell in love with learning. According to Malcolm Knowles theory of adult
learning, adults learn better when they are engaged. Nurse educators did more than disseminated
information, they took the time and care to nurture and develop attitudes necessary to understand
the rationales behind the content. They made learning more personal. This is why I excelled.
Though I have learned to adapt to multiple teaching methods when learning new information, my
desired learning style involves narrative pedagogy with imagery. It is nothing short of magical
when an educator finds a way to weave a story from personal experience and bring life to
seemingly sterile content. As a believer in Knowles’ theory I plan to engage students while also
building upon their current knowledge and experience (McEwen and Wills, 2014, p. 403).
It is in the best interest of the nursing profession for the nurse educator to introduce
nursing as a desirable profession, and work from the concept of inclusion, rather than exclusion.
I envision the role of a nurse educator and the educator-student relationship as a role with actions
similar to the nurse-patient relationship. When working with patients, the nurse works to
promote patient development, so too should the nurse educators work to promote student
development. It is important for the nurse educator to assess strengths and weaknesses in
learning and implement teaching strategies to fit the needs of the learner, much like the nurse
works with the patient to develop realistic goals and outcomes customized to their specific needs
(Masters, 2015).
Vision and Plan for Nursing Education
As a fledgling educator, I have been asked many times, “What do you like about
teaching?” Teaching is an honor. To teach means that you have been entrusted to guide future
generations. I truly enjoy guiding learners to make connections and challenging them to
confront what they believe about mental health. I enjoy implementing and creating new

activities designed to build empathy and understanding for those with mental illness. After some
introspection and an informed guided assessment, I realize I carry the traits of an idealist
(Keirsey, 2016). I believe all students have unlocked potential, and in the future, I will strive to
give them confidence in their abilities and show interest in their professional development. I
plan to utilize teaching activities and lecture styles that are learner focused and designed to
engage the various styles of learners. I want to reach the traditional and the nontraditional
student and ensure I am engaging students who are culturally and linguistically diverse. I will
learn how to best recognize students who are struggling or at a disadvantage and respond with
compassion to their various needs.
I also plan to utilize concepts of what is known about the benefits of group therapy.
When creating group learning activities designed around discussion, role-play, simulation, and
case-studies, students are given the opportunity to experiment and express themselves in a safe
environment that also challenges them academically. Through these activities, students will
learn the importance of therapeutic communication and find confidence in building rapport with
mental health patients. Students will also learn to conduct thorough mental health assessments.
Most importantly they will be able to actively listen to patients and conduct life-saving suicide
assessments. The educator can also use this time to assess student knowledge and make
corrections and adjustments in real time tailored to student needs (Townsend & Morgan, 2017,
pp. 188-195).
Planning to Incorporate Professional Standards
I have come to recognize that many elements of my teaching style, strategies, and content
may be dictated or at least influenced by the school where I will teach. The first objective in my

plan to improve my ability to provide high quality education is to ensure that I teach within a
nationally accredited school with a written mission and philosophy that align with my values and
beliefs. If I am teaching at a nationally accredited school, it will be easier to establish a
relationship with other educators who will support me in my endeavors to incorporate
professional standards into my career as a nurse educator.
Halstead’s (2007) core competencies for the nurse educator align with the second
objective in my plan to provide high quality education. As outline earlier in this missive, I desire
to be an educator who facilitates learning, learner development and socialization. I also plan to
ensure fair evaluation methods and reduce subjectivity in grading by incorporating various types
of evaluation (pp. 1-93). The quality educator also participates in curriculum development. I
plan to accept and lead needed changes to the curriculum and use evidenced-informed research
to determine the changes I need to make to continue to meet student need needs. As the
curriculum changes, there will be a need to continuously assess if my teaching styles reflect
program learning outcomes (Halstead, 2007, p. 99-103). In participating in curriculum
development, I can also work towards either implanting or enhancing the incorporation of the
needed knowledge, skills, and attitudes of nursing students as outlined by the Quality, Safety,
and Education for Nurses project (QSEN Institute, 2007).
The third objective in planning to provide high quality education aligns with Halstead’s
(2007) sixth competency to develop leadership skills. Currently nurses are not recognized in the
community as leaders and educators (Hoeve, Jansen, & Roodbol, 2013, pp. 296-298) and few
join the profession expecting a leadership position. Many nurses may not feel comfortable
describing themselves as leaders though there is a great need for nursing leadership due to
current and oncoming changes in patient health care (Halstead, 2013, p. 4) In order to enhance

and develop the profession of nursing, nursing students need to be exposed to leadership content
and educators who model effective leadership.
In teaching psychiatric nursing, I have had an epiphany. Despite my many years
practicing as a nurse in mental health, I am a better nurse after teaching. In my desire to
disseminate evidenced-based and up-to-date information about the care of psychiatric patients, I
have found that I am learning as well and have been able to implement my knowledge in my
nursing care and practice. In alignment with Halstead’s (2007) seventh core competency, I am
excited to commit to lifelong learning to continue to ensure I practice and educate to the best of
my abilities (pp, 126-128). My exposure to multiple case-studies and implementation of learning
exercises has given me more insight into the stress patients face. While teaching I came across
an exercise that allowed those to have a simulated experience of audio hallucinations. After
experiencing only a portion of the fear, uncertainty, distraction and confusion of those who hear
voices, I have found myself acting with more empathy. For those experiencing hallucinations, I
remember to give them more time to process. I can better understand the rational for speaking
directly in short and easy to understand sentences. Most importantly I understand how important
it is to reassure them that they are safe. My nursing practice has improved as I endeavor to
nurture empathy and advocacy in the hearts of nursing students.
Final Thoughts
I feel blessed and humbled to have the opportunity to learn and guide the education of
future nurses. I understand that along with attempting to select people who already display
desired nursing care traits, we as nurse educators must also be willing to develop and foster traits
in those where it may not come naturally. This belief aligns with a Christian worldview where
there is worth in everyone because they are children of God. There are many in the bible who

were chosen for their work despite outer appearances, despite their worldly worth and previous
achievements. “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward
appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (I Samuel, 16:7, NIV). Like those who educated me,
I plan to look towards the heart when I teach and practice servant leadership. I will embrace the
importance of developing skills in and insights of “listening, empathy, healing, awareness,
persuasion, conceptualization, [sic] foresight, stewardship, growth, and building communities”
(Jackson, 2008, p. 28). Through these characteristics, I am empowered to continue to seek new
learning opportunities to foster professional development in myself and my future students. I am
also determined to facilitate student learning and faculty cohesiveness by opening my heart and
showing love, care and empathy to all human beings, fulfilling what it means to me to be a nurse
educator.

References
Eckersley, R. (2005). Is modern western culture a health hazard? International Journal of
Epidemiology, 35(2), 252-258. doi:10.1093/ije/dyi235
Halstead, J. A. (2013). Seeking disruptive leaders in nursing education! Nursing Education
Perspectives, 34(1), 4-4. doi:10.5480/1536-5026-34.1.4
Halstead, J. A. (2007). Nurse Educator Competencies: Creating an Evidence-Based Practice for
Nurse Educators. Washington, DC: National League for Nursing.
Hoeve, Y. T., Jansen, G., & Roodbol, P. (2013). The nursing profession: public image, self-
concept and professional identity. A discussion paper. Journal of Advanced
Nursing, 70(2), 295-309. doi:10.1111/jan.12177
Hunter, L., Weber, T., Shattell, M., & Harris, B. A. (2014). Nursing students’ attitudes about
psychiatric mental health nursing. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 36(1), 29-34.
doi:10.3109/01612840.2014.935901
Indiana State Board of Nursing. (2015). A compilation of Indiana code and Indiana
administrative code. Retrieved from Indiana State Board of Nursing Website:
https://www.in.gov/pla/files/2015_Nursing_Statutes_and_Rules.pdf
Jackson, D. (2008). Servant leadership in nursing: A framework for developing sustainable
research capacity in nursing. Collegian, 15(1), 27-33. doi:10.1016/j.colegn.2007.10.001
Keirsey. (2016, May 20). Assessments. Retrieved from https://keirsey.com/assessments/about/
Masters, K. (2015). Nursing theories: A framework for professional practice (2nd ed.). Retrieved
from https://www-r2library-com.proxysb.uits.iu.edu/resource/title/1284048357

McEwen, M., & Wills, E. M. (2014). Theoretical basis for nursing (4th ed.). Philadelphia, PA:
Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Muliira, J. K., Natarajan, J., & Van der Colff, J. (2017). Nursing faculty academic incivility:
perceptions of nursing students and faculty. BMC Medical Education, 17(1).
doi:10.1186/s12909-017-1096-8
Peplau, H. E. (1991). Interpersonal relations in nursing: A conceptual frame of reference for
psychodynamic nursing. New York: Springer Publishing Company
Shelly, J. A., & Miller, A. B. (2006). Called to care: A Christian worldview for nursing.
Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic.
Townsend, M. C., & Morgan, K. I. (2017). Therapeutic groups. In Psychiatric mental health
nursing: Concepts of care in evidence-based practice (9th ed., pp. 188-195).
Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis.
QSEN Institute. (2007, June 24). QSEN Competencies. Retrieved from
http://qsen.org/competencies/pre-licensure-ksas/

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