1. Running head: MY NURSING PHILOSOPHY 1
My Nursing Philosophy
Katelyn Haynes
California Baptist University

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My Nursing Philosophy
From as early as I can remember, I have always had a passion for helping those around
me. Whether I knew them or not, I felt it was my calling to provide compassion and care in the
smallest ways. Since the beginning of the program here at CBU, I knew I wanted to be a nurse
in the ER. I have always had an interest in trauma and the fast paced environment. After my
critical care rotation last semester, it reaffirmed my love for the field and the ER unit.
If there is one thing I have noticed in the emergency department, is that it is a very
past paced environment that does not seem to allow nurses time to develop a philosophy. Or, if
they have developed a personal philosophy, it is lost in the business and not expressed to the
patients in their care. This has made me sit back and think, what is my philosophy? After
thinking of my personal philosophy for nursing, I thought to myself, do not be like many nurses
and lose that important aspect. I want to make sure that I always take the time to think about my
beliefs, my values, and what nursing is to me. In the field of nursing, every belief we have
influences the choices we make. Values are directly derived from our beliefs and our beliefs are
what drive our actions (Burkhardt, 2014). I believe that my philosophy is influenced by the
theory of humanbecoming. I believe that as a nurse we have commitments to our patients, their
families, and also to the community. As a nurse it is important to build a strong relationship of
trust with these individuals, because it ties back to the idea that we have a commitment to them.
Therefore, my philosophy of nursing is to simply be kind, treat those around you the way you
want to be treated in return. Not only is this my nursing philosophy, but also my personal life
philosophy.
To me, nursing is not just an occupation, I am not going into the field with the motivation
of a paycheck. To me, nursing is what I was created to do by God. Nursing is my calling, it is

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my duty to be the hands and feet of the lord to care for those around me. So when it comes to the
question, who am I as a nurse? I have to look into my values. As a nurse, I am someone who
can accept my own faults, I know that I am not perfect but that I can strive to be the best nurse
possible. As a nurse, I am full of compassion and positivity. I believe that in the field of nursing
it is important for us to love the field we are in, to be positive, and be present at the bedside with
a heart full of love. Having a passion in what you do will affect those around you, whether it be
your coworkers, your patients, or their families – your attitude as a nurse will make an
impression. Something throughout nursing school that I have always kept in my mind during my
rotations is Dr. Drummond and various other professors telling us students to not be afraid to
love on our patients! I truly believe that loving our patients and showing them compassion is a
huge part of the healing process. As a nurse, not only am I compassionate, not only do I lift
others up with positivity, but I am here to be of service to those around me. As a nurse it is also
important for me to be altruistic, meaning I put the needs of others before my own which is
important in nursing. “Happiness is the highest goal and good in life, altruism, which calls on us
to sacrifice our happiness for the good of others, is contrary to our highest good” (Pojman,
2014), I have been called to a field of service, I have ultimately been called to care and place
those around me before myself. I truly believe that as a nurse, I will be able to make a big
impact on my patients lives. Because I am going into a field that I love beyond words, I am
going into my passion of serving others.
I am going into the field of critical care because I want to be there during my patients and
their family’s hardest times. I want to be able to help pick them up and show them that there are
people who are strangers that care about their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being even
in what seems to be the worst of times. I believe that this viewpoint I have adopted was

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influenced by Rosemarie Rizzo Parse’s theory of humanbecoming. Humanbecoming focuses on
the patient’s quality of life, and what they view their quality of life as (Parse, 2014).
Humanbecoming has taught me the importance of taking the patient’s opinions and feelings into
account, because as humanbecoming mentions that health is how the patient perceives it. So as a
nurse, it will be important for me to document exactly what the patient states and focus my care
around improving their current quality of life. Not only is that important, but as a nurse it is
crucial to be truly present with your patient at the bedside. I believe that the two tie together, as
a nurse it will be important for me to show true presence with my patient, and ensure I am
listening to their needs and desires for their health. These aspects of humanbecoming are
important to my philosophy of being kind and treating everyone as I want to be treated. As a
patient I would want a nurse to show me compassion at the bedside and making sure that my
needs are listened to and met. I believe that it is important for patient healing.
Christian nursing is a ministry based on compassionate care for the individual as a whole
(Shelly, 2006). During times of ill health, nurses are to aim to heal to a patient’s optimum level
of health, nurses need to be present to bring comfort during suffering and bring comfort to those
in need during times of death (Shelley, 2006). When looking into ourselves at our values, and
our beliefs, it is also important to take into consideration that this is God’s calling for us and we
need to remember what his vision is. These biblical principles can be small reminders that we
are doing the work of God, we are here to heal and to comfort. We are here to be the hands and
the feet of God and to carry out his mission to care. I believe that an important bible verse to
remember when caring for God’s children is Romans 12:6-8, that we have spiritual gifts from
God, we have been called to care. As stated in Called to Care, Christian nursing is not based off
of autonomy, Christian nurses should work as a part of the body (Shelley, 2006). In the field of

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nursing, it is important to focus on a patient’s spiritual well-being and to show our patients that
we care. Caring, is essentially a therapeutic intervention that we have learned from God
(Shelley, 2006). As a nurse, I reiterate the fact that it is important to have the value of
compassion. It is important to provide a patient with compassionate care for their whole well-
being during times of need, even if that means we are to get our hands dirty (Shelley, 2006). As
I go back on my philosophy of treating others how you want to be treated, I truly believe this
mirrors the perspective of being a Christian nurse. As a Christian we are expected to fulfill our
duties of care, and providing care in a holistic manner; because not only are we healing a patient
but we are healing them as a whole person (Shelley, 2006). Christian nurses heal patients
physically, emotionally, psychosocially, and most importantly – spiritually; it is most important
for our patients to be in the hands of God (Shelley, 2006). I believe to be an effective nurse, you
must have biblical principles and views that you follow internally to care for your patients.
A leader is someone who is out taking risks to achieve shared goals among the team and
is someone who inspires others to take risks as well (Marquis, 2015). To be quite honest, I have
never seen myself as a true leader. I have always been an individual among the team that
chooses to follow the leader to make goals happen. I do believe that my leadership skills are
where I need the most improvement and development during the next few months. I am often
soft spoken and afraid to take on the authoritative position. I do believe that as time goes on my
skills with strengthen. One of my strengths I believe is my ability to stand up for what I believe
is right, by any means necessary. I believe that this falls under the definition of a leader who is
out taking risks to achieve a goal. I will do anything and risk anything for my patients to ensure
that they receive quality care and that they are given a voice. For me, being a patient advocate is
a priority and it is the main goal. In the code of ethics for nurses, provision 3 states that it is the

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duty of the nurse to promote, advocate for, and protect the rights, the health, and the safety of our
patient (ANA, 2015). Also mentioned within the code of ethics for nurses, nurses need to be
alert and need to take action in any instance where incompetence, unethical or illegal, or
impaired practice or actions are taking place (ANA, 2015). As I mentioned earlier, as a nurse I
have a duty and commitment to all of my patients, and that is ensuring they are safe in my care.
As a nurse it is my duty to ensure that my patient is never placed into jeopardy. By taking
ethical stands for my patient, this is a quality of a leader by ensuring the goal of safety for the
patient is met by any means necessary.
During nursing school, I have been able to grow as an individual. Not only have I
become a more competent and aware individual, I have been able to identify my values and my
beliefs and place them into action. Because those core aspects shape our actions and our
decisions (Burkhardt, 2014). I have always known that I was called to care for God, but I was
never one hundred percent sure what way my calling was intended. As I began my journey, I
always had an emotional draw to critical care. The program has set my foundation for critical
care and has shown me where I am meant to be. During my journey I have evolved from a timid
and soft spoken individual to a strong nurse who is not afraid to speak up and advocate for those
who are in her care. Nursing school has shaped me and molded me into a caring nurse and has
reinforced the hands and feet that the lord has provided me with. I went from an individual who
knew very little about the healthcare industry, to someone who is equipped with knowledge to be
a competent nurse in the emergency department. During this journey I have been able to identify
my strengths and my weaknesses, and it has allowed me to work on my flaws. This journey
throughout the program has shaped me into the individual that the Lord intended me to be and it

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has solidified my walk with the Lord. I walk beside not only God, but my patients as well. I
come beside my patients during their time of need and show them that they are not alone.
I whole heartedly believe the statement that “the nurses self-reflection and self-
assessment… healing and personal development are necessary for service to others”
(AHNA/ANA, 2007). I have always believed that if you find your work rewarding, because it is
truly your calling, you will provide the best care possible for your patients. I truly believe that
having compassion and providing patient satisfaction are a few of the important aspects to
nursing. I always remind myself of this in the clinical setting. Although I am not licensed and
practicing, I think it is important to incorporate these ideas into our care. Human becoming also
intertwines with these ideas of providing excellent care to others. Spirituality and being truly
present (Parse, 2014) with your patient at the bedside is a very important manner to me. As a
nurse, I will always be sure to comfort my patient and spiritually care for them during my shifts.
Being truly present is an important aspect of care because nurses and other health professional
live the art of humanbecoming in true presence with the unfolding of illuminating meaning,
shifting rhythms, and inspiring transcending (Parse, 2014). I truly believe that I have matured
into a young nurse who has been called to care, I have grown and developed in my journey that
was destined and created by God for me.

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References
American Holistic Nurses Association & American Nurses Association. (2007). Holistic
nursing: scope and standards of practice. Silver Spring, MD: American Nurses
Association. Retrieved from Nursesbooks.org
American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements.
Silver Springs, MD: Nursesbooks.org.
Burkhardt, MA & Nathaniel, AK (2014). Ethics & Issues in Contemporary Nursing, 4th ed.
Cengage Learning: Stamford, CT.
Holy Bible. Romans 12:6-8. New International Version.
Marquis, B.L. & Huston, C.J. (2015). Leadership roles and management functions in
nursing: Theory & application (8th ed.). Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott.
Parse, R. R. (2014). The humanbecoming paradigm: a transformational worldview. Pittsburgh,
PA: Discovery International Publications.
Pojman, LP and Vaughn, L (2014). The Moral Life. An Introductory Reader in Ethics in
Literature, 5th ed. Oxford University Press: New York.
Shelly, J. & Miller, A. (2006). Called to care: A Christian worldview of nursing. Downers
Grove, Illinois: Intervarsity Press.