Nursing Philosophy Paper

Running head: NURSING PHILOSOPHY 1
Nursing Philosophy
Jillian Nichols
Castleton University

NURSING PHILOSOPHY 2
Nursing Philosophy
Introduction
Philosophy is “the study of the principles underlying conduct, thought, and the nature of
the universe” (Black, 2017, p. 171). When looking for philosophy we are searching for meaning
and underlying reasons of reality and truth. Philosophy begins when a person contemplates or
wonders about an idea. Philosophies are unique. Individuals develop philosophies as they grow
and usually do so without realizing it. They serve as outlines or guides for an individual’s values
and beliefs (Black, 2017). Philosophies in nursing are unique to the nursing profession. This
paper will discuss philosophies in nursing, along with my personal beliefs in nursing philosophy.
Nursing Philosophy
Nursing theory and nursing philosophy are directly related. Nursing theories are
developed to help guide nurses as they care for their patients. Theories define the scope of
nursing, identify the nursing role and explain the nursing process (Nursing Theory, 2016).
Nursing philosophies are created by individual nurses in their daily practice. Nurses use their
philosophies to explain what we believe the role of nursing is and how we interact with the
patient. These philosophies address ethics, beliefs and values (Nursing Theory, 2016). Nursing
theories and philosophies directly affect one another. A philosophy in nursing will help guide the
nurse to develop their own personal philosophy. Both theories and philosophies provide
guidance for nurses in their daily practice and patient care (Nursing Theory, 2016).
Personal Beliefs and Attitudes of Nursing
Nurses provide health care services to patients around the world, focusing on health
prevention, promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health (Black, 2017). I believe that the
combination of education and personal nursing experience help nurses develop the necessary

skills, beliefs and attitudes for delivering excellent patient care. I also believe that the personal
values, beliefs, morals and ethics of a nurse will affect how they care for their patients. Personal
beliefs will affect how a nurse educates and helps a patient develop the skills necessary to
prevent illness, promote, maintain and restore health. Values are the core of human behavior and
are used throughout the decision-making process. Values represent what is good, right and
desirable. Personal development of values is constituent of a lifelong process which is influenced
by culture, professional education, training, and experience (Gallegos & Sortedahl, 2015). “A
belief represents the intellectual acceptance of something as true or correct” (Black, 2017, p.
167). Beliefs are described as personal opinions that may be true or false. Beliefs are based on
attitudes that have been developed through personal experience. Beliefs guide decision-making
and critical thinking (Black, 2017). Morals offer standards of behavior; these standards guide an
individual or group in actions or rules that are acceptable in a situation when a decision must be
made. Morals are learned, they are influenced by culture and experiences throughout life (Black,
2017). Ethics are used to reflect the actions a person should follow (Black, 2017). Nurses have
different backgrounds with a variety of values, beliefs, morals, ethics, and personal experiences
throughout life. My personal belief is that these experiences and life lessons help nurses develop
skills, beliefs, theories and philosophies in nursing. Every individual is unique and will relate to
experiences in a variety of ways, reacting to them differently due to their prior education and
past clinical experiences.
Benner’s Nursing Theory
Patricia Benner is a nurse who became curious about how nurses made the transition
from inexperienced novice nurses to expert nurses (Black, 2017). Benner introduced the concept
that nurses develop skills for patient care over time, with a sound educational base, and multitude

of experiences. She proposed that one gain’s knowledge and skills without learning a specific
theory and that experienced nursing skills are a prerequisite for becoming an expert (Nursing
Theories, 2011). Benner differentiates the level of skills that one can learn in a classroom to the
experiences and skills that are acquired in clinical settings. Benner described five stages of a
nurse’s clinical development as discussed below (Gallegos & Sortedahl, 2015).
Benner’s five stages are described as “novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient,
and expert” (Gallegos & Sortedahl, 2015, p. 187). The novice nurse is described as a beginning
practitioner with no prior experience. These nurses are taught the general rules which help the
nurse perform general skills. Their practice is limited and inflexible (Nursing Theories, 2011).
The advanced beginner’s performance is described as acceptable. The nurse has gained
experience in clinical situations and recognizes meaningful components of care. The principles
that are gained from experience guide the nurses action (Nursing Theories, 2011). The competent
nurse typically has two to three years of experience at the same or similar job in day-to-day
situations. These nurses are aware of long term goals and gain position from planning their
actions based on conscious, analytical thinking, which helps the nurse achieve efficiency and
organization (Nursing Theories, 2011). The proficient nurse understands the situation as a whole.
The understanding of the situation allows the nurse to improve their decision-making skills. The
nurse learns from their experiences and understands what to expect and how to interpret the
situation and modify it as necessary (Nursing Theories, 2011). The expert nurse no longer needs
principles, rules or guidance to connect to situations or guide their actions. Their decisions are
based on experience and intuition of the clinical situation. The expert nurse’s performance is
proficient, fluid and flexible (Nursing Theories, 2011).

Benner believed that “clinical judgement is stimulated when the nurse’s preconceived
notions and expectations collide with, or are confirmed by, the realities of everyday practice”
(Black, 2017, p. 95). Having an educational base and personal experience is key to developing a
personal philosophy as a nurse. Without experience, nurses can only believe and act on the
information we are given in nursing school. Our education is an excellent base to our career,
however textbook information and actual clinical experiences can differ greatly. Due to the
variety and complexity of our patients and care that is needed, there is nothing that will prepare a
nurse for certain situations unless they live through the situation and personally experience how
it made them feel, the skills that were required and how they handled the situation.
I remember being a new nurse on the Progressive Care Unit after graduating as a
Registered Nurse. I was terrified that I didn’t have the experience to properly care for my
patients. The more I worked, asked questions and experienced, the more comfortable, confident
and proficient I began to feel as a nurse. I also began to understand what it truly meant to be a
nurse and my own beliefs in health and illness, and how to provide the best care for my patients.
Health and Illness
Health is defined as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not
merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (Black, 2017, p. 161). Personally, I describe health as
a person who describes that they feel well themselves. Individuals may feel healthy even when
they do not have optimal or a complete state of health. For some, health will be a complete state
of wellness with no past medical history, for others it may be that they have multiple diagnoses
that are well-controlled, because the disease or comorbidities are controlled, they will feel
healthy.

Illness is based on personal experience. Culture plays an important role in how an
individual behaves, their health beliefs and the way they respond to illness (Black, 2017). Illness
may be when a person has an acute disease or illness. These patients will experience signs and
symptoms that are short in duration. The individual may need medications to help them get well
or the illness may resolve on its own. An illness can also be chronic. An individual with a
chronic illness may experience exacerbations and remission. Exacerbations occur when
symptoms appear or worsen. Remission occurs when the symptoms go away (Black, 2017).
Illness are individual and patients who are ill may not feel ill. They may have multiple
comorbidities but because some are so serious and debilitating, they may not notice when minor
issues are occurring.
Culture is described as learned behavior and values that are acquired through social
interactions, shared through members of groups and transferred through generations. Culture
greatly influences the meaning of health, illness and how an individual accepts treatment.
Culture defines an illness and if an individual will seek help and the type of help they will seek,
whether it be an acupuncturist, herbalist, folk healer, or traditional health care provider (Black,
2017).
Spirituality is the belief in a higher power with an awareness of the purpose and meaning
of life (Black, 2017). Spirituality varies greatly throughout human existence. Spirituality includes
the beliefs and concepts of religions and philosophies. Spiritual growth occurs throughout life. It
is an internal process that cannot be observed. It consists of an “awareness to the meaning,
connectedness, purpose and values in life” (Black, 2017, p. 261).
All individuals define health and illness differently depending on their cultural and
spiritual beliefs. My personal philosophy includes the beliefs that nurses need to be open-minded

and aware of their own beliefs, culture, spirituality, values, strengths, emotions and biases. Every
nurse needs to be able to competently care for a patient no matter what their background might
be. If the nurse’s beliefs differ so greatly that they interfere with patient care, the nurse needs to
communicate with their team and leader, so patient care will not be compromised. Nurses have a
responsibility to the public to provide the best, safest care possible to their patients.
Nurses Responsibilities to the Public
My personal philosophy believes that helping individuals reach and maintain optimal
levels of health is a crucial responsibility of the nurse. Nurses are also responsible for the care of
a patient experiencing an illness. Nurses need to perform their duties to the best of their ability.
Nurses need to be properly educated and have a variety of clinical experiences. Expert nurses
will be proficient in educating patients on the best ways to reach and maintain optimal levels of
health. These nurses will provide the best evidence-based care because of their continued
education. My personal nursing philosophy is impacted by Patricia Benner’s theory of novice to
expert. Benner’s theory explains that nurses need education and clinical experience to provide
optimal care. Not only do they need an educational base but they need to continue their
education throughout their career to stay up-to-date and current on the most effective and safest
care of our patients today.
Personal Responsibilities as a Member of the Nursing Profession
The American Nurses Association (ANA) has created and implemented a nationally
accepted Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. The ANA Code of Ethics
discusses the responsibilities of the nursing profession. Ethical practice has been discussed as a
priority throughout the nursing profession. The Code of Ethics was written to describe “the
nursing profession’s expression of its ethical values and duties to the public” (Black, 2017, p.

138). Practicing with competence and integrity are essential elements in the nursing profession
(Epstein & Turner, 2015). Nurses are sometimes trapped between conflicting value systems, and
forced to deal with difficult ethical pressures. Understanding and having the knowledge of the
Code of Ethics for Nurses will provide the nurse with the power to influence day-to-day
decisions regarding patient care and the resulting outcomes (American Nurses Association
[ANA], 2017).
The ANA Code of Ethics has nine provisions to guide nurses through their daily duties.
The first, second and third provisions relate to quality and ethical issues in nursing. The first
provision states that nurses should “practice with compassion and respect for the inherent
dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person” (American Nurses Association [ANA],
2015, p. v). The second provision states that the nurse’s obligation is to the patient, which may
be an individual, family or group. The third provision states that the nurse promotes and protects
the rights and safety of patients (ANA, 2015). Providing quality care is part of our ethical duty
as nurses. Nurses need to have an understanding of what is acceptable in order to provide
exceptional care.
The fourth, fifth and sixth provisions incorporate leadership and quality care within the
profession. The fourth provision assures that the nurse has authority, accountability and
responsibility in their practice, the decisions they make and actions taken. This is consistent in
promoting health and providing the best possible care. The fifth provision ensures the nurse owes
all duties to self and to others. This includes promoting health, safety, and preserving wholeness
and integrity, while maintaining competence and growth both personally and professionally. The
sixth provision ensures that the nurse establish, maintain and improve the ethical environment at
work and that the conditions of employment are beneficial for safe, quality health care (ANA,

2015). Demonstrating leadership within our roles will build confident and trust with our patients
and coworkers. Knowing our limitations, being flexible, honest and accepting accountability will
provide confidence and trust to patients and health care workers.
Provisions seven, eight and nine discuss how nurses will utilize their resources, continue
their education and research, while collaborating with other healthcare professionals and the
patient. Provision seven says the nurse will advance the profession of nursing through research,
professional development and healthcare policy. Provision eight requires the nurse to collaborate
with other healthcare professionals and the public to ensure human rights are protected, health
diplomacy is protected, and reduce the amount of health discrepancies. The ninth and final
provision states that the nursing profession will articulate nursing values, maintain the integrity
within the profession, and incorporate principles of social justice in nursing and health policy
(ANA, 2015). Utilizing all our resources, continuing education and personal research and
collaborating with healthcare professionals and patients will help nurses learn and provide the
best practices for our patients.
Conclusion
Nursing theory and nursing philosophy are directly related to how nurses care for their
patients and the skills we acquire. Nursing education and personal experience are key to
becoming confident, expert nurses. The more we experience as nurses and the further we
continue our education the more proficient and skilled we will become. Nurses have a huge
responsibility and commitment to their communities and the public. It is the responsibility of the
nurse to provide the safest, most effective care for our patients. Continuing education and clinical
experience are imperative. Nurses are highly trusted professionals because of the impact we have
on our patients.

References
American Nurses Association. (2015). Provisions of the code of ethics for nurses with
interpretive statements. In Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements (p. v).
Retrieved from http://nursingworld.org/DocumentVault/Ethics-1/Code-of-Ethics-for-
Nurses.html
American Nurses Association. (2017). Code of Ethics: An overview. Retrieved from
https://learn.ana-nursingknowledge.org/products/Code-of-Ethics-An-Overview
Black, B. P. (2017). Professional nursing: Concepts & challenges (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO:
Elsevier.
Epstein, B., & Turner, M. (2015). The nursing Code of Ethics: Its value, its history. The Online
Journal of Issues in Nursing, 20(2). https://doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol20No02Man04
Gallegos, C., & Sortedahl, C. (2015). An exploration of professional values held by nurses at a
large freestanding pediatric hospital. Pediatric Nursing, 41(4), 187-195. Retrieved from
https://www.pediatricnursing.net
Nursing Theories. (2011). From novice to expert. Retrieved from
http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/Patricia_Benner_From_Novice_to_Expert.html
Nursing Theory. (2016). Nursing theories and a philosophy of nursing. Retrieved from
http://www.nursing-theory.org/articles/nursing-theories-and-a-philosophy-of-nursing.php

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