Posted: September 8th, 2023

Philosophy of Nursing Practice

WRITTEN PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING PRACTICE. Reflect on your philosophy of nursing practice that you have been developing.
Review the middle range nursing theories that you have applied to your philosophy of nursing practice and make any necessary refinements in your thinking and explanations.
Consider how the interdisciplinary theory you researched can further inform your philosophy of nursing practice.
Complete your written philosophy of nursing practice in a Essa y of 3–5 pages, plus cover page, introduction, summary and references page.

Philosophy of Nursing Practice
Introduction
As a nurse, developing a philosophy of nursing practice to guide my care and decision making is paramount. This philosophy serves as a foundation for how I approach patients, develop plans of care, and work collaboratively with other members of the healthcare team. In this essay, I will reflect on the middle-range nursing theories I have applied to shape my philosophy as well as an interdisciplinary theory that can further enhance it.
Application of Middle-Range Nursing Theories
Two middle-range nursing theories that have informed my philosophy are Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory and Betty Neuman’s Systems Model. Orem’s theory focuses on a patient’s ability to care for themselves and identifying nursing interventions to address any deficits (Orem, 2001). This theory reinforces the importance of comprehensive health assessments, individualized care planning, and empowering patients’ self-care abilities. Neuman’s systems model views patients holistically and emphasizes optimizing wellness by protecting against stressors through primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies (Neuman & Fawcett, 2011). Both of these theories support a patient-centered approach where the nurse works collaboratively with patients to identify needs and goals of care.
The Transtheoretical Model
In addition to these nursing theories, I have found Prochaska and DiClemente’s Transtheoretical Model of behavior change useful in further developing my philosophy (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1982). This model proposes that behavior change occurs through six stages: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and termination. By assessing what stage a patient is in regarding a particular health behavior, such as smoking cessation or medication adherence, targeted interventions can be developed. For example, a patient in the contemplation stage regarding exercise would receive different education and support than someone in the action stage. Considering behavior change processes has helped me individualize education and counseling to maximize each patient’s readiness and motivation to adopt healthy behaviors.
Conclusion

In summary, applying middle-range nursing theories like Orem and Neuman’s, along with the Transtheoretical Model of behavior change, has strengthened my philosophy that nursing practice must be individualized, holistic, empowering, and focused on optimizing wellness and self-care abilities. As I continue to develop my skills and experience, I will surely refine my philosophy further. My goal is to consistently apply evidence-based theories to guide compassionate, collaborative, and effective nursing care.
References
Neuman, B., & Fawcett, J. (2011). The Neuman systems model (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Orem, D. E. (2001). Nursing: Concepts of practice (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.

Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. C. (1982). Transtheoretical therapy: Toward a more integrative model of change. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 19(3), 276–288. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0088437

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