Running head: PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY 1

Personal Philosophy

Savanna Hartbarger

Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing

NUR 3240

Honor Code: “I pledge that I uphold the honor code system and policies of Bon Secours

Memorial College of Nursing.”

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Personal Philosophy

Each person in this world is born with a unique personality and distinctive traits. As each

person goes through life, then those traits are increasingly defined by circumstances in life. As

nurses, there are certain qualities and philosophies which are of utmost importance. There is one

particular theory that I can identify with in my nursing practice. Brenner’s theory revolves

around seven different categories, including “the helping role, the teaching-coaching domain, the

diagnostic and patient monitoring function, effective management of rapidly changing situations,

administering and monitoring therapeutic interventions and regimens, monitoring and ensuring

the quality of healthcare practices, and organizational work role competencies” (Masters, 2017,

p. 56). Although there are many philosophies, many of these philosophies are difficult to apply in

today’s current nursing practice. Other philosophies tend to overlap with one another.

Brenner’s theory or philosophy applies to my nursing philosophy in many areas. The

helping role can refer to as I help my patient with basic care needs or helping ease physical

discomfort. This role can refer to helping my team as well, whether that is assisting with an IV

start, assessing a patient for a nurse who is busy with a high-acuity patient, or helping with a

quick triage. The teaching-coaching domain may include mentoring a nursing or paramedic

student, providing education to a patient about the sedating side effects of a medication, or

teaching a patient how to use an incentive spirometer. The diagnostic and patient monitoring

function can include recognizing that an elevated heart rate and an elevated temperature meets

SIRS or sepsis criteria in triage. It can also include monitoring needs, such as when a cardiac

rhythm changes from SVT to sinus tachycardia (Masters, 2017, p. 56).

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The management of rapidly changing situations may include a sudden influx of patients

into my ED because other hospitals are on diversion. Thus, I may need to start patient care for

numerous patients in my fast-track care area, in additional to assisting with patients in the

hallway. The ability to administer or monitor therapeutic interventions may include recognizing

when my patient’s blood pressure is declining, so I titrate a vasopressor drip in order to manage

this state of hypoperfusion. I can identify with monitoring and ensuring the quality of healthcare

practices by using a Foley buddy per policy, participating in quality assurance through the

education or sepsis committee, or utilizing Quantros when there is a concern in patient safety. I

can meet the criteria of organizational work role competencies by renewing PALS or ACLS,

submitting iAspire education modules, or attending in-services for new equipment or

medications (Masters, 2017, p. 56).

As a nurse, my philosophy in nursing revolves around my own moral compass, ethical

beliefs and learned behavior from mentors or family. My philosophy involves giving the best

possible effort at all times, whether this involves improvement of patient safety or finding new

ways to work as a team. My nursing philosophy also largely involves advocating for my patients,

such as requesting a higher level of inpatient care for a patient whose condition is rapidly

declining. My philosophy such as ethics can be demonstrated by recognizing a high-acuity

patient and placing that patient in my area in order to start care quickly. My philosophy also

involves setting a high level of morals and initiative in my patient care through advocacy and

hard work. A tremendous part of my nursing philosophy includes building effective

communication within my team, including the ED techs, nurses, and providers. Without a team,

nursing would quickly fail. One last part of my philosophy is demonstrating both honesty and
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kindness. I believe in being in open and forthright with my patients and co-workers. However, I

learned long ago that there are methods to show this with a sense of compassion.

As an example, I was able to demonstrate this nursing philosophy when I had an ICU

level patient. Upon triaging this patient, I quickly realized this was a high level acuity patient

who needed intensive nursing care in order to maintain cardiac and respiratory monitoring, along

with titrating multiple critical care medications via a central line. I notified the charge nurse that

I needed to stay with this patient. Thankfully, my team assisted in stabilizing this patient before

dispersing to other patient care areas. The family arrived in the midst of this, obviously

distraught and overwhelmed with the severity of the patient’s condition. Throughout this process,

I explained everything that I was doing to both the patient and family. I demonstrated honesty by

explaining about the severity of the patient’s condition and what signs that I was currently

monitoring. After calling report, I was able to continue the care of my patient and his family by

explaining the continuity of the patient’s care upon transfer to ICU. This example demonstrates

my nursing philosophy of initiative, a moral compass, honesty, teamwork, communication,

advocacy, high level of ethics, and compassion.

In conclusion, I believe the Bon Secours values that my nursing philosophy most closely

aligns with includes compassion and integrity (Bon Secours, 2018). I am a nurse who is honest,

nearly to a fault! If I am concerned about any aspect of patient care, I will be the first to go to the

leadership team to ask for their opinion. I demonstrate compassion through patience as I provide

education to my patients and families. As I continue on through my nursing journey in this

profession, I believe there may be additional aspects added to my philosophy. However, the core

of this philosophy will never change at the roots.

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References

Masters, K. (2017). Role Development in Professional Nursing Practice (4th ed.).

Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Bon Secours Health System. (2018). Our mission. Retrieved at

https://bonsecours.com/richmond/about-us/bon-secours-health-system/our-mission