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Running head: PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY

Personal Philosophy of Nursing and Nursing Education Hannah Dowling University of South Florida

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY Personal philosophy of nursing and nursing education

In order to express ones nursing educational philosophy; one must incorporate the four nursing metaparadigms to ensure its completeness. The nursing metaparadigms are concepts that are central to the discipline of nursing, and they are: person, health, environment, and nursing. Each person (or student) must self-determine their educational course, just as each person (as a patient) has the right to selfdetermine their treatment for illness. As nursing students progress in their education, they learn that the concept of health is relative, and may mean different things to certain people. For some, it means the absence of disease; for others it may mean a chronic disease is stable. This important factor is used to alter care plans and treatment options. The learning environment must be supportive of the many diverse students learning the profession of nursing, and should be adequately equipped to accommodate its task. Nursing is an important profession in society, and students must come to appreciate the responsibility that bears. Due to the great responsibility that nurses bear to care for their patients, Nursing education must impart a sense of caring, of value for the profession, and a sense of professionalism. Although the central focus of the practice of nursing is the patient, the education of our future nurses should be the second priority of all practicing nurses. The only way for the nursing profession to continue, to grow, and to gain greater appreciation and standing in the healthcare community is to train new nurses to a higher standard and with higher expectations. I believe that the goal of education is to facilitate and ensure learning, help the student reach their maximum potential and fulfill their goals, and motivate and encourage students to be lifelong learners. I believe that the role of the teacher is to facilitate learning for all types of students and ensure the students understand the concepts presented. As an instructor of RN refresher courses, I have a small window of time to ensure students can complete a procedure they may not have done in 20 years. I always try to accommodate different types of learners acoustic, visual, and kinesthetic and tailor my presentation to each learner. When teaching how to perform tracheostomy care on a patient, first I present the students with a printed hand-out with the simplified steps they will perform. Then, using a mannequin at the front of the class, I say aloud the steps as I perform each one. At the end of my demonstration, the

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY students perform the skill themselves. It has been my experience that the majority of students who

participate in this type of activity feel competent and satisfied at completion. Adult learners require different teaching methods than children and teenagers do due to their life experiences, motivation, and goals. I believe that the students should participate fully in each activity and learning opportunity provided to them, even if they believe that they already know the material. This practice is especially effective in portions of nursing education that are hands-on, such as in a lab skills session. The students who feel confident in their skills tend to help their classmates who need some further instruction. In this way, the student-teacher gains even more confidence, and the student-learner completes the skill and fosters respect for their fellow student. When I teach a class for the first time, such as during a 1 or 2-day seminar or as a substitute instructor, I take time to get to know the students. I like to introduce myself and give a synopsis of my education and professional expertise (that I hold an Oncology Nurse Certification, for example), and then I ask the students to introduce themselves to me. For students in clinical courses, I ask them to describe a patient they cared for that week whom interested them and why; this gives me an opportunity to evaluate their current knowledge base, attention to detail, ability to synthesize information, and an opportunity to ask questions regarding the patients diagnoses and treatments. This also allows fellow students to understand pertinent information about a patient and understand why certain aspects of care are so important. When I teach courses with experienced nurses, I request a summary of their nursing experience and their favorite area to work in. Having this knowledge allows me to tailor information to a certain group of nurses for example, the difference between caring for a patient in a Skilled Nursing Facility versus in the home, or taking care of an infant versus a laboring woman. When teaching students that have not had extensive clinical experience but are comfortable with disease processes, I believe it is crucial to meld both together and allow students to practice making nursing decisions. I will tell the students a story of a real patient that I have taken care of, including a brief report of the patient with history and current problems. As I explain how the situation unfolded, I

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY

pause to ask the students what their next action would be if they were the bedside nurse. In this way, we can discuss the best course of action and the rationale behind it. I believe that parents and community members should always encourage learning in all disciplines, and foster interest in learning whenever possible. Nursing students require concrete learning experiences in the clinical arena to bring their classroom knowledge to the next level and to learn critical thinking skills. This calls for specific clinical experiences in acute care facilities, Nursing homes, clinics, and doctors offices. The local healthcare community must be present and willing to assist our future nurses in this aspect. To foster a healthy relationship, my students are required to act and dress professionally at all times while at clinical sites, and encouraged at the end of the semester to do something that expresses their gratitude, such as present the nurses with a breakfast and a thank you card. I believe that knowledge is gained through education and experience. A student may learn the particulars of a disease process in class, pass the corresponding exam, and soon forget all of the important details. Months later, the student (or Nurse) cares for a patient with that exact disease and presentation, and much of the information learned as a student begins to return and is synthesized to complete that knowledge. When teaching nursing students at any level, it is critical to understand how they will need to use the information in real situations and how to facilitate that in the best way possible. Each time I teach, I strive to be not just an instructor that the students liked or felt comfortable with, but an instructor that they learned from, and I relish the thought of working with them as colleagues in the future.

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