Running Head: PERSONAL PHILOSPHY

Personal Philosophy
Brianna H. DeValk
Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing

Authors Note
Brianna DeValk is currently a Registered Nurse enrolled in the
Bachelor of Science Degree program at Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing. On my
honor, I have neither given nor received aid on this assignment or test, and I pledge that I am in
compliance with the BSMCON Honor System. Any correspondence to this paper can be
directed to the Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing student website and addressed in the
Nursing 3240 class discussion board.

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY

Nursing is a lifelong practice of self-sacrifice. It is a commitment to fully invest oneself

in anothers life; to rejoice in anothers triumphs and weep in anothers defeats. Nursing is the
willing acceptance to take on the responsibility of someone elses holistic well-being. Martha
Rogers, one of the foremost modern nursing theorists, described nursing as both a science and an
art. She used a slinky toy to illustrate the interaction of humanity with the universe.
Imagine the life process moving along the
Slinky spirals with the human field
occupying space along the spiral and extending
out in all directions from any given location
along a spiral. Each turn of the spiral
exemplifies the rhythmical nature of life, while
distortions of the spiral portray deviations from
natures regularities. Variations in the speed of
change through time may be perceived by
narrowing or widening the distance between
spirals. (Gonzalo, 2011)
Rogers stated that nursing is the study of unitary, irreducible, indivisible human and
environmental fields: people and their world. (Gonzalo, 2011) According to Rogers, nurses
assist people in the fullest achievement of their health potential by focusing on people and the
manifestations that emerge from the human-environmental field process. (Science, 2013) Any
change within the balance of human and environment is transmitted by waves. These waves
render a unique pattern that is observed, identified and examined. Rogers theory, Theory of
Unitary Human Beings, defines a unitary human being as a pan-dimensional being who exists
in both the human and energy fields. (Science, 2013)
Health is an expression of the life process. It is the characteristics and behavior coming
from the mutual, simultaneous interaction of the human and environmental fields, and health and
illness are a part of the same continuum. (Science, 2013) The amount of events, or waves, that
occur during this life process indicate the extent to which an individual is attaining maximum

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY

health potential. The scientific aspect of Rogers nursing theory incorporates all knowledge
specific to nursing (through evidence-based practice, research, etc.) when examining each life
event/ wave. Art, in nursing application, is the creative use of science to better people, and the
creative use of its knowledge is the art of its practice. (Science, 2013) According to Martha
Rogers, the nursing profession exists simply to serve people by helping them develop beneficial
patterns or waves of behavior.
In its most basic sense, Martha Rogers theory is an accurate depiction of the fluidity of
human and environment interaction. Much like a domino effect, every action has a reaction. As
this thought process applies to nursing, various patterns of behavior are observed, examined and
categorized based on appropriate nursing care. Nurses are simply well-equipped facilitators of
behavior modification. Each wave or event interacts with the next forming decipherable
patterns; the nurse therapeutically assists the patient with the necessary tools to change the
pattern.
With the focus on spiritually-based care, Bon Secours approaches patient care in a
similarly holistic manner. At Bon Secours, patient care begins with the nurse. Nurses are hired
based upon their educational background and spiritual principles (ethics and moral compass).
Within this organization, ethics is defined as both a science and an art. (Our, 2014) As a
science, ethics is knowledge and understanding of principle; as an art, it is the individuality
associated with the incorporation of this knowledge. (Our, 2014) Rogers defined nursing in
relatively the same manner. According to Rogers, nursing is essentially a different perspective to
caring for others; it is the commitment to view each patient as a whole knowing that each
aspect of the individual directly affects his or her health. (Martha, 2014) Bon Secours expounds
upon this theory with the addition of spirituality.

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY

I personally feel that the integration of Martha Rogers Theory of Unitary Human Beings
with that of the ethical tenets of the Bon Secours health system, presents quite an interesting
philosophy of nursing practice. We are innately spiritual beings. Holistically, as a nurse, I would
be remiss to discount the spiritual aspect of patient health. Truly holistic nursing is found within
the process of understanding the ebb and flow, or wave-like events, which take place throughout
human and environment interaction. Patients are more than their symptoms; they are more than
their disease process, social interactions, observable traits, etc. My philosophy, throughout my
nursing practice, is to appreciate each and every patient as a whole (every fault, every sad story,
every goal/ triumph) and to promote a mutual gain or better-ness from every interaction.

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY

References

Gonzalo, A. (2011.). Martha Rogers. Theoretical Foundations of Nursing. Retrieved October 9,

2014, from http://nursingtheories.weebly.com/martha-rogers.html
Martha Elizabeth Rogers (1914-1994) 1996 Inductee. (2014.). ANA Hall of Fame Inductee.
Retrieved October 9, 2014, from http://www.nursingworld.org/MarthaElizabethRogers
Our Ethics. (2014.). About Us. Retrieved October 10, 2014, from http://www.bshsi.org/about-usour-ethics.html
Science of Unitary Human Beings. (2013.). Nursing Theory. Retrieved October 10, 2014, from
http://www.nursing-theory.org/theories-and-models/roger-theory-of-unitary-humanbeings.php