Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Kristen Stroud
On my honor, I have neither given nor received aid on this assignment, and
- Kristen Stroud
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY 2
Nursing is more than just a profession that takes a specific set of skills
to get the job done; the art of nursing requires certain character traits that
interview that, I can teach you the knowledge and skills you need, but what
because I truly believe that it takes a special and genuine heart to be able to
care for people in some of their lowest moments of life. Nursing focuses on
the full picture of an individual, and treats all of that person, not just the
presenting illness.
into a patients psyche to find out what makes them happy, what they are
afraid of, what drives them, and what shapes their beliefs and values. A
nurse should genuinely care about a patients life outside of the hospital to
truly be able to understand them and provide holistic care. A nurse that
takes the time to get to know their patients is able to be a better advocate,
make better clinical decisions, and as a result will be able to provide better
care. The act of caring does not just extend from nurse to patient; it is also
pertinent for the nurse to practice self-care in order to provide patients with
There is only one motivational factor for becoming a nurse; that is the
desire to serve others. A nurse is not in it for the glory or the fancy uniform,
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY 3
protect the dignity of an individual during such a vulnerable time of their life.
It is a nurses job to earn the trust of our patients in order to promote their
health and well being. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a patient
because for a brief minute you were able to take their mind off of the current
Before I got into nursing I genuinely cared about all people, so the
There is no doubt that each and every one of my patients senses the
than the desire to care for others in their most vulnerable time of need.
know that I am there for them. I take the time to get to know my patients by
asking questions about their families, careers, hobbies, and anything else
respect. My patients gain a sense of comfort when I take the time to get to
know who they are as a person, and not just a patient. When I take the time
to gain the trust of my patients they are more likely to listen to the
knowledge I share with them. Stubborn patients with no will to learn about
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY 4
willing to listen to what you have to say; all because you took the time to
learn about them. A smile, sense of humor, and therapeutic touch can go a
Cardiopulmonary Care Unit, I had the pleasure of caring for a man who
experienced life altering health issues in the last few months. During my first
shift with this patient I never realized the impact that he would have on my
nursing practice. Mr. L was admitted to our unit for bibasilar pulmonary
embolisms and was being treated with blood thinners, however this was the
least of his worries. Back in January Mr. L experienced a brain aneurysm and
had a successful operation to clip the bleed. The patients wife told me that
about getting back to work. Two days after the repair Mr. L experienced a
stroke, and then a subsequent stroke a few days later. The second stroke
affected the pons of his brain leaving Mr. L unable to swallow and extremely
weak. At times it was difficult to communicate with him due to his slurred
At night Mr. L would become confused and start pulling on his lines. He
would try to get out of bed stating that he needed to catch a flight in fifteen
minutes. The first night with Mr. L was a challenge. He would become more
to give him medications, clean him up, or take his vitals. As we spent more
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY 5
time with him we gained his trust. He was able to understand that we were
Instead of treating Mr. L as if he was out of it, and had no idea what
was going on, I took the opportunity to ask him questions and get to know
more about the man before these life-altering events. During the times when
was in the Air Force. He was a husband, father, and grandfather. I spent five
shifts with this patient and was able to build a relationship with him. The
more time he was there with us, the more progress I saw him make. During
his admission Mr. L had a shunt placed in his brain to drain fluid from around
night, he stopped pulling at his lines, and his speech became more
understandable.
The last two shifts I spent with him he was able to verbalize
information about his condition and he asked questions about his vital signs
and medications. Mr. L expressed concern about his condition, and quizzed
us about what certain things meant, such as him spiking a fever. It was in
By using humor, small talk, and therapeutic touch I was able to help
this man relax and ease his mind of the stressors that spiraled from his
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY 6
sudden health problems. Even though Mr. L was uncertain of what his future
entailed I was able to help him feel calm and safe while he was in my care.
This man has an extremely long road to recovery, and he is fully aware and
determined to get there. Had I been a nurse who did not take the time to
treat him like a person, I could have hindered the progression he made while
profession I was able to foster growth, comfort, and well being for this
patient. I will never forget my interactions with Mr. L. The lessons I learned
while caring for him will forever remain instilled in me and reflected in my
nursing practice.
socioeconomic statuses, cultures, and religions has only helped solidify the
with patients for multiple full shifts every week has given me a new
understanding and appreciation for what we as nurses do, and the impact we
have on the people we care for. I believe that it is the nurses role to care for
and treat the entire human being sitting in the hospital bed, and not just
their illness. It is our duty to ensure they feel cared about and taken care of.
All people are people that deserve to be cared for in a way that you would
care for your mother, and I feel more strongly about that now more than ever
before.
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY 7
nursing over the last three years, however there is still a copious amount for
Patricia Benner, skill acquisition in any profession does not just happen
2001). One does not simply obtain the proficiencies needed to become an
proficient, and finally an expert nurse. This transition requires many years
performance.
rules, which is limiting and constricting (Benner, 2001). This level of nursing
notice pertinent parts of the situation at hand, and works side by side with a
preceptor for additional support. A competent nurse is one who has been on
the job for a few years and is able to plan out actions to reach long-term
who is able to perceive a situation as whole and notice the parts that are not
normal improves the proficient nurses ability to make decisions. Lastly, the
expert nurse is one who just knows. This nurse is able to rely on intuition due
nurse is gaining experience in the same or similar practice they are able to
someone tells me what task is next before beginning. We have had the
opportunity to explore many different units through the last three years,
however the brief time we spent caring for patients on these units only
allowed us to graze the surface. This final semester of clinical immersion has
am not fully independent in the clinical setting, but with the support of my
enough real situations to note (or have them pointed out to them by a
the situation in the Dreyfus Model, (p. 22, 2001). The advanced beginner is
one who still needs support of a more experienced nurse preceptor, but is
ensure all patient needs are being met due to the inability of the advanced
beginner to identify the needs that are most important. The preceptor is
there for the advanced beginner as a support person and to help point out
heart and respiratory issues. Working along side my preceptor I have become
skilled with auscultating and noticing various breath sounds. One way my
then going behind me. We discuss discrepancies in our assessments, and she
points out things that I should have noticed and things that I did well. This
nurse on an intermediate care unit I will begin orienting with a preceptor for
of experience with this level of patient care I will be able to perceive the
bigger clinical picture. I will become better organized and able to establish
studying and learning to pass the tests and then NCLEX. Once the exams are
nurse possesses. I look forward to the next few years of growth and
personal and professional growth over the last three years, and I am so
registered nurse for years to come. The opportunities are endless, and the
References: