Personal Nursing Philosophy / Mission Statement

As a future nurse, I view nursing as the most compassionate and helpful career in the world. Nurses are typically caregivers and nursing is a most rewarding career. My philosophy towards nursing encompasses: the environment, health and nursing itself. As my understanding develops and refines through academic learning and through practicum, the essential role of nursing is to assist patients for their wellness in a professional manner. And health in the medical field is commonly defined as a state of balance of the mind-body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being. Now when we talk about assisting patients in a professional manner, we talk about the strict ethical and moral traits that nurses must adhere to when assisting patients. These ethical and moral traits are developed over a period of time through academic learning, discussions and most importantly when reflected through experience. In my previous term I learned communication techniques, applied in practice and then wrote reflective journals. For example, assertive and non-assertive communication, use of body language, verbal and non-verbal form of communication. This procedure helps the nursing students to learn communication techniques in academic settings apply them in family or friends and then investigate the results. The nurse students get an opportunity to practice communication skills before they become professional nurses and start providing services. Before I started nursing school I was not aware of different communication techniques. In general I always try to make everyone pleased during talking and sometimes agree with them although I am not convinced by the argument.

As I learned about assertiveness in communication, I try to forward my argument about an issue instead of just agreeing. The other most important part of communication is showing emotions in communication. For example, empathy, warmth, respect and therapeutic touch during talking and listening. These are the important aspects of communication which I do practice and I committed to improving my communication skills not just for my nursing employment purpose but also for use at family and society. When I started in my Licensed Practical Nursing program, it was all about obtaining my new skill and learning the ability to provide medical care. I have found there is far more to healing than just delivering medicine. The much different view now is that nursing is a way of giving back to society. I had a fear that how I will deal with elderly and sick people and was always fearful about diseases. But now I know that it is safe to work in hospitals and with sick peoples. I enjoy helping others, and I enjoyed during my practicum. Giving of myself to the people who need care gives me peace of mind and high spirit. Over the course of my program, my idea of what a nurse was changed. I began to understand that a nurse was not just a person in a uniform, but an individual that could make a difference in another persons life. Nursing as defined to me is care and compassion delivered to create an environment that supports healing. This can be provided at any location and delivered by a nurse or any person with the ability to show love and support to another human being. This definition changes slightly when we account for the care and support provided by a health care professional. A nurse must provide competent care along the guidelines set forth the College of Licensed Practical Nurse British Columbia.

As a future nurse, as I understand, nursing is about delivering compassionate and culturally sensitive care to patients, families, and all others concerned in the society. To me, nursing is more than administering medicine and performing different procedures, it is being with people, listening, talking, understanding and supporting. The other important aspect of nursing is ensuring the emotional wellbeing of the patient as well as the physical wellbeing. I believe that nursing is an occupation consisting of professional individuals that possess and express compassion, respect, dignity, confidentiality and integrity to their patients and fellow coworkers. As a professional nurse (LPN), it is important to me to provide the highest quality nursing care possible to achieve excellence in patient results and provide a respectful healing environment. In a conclusion, as a professional nurse (LPN) I feel a personal commitment toward life-long learning, through formal education and hands-on experience to better myself and my nursing knowledge. I am willing to work towards encouraging my patients to embrace and be ready to change their behavior and practices for the benefit of their health.