NURSING PHILOSOPHY AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS STATEMENT 1

Nursing Philosophy and Professional Goals Statement

Trang Nguyen

Grand Canyon University: NSG-310

December 9, 2018
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It’s true when people say that nursing isn’t just a career, it is a calling. Nursing is a multi-

dimensional process surrounding competent care and involves countless outside factors. As a

student nurse, the amount of new knowledge I’ve discovered just in Level 1 has been a journey.

Behind every great nurse is his or her ideology of care. In this paper, I will be talking about my

personal approach to and philosophy of nursing care, my clinical experiences, and future goals I

plan to fulfill by the end of the program.

My approach to nursing intertwines with the philosophy of care that has stuck with me

the most. Betty Neuman’s systems model nursing is described as “an open systems model that

views nursing as being primarily concerned with defining appropriate actions in stress-related

situations” (Neuman, 1995, p. 11). Neuman’s philosophy looks at nursing as a “wholistic” system

that include the client’s body, mind, and spirit to help individuals, community, and society reach

and maintain health and wellness (Friberg & Creasia, 2016). I am so drawn to Neuman’s theory

because I completely agree that nursing care should be a process that involves a person and their

entire being. In my honest opinion, it is impossible to provide the best care for your patient’s

without considering them which includes not only the body, but as well as the mind and spirit.

My personal process of care for patients involves utilizing the information the gain from the

patients themselves and to allow them to become involve in the interventions of their wellness. I

believe that in doing so, we as nurses can include “wholistic” care and consideration of our

patients. With Neuman’s philosophy, both internal and external environments play a great role in

maintaining harmony with health and wellbeing. Much like Neuman’s “wholistic” model, as a

student nurse, I genuinely value the factors of environment, sociocultural, psychological,

developmental, and outside stressors that could be affecting the patient.

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Before the start of clinical, I gave absolutely no thought to a nursing philosophy. I had

always envisioned nursing as strict processes for different type of health care situations but after

completing my geriatrics clinical, I have learned that nursing is so much more than that. From

the moment that I had discover Neuman’s philosophy of “wholistic” care, it reshaped the entire

incorrect idea I had in my head of nursing care. Being able to have my clinical experience at an

institute such as Immanuel Campus of Care has helped expose me to the different kinds of

patient that I may encounter out in the field. While I was in the process for caring for these

patients, it was the perfect way for me to realize how applicable Neuman’s philosophy of nursing

is to real-life situations. Throughout the course of this semester, I’ve began to understand more

and more about the importance of providing care to my fullest capabilities means to a patient. I

could see with my own eyes the process that unfolded with my patients once the needs of their

entire mind, body, and spirit were met, it was the best plan of care when wanting to maintain

wellness.

One goal that I plan on attaining by the end of the nursing program is to continue to

provide competent cultural care to all my patients. As someone who is religious herself, I am

well awareness of the importance of respecting other cultures and religions. By doing so, I will

be able to provide the most comfortable to my clients. A second nursing goal of mine is to learn

how to select the most appropriate therapeutic interventions for my clients. I believe that taking a

holistic path whenever it is possible is the best plan of action because those certain methods will

be much less invasive than actual medications. My third and last goal that I plan to achieve by

the end of the nursing program and throughout the rest of my nursing career is to be able to carry

Neuman’s “wholistic” philosophy of care with me when treating those in need. I pray that I will

never lose my empathy for any patient.

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Since the start of Level 1 clinical, my clinical experiences have helped shape my personal

philosophy of nursing and future goals for the end of the program. Neuman’s models of care for

patients is the philosophy that has inspired me in more ways than one and has further my

strengths as a nurse to a more developed level. The experience of clinical has blessed me beyond

what I could’ve ever imagined with so much wisdom to treat patients of all background. My

future goals as a nurse is to continue to provide the best care that is well-rounded and includes

the patient in consideration of their mind, body, and spirit.

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References

Friberg, E. E., & Creasia, J. L. (2016). Conceptual foundations: The bridge to professional

nursing practice (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier-Mosby. ISBN-13: 9780323299930

(Available as print text only)

Neuman, B. (1997). The Neuman Systems Model: Reflections and Projections. Nursing Science

Quarterly, 10(1), 18–21. https://doi.org/10.1177/089431849701000108