Philosophy of Nursing

Ever since I was young I knew that I was destined to be selfless. I have always been the
woman to seek out opportunities to help others, work with people to find a solution to a problem,
and provide compassion and empathy for those in need. It is because of these personal traits, and
several others, that I discovered that becoming a nurse was my calling in life. I have always had
faith that healthiness contributes to happiness. It is through this, as well as compassion, cultural
awareness and patient advocacy, that I believe is the nature of the nursing profession and my
personal philosophy of nursing.
To begin, I believe that compassion is an innate quality. Compassion is having the ability
to look at a patient and not only have sympathy for their situation, but to also act upon that
sympathy and have an inner desire to help. Making a difference in a patients life is what we are
compelled to do as nurses because we are compassionate. It is through love, honesty, and
sincerity that nurses may show compassion through their care. A compassionate nurse is the
shoulder to cry on. They are the one who instills faith and acts out of love rather than out of
responsibility. Compassion is a fundamental component of nursing care and is one of the greatest
strengths of the profession.
Furthermore, cultural awareness is imperative to the nursing profession and it is a concept
that I have taken great measures to achieve. In 2012 I traveled to Tanzania, Africa to provide
HIV/AIDS education and prevention to children, adolescents and adults in a rural village. In
2013, I traveled to Mendoza, Argentina to provide nursing care to patients in labor and delivery,
neonatal intensive care and the pediatric emergency department. It is through these experiences,
and through other clinical experiences, where I have learned the importance of cultural
awareness. Whether we are the nurse or the patient, we all belong to a cultural group. Diversity is

ever changing, and it is imperative to understand how cultural beliefs may impact patient health
and patient care. The nurse-patient relationship is built on trust. Having cultural awareness, value
and proficiency provides the foundation and opportunity to make the most appropriate and
sensitive healthcare decisions for a patient. I believe that having cultural awareness allows nurses
to provide care that is free of discrimination, prejudice, racism, and stereotyping.
Lastly, patient advocacy is one of the basic foundations of the nursing profession.
Nursing advocacy is formed from the preservation of human dignity, the freedom from suffering,
and equality. Nurses are passionate about their patients and because of this they are driven to
support them. They observe an issue with their patient and require a need to change it because
nurses believe that the well-being of their patients relies on them. Nurses are at the front line of
care delivery and because of this they know and understand their patients better than any other
healthcare professional. Nurses support the choices of their patients and family members
regardless of their own personal opinions or beliefs. It is the nurses first and foremost
responsibility to advocate for their patients. After all, if the nurse will not be the person to
advocate for the patient, who will?