Lauren Sparks

28 November 2018

Personal Philosophy of Nursing

My personal philosophy of nursing stems from my belief that nursing involves providing

holistic, quality, and patient-centered care. I believe that patients are comprised of body-mind-

spirit and that all of these aspects of a person must be considered and cared for in order for a

person to achieve optimal health and well-being. Additionally, I believe that it is not enough just

to care for patients, but to provide the highest quality of care as demonstrated by following

evidence-based practice. Nursing involves having not just empathy and the desire to help others,

but the knowledge and skills required to provide competent care to patients. It is imperative that

each patient be treated with dignity, and that individual patient needs based on culture, ethnicity,

religion, gender, sexual orientation, and age be upheld and respected.

I value compassion, service, and autonomy and vow to maintain my integrity throughout

my career as a nurse by demonstrating these values in my care. Nursing is a profession of

compassion, and I demonstrate compassion and will continue to be compassionate by going the

extra mile for my patients. It is not enough to simply physically treat wounds and illnesses. To be

an excellent nurse, I believe we must place ourselves in the shoes of our patients and understand

their suffering. This allows us to treat patients holistically, understand their vulnerability, and

heal body, mind, and spirit. Nursing is about service to others. I was drawn to the field of nursing

because I want to help others, and what better way than to care for people during some of the

most difficult times of their lives. Nursing is about providing service, selflessly, and with no

expectations of gratitude in return. Finally, autonomy is one of the main ethical principles that I

vow to uphold as a nurse. I believe that every human being is worthy and deserves free will to
make decisions for themselves. As a nurse, I will support my patients’ independence and

autonomy by providing them with all necessary information and supporting informed decisions. I

will advocate for my patients when their voices are not heard, and ensure that their wishes

regarding their care are respected.

Nursing is not just about curing sick bodies, but working towards restoring patients to

optimal physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. I vow to provide holistic, quality, and patient-

centered care throughout my career as a nurse. I will continue to learn and grow through

experience and continuing education in order to provide the best care for my patients. This is

what nursing means to me.