My Philosophy of Nursing

I believe there is a cyclic nature to our world. Within that nature, there is a fundamental driving force, a perpetual evolution, a dichotomy of positive and negative, light and dark, hot and cold, illness and wellness, ever changing. This is the duality of the world in which we live. We, as self aware spiritual beings, in a physical shell, strive for perfection. Perfection by its definition is a direction not an attainable goal. It is the summation of all that exist, a singular oneness. Our drive to bond is a reflection of that, our creator. The procreation of wholeness from two isolated souls. It is our nature to be one. Even in our isolation we are social beings, ever seeking unity. Isolation therefore, does not create; it stagnates, retreats, withers and dies. It returns to the grand matrix, to be reborn and start again, “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust”, still maintaining the cyclic nature of the universe. Within the nature of man, illness, sickness, sin, all spring forth from the negative aspects of our relationship to the world; the loss of balance, flow, integrity, connectivity. If we are not thriving we are dying. We lose our connection to ourselves, our physical forms, by becoming disconnected from awareness. When we interact, we reflect each other, so that we can know our reality. We are seen, within the nature of our existence. Through socialization, we gain the advantage of multiple points of reference, thereby allowing us to triangulate a more accurate understanding of our position, our reality. There are physical, psychological and spiritual balances that need to be maintained. So, we reflect back to others, in the same forms; physical, psychological and spiritual. When we note individuals within whose nature is an overwhelming drive to nurture, reflect and heal in any of its forms, we call these people nurturers, healers, spiritual leaders. When they encompass all three, we call them a nurse. Nursing in its primal role, is bringing nourishment and comfort to the most vulnerable soul, that of a newborn. It’s a bond of caring a sacrifice of self.  It is the compassion and drive to make the circle of life whole.

My personal philosophy reflects several elements of the various theorists. In Dorothy Johnsons, Behavioral System Model, she states, “A system is a whole that functions as a whole by virtue of the interdependence of its parts”. (Alligood, 2014, p. 334) She further defines her idea of equilibrium as, “a stabilized but more or less transitory, resting state in which the individual is in harmony with himself and his environment”, “It implies that biological and psychological forces are in balance with each other and with impinging social forces”. (Alligood, 2014, p. 335) Her theory speaks to me about the sum of the parts, being one in their “wholeness”. That there is a balance in the natural forces that influence the individual as well as the world we live in. Much of my view on the evolution towards perfection, as it reflects life’s basic principal is stated by Margaret A. Newman in her theoretical work as, “The life process is seen as a progression toward higher levels of consciousness”. Newman further expands that idea stating she, “views the expansion of consciousness as what life and health is all about, and the sense of time is an indicator in the changing level of consciousness”. (Alligood, 2014, p. 445) I found of interesting note, the reflection of my beliefs put forth in the concepts by Anne Boykin and Savina O. Schoenhofer. Their statement that, “A profound understanding of personhood communicates the paradox of person-as-person and person-in-communion all at once”. “Calls for nursing are individually relevant ways of saying ‘know me as a caring person in the moment and be with me as I try to live fully who I truly am’”. (Parker, 2006, p. 336) These concepts illuminate my thoughts of reflecting back and helping others see themselves more clearly. The fact that we are both individuals in the world separated by our physical bodies, but joined spiritually as the whole. Almost every theorist I have read about to date speaks to some part of my personal philosophy of nursing. The fact is that as a humanistic art, nursing shares a commonality in its definition. The parts form circles and where they overlap, is the essential truth of our human spirituality, the reason for our compassion and our connection as one.

So in summation, I believe Nursing to be, a diverse application for compassionate people, who interact well with others and have a special aptitude for the natural sciences. It is through this knowledge that they can teach and tend to, the holistic health of not just the individual but, the whole of society. Nurses are and I believe, always will be an indispensible part of health care. They are, “the human touch”, in the art of medicine. Nurses are the hand and voice that bridge the gap between technology and treatment. They are the nurturers, the healers and often the spiritual guides.

References

Alligood, M. R. (Ed.). (2014). Dorothy E. Johnson. Nursing Theorist and their work (8 ed., pp. 332-355). St Louis, Missouri: Elsevier.

Alligood, M. R. (Ed.). (2014). Margaret A. Newman. Nursing Theorist and their work (8 ed., pp. 442-463). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier.

Parker, M. E. (Ed.). (2006). Anne Boykin and Savina O. Schoenhofer’s nursing as caring theory. Nursing theories and nursing practice (pp. 334-348). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis.