My Nursing Philosophy

In this paper, I present my nursing philosophy and nursing metaparadigm. A nursing
philosophy is a statement of one’s fundamental and universal beliefs, principles and
assumptions about the nature and role of nursing. I start by defining, in my own
understanding, the building blocks of my metaparadigm: the concepts of human beings,
environment, health and nursing. I contrast my definitions with those offered by nursing
theorists. After developing nursing philosophy’s metaparadigm, I sum up the main points of
the paper. Among all the health professions, nursing is particularly well-placed to help people
achieve holistic health, enabled by its broader understandings of human beings and their
environments.

Definition of Human Being

A human being is more than just a receiver of the healthcare provided by physicians
and nurses. A human being is a complex creature composed of different parts that make one
whole and possess many needs. A human being is made of three parts that together make one
whole: spirit, soul and body. He is spirit, has a soul, and lives in a body. These three parts
work together and in harmony to ensure a complete and functional human being. None is
independent of the others. At the same time, a human being possesses several needs, which
range from the basic ones he needs to survive like air, food, and healthcare to higher-order
ones that may not be essential for his survival but which are important for a fulfilled life.
Parts of my definition are similar to Aquinas’ Arithmetic of Human Nature, according to
which a human being consists of a body and a soul (Klima, n.d.).

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Definition of Environment

Environment refers to a person’s surroundings that influence both his behavior and
well-being. It includes both the social environment and the physical environment (Naz,
2021). The social environment refers to the person’s relationships with other people in
different settings, including in the home, in the workplace and at a health facility. The
physical environment, on the other hand, refers to the tangible surroundings of a person and
includes both the natural environment and the built environment. The natural environment
exists with little effort of human beings. It includes such natural features as forests and rivers.
Conversely, the built environment is a creation of human beings and includes such built
forms as cities and buildings. As stated earlier, the quality of a person’s environment, both
social and physical, can influence his physical and mental well-being. My definition of
environment is comparable to that offered under Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory,
where the environment is said to include biological, chemical and physical features and
family, culture and community (Naz, 2021) .

Definition of Health

Good health is not just the absence of disease or pain. Rather, it is a state of all-around
well-being: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial and social. While physical and
mental health is the two most widely understood types of health, the others are just as
important for a person’s well-being. Also, the various types of health are intertwined and
affect each other. For example, a person with poor financial health – meaning they cannot
meet their financial obligations comfortably based on their income or lack of it – is likely to
be stressed. Stress implies poor mental health. Poor mental health is in turn likely to
adversely affect normal bodily functions, hence poor physical health. Based on my definition

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of good health, poor health would imply the absence of well-being in any one of these areas.
My definition is quite similar to that of Imogene King, who defines health as a dynamic life
experience that changes depending on the presence or absence of stressors in a person’s
internal and external environments (Adib & Tahmouresi, 2018).
Definition of Nursing

Nursing is one of the several health professions involved in the provision of
healthcare. Each of the health professions focuses on a discrete role or set of functions within
the healthcare system. The unique role of nursing includes advocating for patients, health
education and monitoring patients’ health. Because they spend more time with patients than
any other group of health professionals, nurses understand patients’ needs, concerns and
health habits better, making them best placed to advocate patients’ interests. Part of what
makes physicians great at their job – their deep scientific knowledge – can prove to be an
obstacle when it comes to communicating complex medical issues with patients. Nurses
come in handy. My definition of nursing is similar to Orlando’s under her Deliberative
Nursing Process Theory. She speaks of nursing as being unique in its commitment to
understanding and meeting individuals’ needs (Dittrich, 2019).
My Nursing Philosophy and Metaparadigm

As a general practice nurse, I want to provide my clients with holistic nursing care
that satisfies all parts of their being – body, soul and spirit – and respects their environmental
contexts. I believe that every client is entitled to care that respects their age, gender and
personal and cultural beliefs and values. Also, believe in the importance of a nurse’s
educational role in helping people preserve their good health.
In terms of my metaparadigm, based on my definitions, I have concluded that, among
all the health professions, nursing is particularly well-placed to help people achieve holistic

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health as defined above, enabled by its broader understandings of human beings and their
environments. The four concepts are interrelated and affect one another. Environmental
quality affects health and well-being. This fact necessitates nursing’s role of health education
to, among other things, empower people to make the most of their social and physical
environments and preserve their health in those environments. Meanwhile, the complex
nature of human beings requires nurses to devote more effort to understand them better.
Nurses’ better and unique understanding of the human being as a whole (not just a recipient
of care), facilitated by the many nursing theories, makes them invaluable members of
healthcare teams.

Conclusion

Of all the health professions, nursing is particularly well-placed to help people
achieve holistic health, enabled by its broader understandings of human beings and their
environments. Nurses should take advantage of their deeper knowledge of patients as
complex beings with a multiplicity of needs and external influences to provide care that is
relevant to each patient’s needs and respectful of the patient’s personal and cultural values
and beliefs.

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References

Dittrich, D., 2019. Nursing Process Discipline Theory. Southern Connecticut State
University, October, pp. 1-12.
Klima, G., n.d.. Man=Body+Soul: Aquinas’s Arithmetic of Human Nature. [Online]
Available at: https://faculty.fordham.edu/klima/bodysoul.htm
[Accessed 19 November 2021].
McEwen, M. & Wills, E. M., 2019. Theoretical Basis for Nursing. 5th ed. Philadelphia:
Wolters Kluwer.
Naz, S., 2021. Application of Dorothea Orem’s theory into nursing ppractice, Peshawar:
Khyber Medical University.