Nursing Beliefs
People’s thoughts and actions are often governed by their values belief systems. Nursing as a social science is sometimes faced with conflicting belief systems between the nurses, other health practitioners, and their patients. Some nurses do however also harbor certain belief systems that may not align with the profession’s mission to provide the best possible health care services to all. It is hence every professional nurse’s responsibility to demolish the belief systems that could question their integrity and adopt those that uphold nursing professionalism. Understanding what nursing entails and being able to apply the different concepts in the field is also crucial.
Definition of Nursing
Nursing is an integral component of the health system. In my opinion, it is both an art and a science that involves the provision of services vital to the maintenance and restoration of health without preference or prejudice. This includes prevention of illnesses; health promotion; and care for the aged, dying, disabled and the ill. The profession also encompasses other key roles that are aimed at ensuring public health and safety both proactively and actively. These roles are participation in clinical researches, health awareness, activism, promotion of safe environments, and formulation, implementation, and institutionalization of health policies in the health system (ICN, n.d., par 1). Nurses collaborate with other health practitioners, patients, families, and friends to ensure they achieve their nursing goals.
Values and Beliefs
Other than one’s expertise in clinical practices, values and beliefs are crucial elements in ensuring patients receive the best type of care their health problem calls for. I believe in treating others as I would want my loved ones and I treated. This has been the core foundation for most of my values in the profession. Empathy and compassion for every patient regardless of their illness, race, social status, religion, nationality, and gender has always enabled me to make judicious and sound decisions and provide the best care possible to every patient. The values also enhance my communication and interpersonal skills with the patients since they believe in my work. Ethical and legal consideration is another value that I believe is vital in my work as a professional nurse. I always ensure to keep the codes of conduct and ethics at my fingertips and apply them in all my undertakings in and out of my work. To prevent avoidable litigation (Mroczek, n.d., par 2), I ensure to familiarize myself with all the laws and rules that govern health practitioners.
Concepts of Nursing
There are several fundamental concepts in the nursing profession that should be integrated in the day to day clinical practices. Some of the key concepts that I ensure to always consider include; patient, health, illness, diversity, and the environment. Health is a state of complete mental, emotional, physiological and social wellbeing. It is the ultimate goal of almost every one of my health care services. Illness is a state of being unwell as a result of the one’s deviation from health. To be able to provide care, I ensure to first examine and interpret a person’s symptoms so as to determine the relevant medication and health care to administer. Patient is a term used in health institutions to refer to an ill person who is receiving medical attention, is about to receive or has received and is in the process of recuperating. An environment is the immediate surroundings of a person that may impact on a person’s health and survival (MedicineNet.com, n.d., par 1). Diversity is a concept that calls for equal treatment of patients and the acknowledgment of their differences in values, preferences, and beliefs.
In conclusion, as discussed, belief systems form a vital part of the nursing profession. They shape a nurse’s actions and govern their choice of nursing theories. I therefore strongly believe that nursing requires more than one’s desire to meet their basic needs through the career. It is a way of life that calls for dedication and self-drive to improve people’s lives. Albeit monetary reward is important, nurses should acquire their satisfaction from touching people’s lives remarkably.