Philosophy of Nursing Guidelines
Requirements:
+ A formal paper, using APA format, describing the student’s values and philosophy with each of the items listed below addressed. Creativity and reflection in presentation of ideas is encouraged. No abstract is needed. Heading and level headers are required per APA guidelines.
+ Papers will be graded according to the Philosophy of Nursing Grading Rubric.
Items to be addressed in the paper (same as listed in the rubric):
+ Compare and contrast: ANA’s, Florence Nightingale’s, or another theorists definitions of nursing, along with Washington College’s School of Nursing Philosophy. Additionally, how do these definitions compare/contrast to your definition of nursing. What is your definition of nursing? Has your definition evolved and how?
+ Define the Current State/Condition of Nursing: As relates to politics, image, professional standards, and the future of nursing. Adding workplace issues, along with ethical and legal issues would enhance the paper.
+ Define how you will or are currently integrating Washington College’s values into your nursing practice. This section can be integrated into the other components of the paper.
+ Mechanics: Sentence construction, typographical errors, spelling, and vocabulary will be evaluated and should be carefully considered as the paper is written.
+ References: At least four references are to be included in the paper. The course textbooks may count as references. Wiki-pedia is not a professional reference source. References must be of a professional level and cited in the paper using APA format.
Washington College’s School of Nursing Philosophy
The Associate Degree Nursing Program functions within the framework, mission, values and learning outcomes of Washington Colleges District Nursing and is supported by the works of Marjory Gordon and the National League for Nursing. The Washington Colleges District Nursing program promotes educational excellence through liberal and technical education in a multicultural urban environment where scientific knowledge, skill development and societal changes are emphasized. This program prepares Registered Nurses for the workplace and service to the community.
We believe nursing is an art and a science that is practiced through the use of the NLN core values and integrating concepts of nursing practice. Nursing is a profession requiring a strong knowledge base, critical thinking, and effective teamwork skills. Nursing views the client from a holistic perspective that considers diversity and is directed toward promoting, maintaining or restoring optimum wellness. We view nursing as providing caring interventions that are patient-centered. The profession honors legal and ethical standards; incorporates safety standards to promote excellence in quality care delivery; and, promotes and assures integrity of the individuals within the profession. Our nursing program ensures opportunities for academic achievement by creating a learning environment which is accessible, diverse, responsive, and innovative. We incorporate the integrating concepts of context and environment; knowledge and science; personal/professional development; quality and safety; relationship centered care; and teamwork.
Learning in an educational setting is enhanced by a teacher/student relationship in which the teacher’s responsibility is to structure and facilitate optimal conditions for critical thinking and learning through clearly defined student learning outcomes, learning strategies, and assessment. The nursing faculty recognize students are adult learners and have individual needs and expectations. Recognizing that both the rate and style of learning differ with individuals, various strategies are utilized to facilitate the achievement of student learning outcomes, attainment of maximum potential, and promotion of continued learning. The student brings to this relationship the willingness to learn and is accountable for his/her education.
Criteria:
- Compare and contrast: ANA’s, Florence Nightingale’s, or another theorists definitions of nursing, along with Washington College’s School of Nursing Philosophy
- Define the Current State/Condition of NursingAs relates to politics, image, professional standards, and the future of nursing. Adding workplace issues, along with ethical and legal issues would enhance the paper.
- Define how you will or are currently integrating Washington College’s values into your nursing practice.
- Mechanics Sentence construction, typographical errors, spelling, and vocabulary will be evaluated and should be carefully considered as the paper is written.
- References at least four references are to be included in the paper. The course textbooks may count as references. Wiki-pedia is not a professional reference source. References must be of a professional level and cited in the paper using APA format.
Well written at least 4 pages.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
The Philosophy of Nursing Guidelines assignment requires students to write a formal paper in APA format that describes their values and philosophy on various aspects of nursing. This assignment aims to encourage creativity and reflection, and the paper will be graded according to the Philosophy of Nursing Grading Rubric. The paper should address four items which are comparing and contrasting the definitions of nursing by various theorists and Washington College’s School of Nursing Philosophy, defining the current state/condition of nursing, defining the integration of Washington College’s values into nursing practice, and evaluating mechanics and references used in the paper.
1. Compare and contrast the definitions of nursing by various theorists and Washington College’s School of Nursing Philosophy, and explain how they compare/contrast with your definition of nursing:
In comparing and contrasting various theorists’ definitions of nursing, we can see how different perspectives have developed over time. According to Florence Nightingale, nursing is “the act of utilizing the environment of the patient to assist him in his recovery.” This description reflects the idea that nursing is highly personalized to the patient and their individual needs, and Nightingale emphasized the importance of creating a healing environment for the patient.
The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines nursing as “the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.” This definition emphasizes the importance of holistic care and recognizes the need to address both physical and emotional well-being.
Washington College’s School of Nursing Philosophy describes nursing as an art and science practiced through the use of core values and integrating concepts of nursing practice. The program seeks to prepare nurses for the workplace and service to the community. It emphasizes critical thinking and effective teamwork skills, views the client from a holistic perspective, and provides caring interventions that are patient-centered. It is a profession that honors legal and ethical standards, incorporates safety standards to promote excellence in quality care delivery, and promotes and ensures the integrity of individuals within the profession.
In my opinion, nursing involves promoting health, preventing illness and injury, caring for and advocating for individuals, families, and populations while providing holistic and patient-centered care that is sensitive to cultural diversity. My definition of nursing has evolved over time, but my core belief in the importance of compassionate and competent care has remained central to my practice.
2. Define the Current State/Condition of Nursing:
The current state/condition of nursing is characterized by a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. Changes in health policy and regulations, emerging technologies, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have fundamentally reshaped the way nurses provide care. In recent years, there have been significant efforts to improve the professional standards of nursing, address workplace issues, promote ethical and legal standards of practice, and create opportunities for advanced education and career development.
Despite these efforts, there remains a significant shortage of nurses, especially in rural areas, and nurses continue to face challenges such as burnout, job dissatisfaction, and inadequate resources. As healthcare continues to evolve, nurses need to adapt to new ways of providing care, new technologies, and new models of care delivery.
3. Define how you will or are currently integrating Washington College’s values into your nursing practice:
Integrating Washington College’s values into nursing practice involves embracing the core values and integrating concepts of nursing practice identified by the college. These values include context and environment, knowledge and science, personal and professional development, quality and safety, relationship-centered care, and teamwork.
In practice, this can involve actively seeking out opportunities for ongoing education and professional development, staying up-to-date with the latest advances in healthcare, and working collaboratively with other healthcare professionals to provide holistic care. It involves treating patients with compassion, respect, and dignity while honoring ethical and legal standards of practice and promoting safety and quality care.
4. Evaluate mechanics and references used in the paper:
The mechanics of the paper, including sentence construction, typographical errors, spelling, and vocabulary, will be evaluated as per the assignment requirements. The references used in the paper should meet professional-level standards and be cited appropriately using APA format. Course textbooks may count as references, but unreliable sources such as Wikipedia should be avoided. A minimum of four references should be included in the paper, and they should be carefully selected to support the argument presented in the paper.