My philosophy of nursing is one that reflects my day to day life. I believe a nurse is to treat all patients with the same care and respect regardless of patient demographic. Whatever their culture, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or age, a nurse’s priorities remain the same: high-quality patient care. This means putting aside any personal beliefs if present, knowing they may biasedly affect the care given. A nurse must prioritize the patient’s health regardless of patient differences; after all, we are all human with the same red and blue coursing through our veins. Nurses should strive to deliver with the same tenor and strength the medical treatments prescribed and promote preventative health care to all patients regardless of differences. I strongly believe nurses should be ready to give unbiased care and be equally as compassionate whether the patient is a homeless heroin abuser or a successful lawyer. Nurses lead by example so patients may be quick to follow. This is not limited to nurses’ health lifestyle but to our philosophy and values as well. A racist patient who does not initially want to be treated by a Mexican nurse such as myself might wonder why I still treat them with kindness and respect although they do not reciprocate. This may, in turn, elicit a change in their mindset and have them question their existing thought process. Nurses are leaders and we should lead by example.
