My philosophy of nursing is characterized by the qualities of compassionate, culturally sensitive and holistic care. The nature of nursing is engrained in the undeniable desire to help those in need. Compassionate nursing care focuses on building a trusting and caring relationship with patients. This relationship is essential in order to support, advocate and provide the best quality of care. I believe another important principle for nurses to practice, is cultural competence. Cultural competency involves awareness, respect, sensitivity and knowledge of cultural differences, values, behaviors and beliefs. With the growing multicultural population, its imperative for nurses to be responsive to cultural and demographic diversity of patients. Therefore, nursing practice should focus on incorporating the patient’s cultural customs and tailoring the plan of care to effectively improve the client’s outcomes and adherence to treatment.
In addition to compassionate and culturally sensitive care, it is essential to practice nursing holistically. Nursing is merely more than just treating an illness or disease. Holistic nursing focuses on treating the patient as whole. It involves treating the patient physically, as well as mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. This distinct practice is what uniqely separates physician care from nursing care.
