Nursing Philosophy

I had to write a paper about my nursing philosophy for school. I really enjoyed it and thought you might too. Enjoy!

Nursing is like an artist molding potter’s clay. Although this lump of clay is not a masterpiece, the artist sees its endless potential and seeks to unlock it. As the clay works with the skillful hands of the artist, the beauty of the masterpiece is achieved. Nurses are like this artist. They see the unlimited amount of strength and character that has not been tapped into. Nurses enlist those resources to help achieve healing and optimum health.
As an artist skillfully uses her hands to help create her masterpiece, the nurse uses her hands, mind, and heart. Her hands represent the physical labor that nursing requires. The mind represents the scientific critically thinking that is essential to be able to understand the patient’s clinical picture. The heart represents her compassion. While the mind is focused on healing the body, the heart is concerned with healing the patient’s emotional and spiritual pain.
An artist also uses the environment that can help in strengthening or weakening the masterpiece. Nurses understand that there can be a direct correlation of the patient’s current health and their home life. The patient’s home life and family situation can help in their healing or be contributing to their problems. Nurses use the families who are a positive support system to help the patient achieve health and wellness.
The journey to health and wellness is not a solo venture. The artist relied upon the clay to be pliable to create the masterpiece. Just like the interdependence of the artist and the clay, nurses and the patient must collaborate to achieve optimum health and healing.