Personal Philosophy and Theoretical Concepts

Personal Philosophy and Theoretical Concepts 

This paper discusses my nursing philosophy and further integrates it with nursing’s theoretical concepts. It also discusses my professional background, the four meta paradigms of nursing, two practice-specific concepts from Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring, and how these concepts may be applied in my clinical practice.

Autobiography

I have devoted my career to the specialized mother-baby postpartum care field, where I have advanced my expertise in offering comprehensive care to mothers and their infants. My nursing career journey commenced with a passion for infant and maternal health, which has further influenced me to pursue a degree in nursing with a main focus on obstetrics. During my academic career, I was truly inspired by mothers’ strength and resilience and the important role that nurses play in guaranteeing their well-being during one of the most important times in their lives.

I started my professional journey in a large urban hospital known for its diverse patient population and high patient turnover. While working at this facility, I was exposed to a fast-paced environment that required fast decision-making, proficient clinical skills, and adaptability. Complex cases that I have encountered offered me invaluable experience in the management of diverse postpartum disorders, from repetitive recoveries to complications. This period was significant in sharpening my ability to provide evidence-based and high-quality care under pressure.

One important aspect of my responsibility is educating patients and offering emotional support. I have participated in numerous one-on-one sessions and workshops focused on breastfeeding techniques, newborn care, and postpartum mental health. Furthermore, I have trained in lactation consulting, which has empowered me to help mothers with breastfeeding challenges, from concerns about milky supply to latch issues. Also, I have been involved actively in community outreach programs aimed at improving infant and maternal health outcomes. These programs mostly target underserved populations and have been very rewarding, highlighting the importance of equitable healthcare access and the impact it may have on a person’s life.
At a glance, my mother-baby postpartum care career has been a journey of learning, growth, and deep fulfillment. Each experience has enhanced my understanding of the special challenges experienced by new mothers and has shaped my compassionate, holistic approach to nursing care. My dedication to this career has been inspired by an honest passion for offering support to mothers and their newborns during this important period of their lives.

The Four Metaparadigms

Metaparadigms, also referred to as dominant paradigms, help in mapping out the general limits of a particular scientific discipline and aim at scientific efforts (Deliktas et al., 2019). The four nursing metaparadigms are the basic concepts that explain the discipline, and they include health, nursing, environment, and patient. Each metaparadigm offers a lens through which the nursing practice can be viewed and understood and further offers a comprehensive approach to patient care (Deliktas et al., 2019).

Patient

From the nursing perspective, a patient is a community, family, or individual receiving care. The patient is viewed as a holistic being with spiritual, social, emotional, and physical needs that must be addressed to attain optimal health outcomes. This concept underscores the importance of modified care based on the special needs and circumstances of each patient (Deliktas et al., 2019).

Environment

The nursing environment involves all internal and external factors impacting the well-being and health of the patient. Apart from the physical setting where the care is offered, the environment also includes economic, cultural, and social influences. Understanding the environment assists nurses in the identification of possible health risks and developing supportive surroundings that enhance wellness and healing (Deliktas et al., 2019).

Nursing

Nursing is both a science and an art, entailing care provision to individuals across the lifespan. It involves a number of activities, from direct advocacy and patient care to research and education. Nursing practice is steered by clinical expertise, ethical principles, and a commitment to enhance patient outcomes through evidence-based care (Deliktas et al., 2019).

Health

Health is defined as a dynamic state of social, mental, and physical well-being, not merely disease or infirmity absence. It is affected by different factors, including lifestyle, genetics, and environmental conditions. Nurses play an important role in health promotion, illness prevention, and helping patients attain their highest potential for well-being (Deliktas et al., 2019).
Two Practice-Specific Concepts
The theory of choice is Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring because it is relevant to my practice in mother-baby postpartum care (Bagheri et al., 2023). Watson’s theory underscores the significance of a caring relationship between the patient and the nurse, highlighting concepts like transpersonal caring, carative factors, and the caring moment. The theory emphasizes the humanistic and holistic aspects of nursing, focusing on the intertwining of the nurse-patient relationship and the effect of caring on well-being and healing (Bagheri et al., 2023). Two concepts that are specific to my practice from Watson’s Theory of Human Caring are “carative factors” and “transpersonal caring.”

Carative Factors

Carative factors support and improve the caring experience of patients. These factors are fundamental elements that define the nursing practice aimed at enhancing well-being and healing. According to Watson, ten carative factors of compassion represent the core of caring (Pajnkihar et al., 2020). These factors include nurturing the practice of equanimity and loving-kindness towards others and self, being authentically present, encouraging and sustaining hope, faith, and the deep belief system, nurturing individual spiritual practices, developing caring relationships, being supportive of negative and positive feelings, creatively using all ways of knowing in the caring process, engaging in the Caritas nursing artistry, taking part in teaching-learning experiences that address subjective meaning and unity of being, trying to stay within the others reference frame, developing a healing environment at each level, offering sacred nursing care services, and opening and addressing to spiritual unknowns of life and death (Pajnkihar et al., 2020). These factors are significant in the creation of a compassionate and holistic approach to patient care that tackles physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Carative factors play an integral role in offering mother-baby postpartum care. For example, creating a comforting and supportive environment in the postpartum unit helps new mothers feel cared for and secure during this period of vulnerability. Implementing loving-kindness through empathetic communication and offering reassurance and encouragement can affect a mother’s emotional well-being significantly. Also, nurturing a trusting relationship by being attentive and present to their personal needs helps build confidence and trust.

Transpersonal Caring

Transpersonal caring transactions are described as behaviors and professional, scientific, aesthetic, creative, personalized, and ethical giving-receiving responses between the nurse and the patient. Watson describes that a transpersonal caring relationship can be demonstrated through three aspects (Galeano et al., 2023). These aspects entail the use of communication and human feelings release, continuing towards feelings that are more pleasant to human beings, and the union of the emotion and union with the other person. This concept emphasizes the emotional and spiritual dimensions of the caring relationship, where the patient and nurse are viewed as participants in the process of healing (Galeano et al., 2023).
In my practice, interacting with new mothers and their kin represents transpersonal caring. For instance, actively listening to the mothers’ concerns, offering empathetic support, and being available throughout the postpartum journey helps them feel valued and understood. Also, this approach contributes to a more effective and positive care experience. For example, when breastfeeding consultations are tailored to the emotional state of the mother, this helps provide empathetic and personalized guidance, creating a significant difference in the mother’s success and confidence in breastfeeding.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this paper has explained my philosophy and the four nursing metaparadigms in detail, providing a context for understanding the core concepts of health, nursing, environment, and patient. Integration of Watson’s Theory of Human Caring, particularly the carative factors and transpersonal caring, into my practice is crucial in my career. These theoretical concepts enhance my ability to offer compassionate, holistic, and effective care to mothers and their infants.

References

Bagheri, S., Zarshenas, L., Rakhshan, M., Sharif, F., Sarani, E. M., Shirazi, Z. H., & Sitzman, K. (2023). Impact of Watson’s human caring-based health promotion program on caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09725-9

Deliktas, A., Korukcu, O., Aydin, R., & Kabukcuoglu, K. (2019). Nursing studentsʼ perceptions of nursing metaparadigms. Journal of Nursing Research, 27(5), 1. https://doi.org/10.1097/jnr.0000000000000311

Galeano, M. D., Alfonso, L. E. I., Carvajal, B. V., & De Villalobos, M. M. D. (2023). Transpersonal Caritas Relationship: A new concept from the unitary caring science framework of Jean Watson. Investigación Y Educación En Enfermería/InvestigacióN Y EducacióN En EnfermeríA, 41(3). https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.iee.v41n3e02

Pajnkihar, M., Štiglic, G., & Vrbnjak, D. (2020). The concept of Watson’s carative factors in nursing and their (dis)harmony with patient satisfaction. PeerJ, 5(e2940). https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2940

Peterson, S. J., & Bredow, T. S. (2016). Middle range theories: Application to nursing research (4th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

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Personal Philosophy and Theoretical Concepts

This week you will turn in a draft of your “Personal Philosophy and Theoretical Concepts” paper. Your paper should contain the following sections:

Personal Philosophy and Theoretical Concepts

• Nursing Autobiography ·: A brief (1 page) discussion of your background in nursing. This does not include future goals.
• The Four Metaparadigms: Describe what the literature says a bout the basic four meta paradigms/concepts ·of patient, nurse, health, and environment. Do not relate the meta paradigms to the theory you have chosen.
• Briefly describe the theory you have chosen.
• Two Practice-Specific Concepts: in separate subsections discuss each of you r two concepts: What is the definition of the concept (outside of the theory)?How does you r theorist define your concept? How does this concept apply to your clinical setting? Give an example of how nurses in your area provide care that correlates with the theorist’s definition of the concept.

You MUST use the attached template here to complete your paper.

The. paper is to be thoroughly researched and well documented, with relevant material from the nursing theorists presented incorporated into the paper. Use the current edition of the APA Manual throughout the paper. Sources should focus on references from nursing theory but may also include conceptual and theoretical material from other professional domains. The paper, excluding references or appendices, is to be limited to 3-5 pages. Writing should be succinct and well organized, as it is impossible for the facilitator to evaluate form and content separately.