Once you have discussed your philosophy, identify a theoretical framework (not the middle-range theories but the underlying assumptions in that framework) that fits your philosophy. Compare and contrast your philosophy and the chosen framework
Personal Theoretical Framework for Advanced Practice Nursing
Nursing theoretical models significantly impact the nursing profession. They guide the values of advanced registered nurses and the implementation of evidence-based care in healthcare organizations. The importance of personal theoretical frameworks cannot be understated in nursing. These frameworks guide nurses in clinical practice to provide safe, quality, and cost-effective healthcare services that consider patient preferences and needs. Personal nursing philosophies may have similarities and differences with nursing theoretical frameworks. One nursing theory that fits the author’s nursing philosophy is Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care theory. However, this theory may conflict with the author’s nursing philosophy.
Personal Nursing Philosophy
The author’s nursing philosophy is based on an advanced nurse practitioner (APRN) role, which involves providing patient-centered and holistic care to enhance patients’ physiological, psychological, and mental well-being. Since starting my nursing career, I have viewed nursing as a profession that puts patient needs at the center of care. Nurses prioritize patient needs above all. Due to this fact, I have always strived to help my patients meet their unique healthcare needs. I prioritize implementing patient-centered care to improve patient well-being and quality of life.
Patient-centered care is providing care that respects and responds to patient’s values, preferences, and needs (Kuipers et al., 2019). This type of care ensures that unique patient needs guide clinical decision-making. Patient-centered care has allowed me to develop therapeutic care with my patients. My patient’s needs and aspirations guide healthcare decisions and measurement of healthcare outcomes. Under patient-centered care, I work in a multidisciplinary healthcare team to develop individualized treatment plans.
My primary objective as an APRN is to help individuals who cannot help themselves to prevent conditions that may lead to short-term or long-term disabilities. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, humans have five categories of needs. The first category is physiological needs, including food, clothing, and shelter (Logan & Everall, 2019). These needs are critical for human survival. The second category is security needs. Humans must be free from harm (Logan & Everall, 2019). The third category is love and belonging. In this category, human beings need a sense of acceptance in social groups (Logan & Everall, 2019). The fourth category is esteem needs. Accordingly, individuals require respect from others and self-respect (Logan & Everall, 2019). These needs include accomplishment and self-worth. The final category of needs is self-actualization. This is the pinnacle of Maslow’s triangle. People in this category have achieved their life goals and maximum potential (Logan & Everall, 2019). Individuals in self-actualization can help others to actualize their goals and potential.
My nursing philosophy involves implementing holistic care that helps individuals meet the hierarchy of needs. My nursing care considers the stages patients are in Maslow’s triangle. The first department I was assigned to in my career was pediatrics. My roles included caring for infants, feeding them, cuddling them, and changing their dirty diapers. I ensured that I met all their physiological needs. This facilitated the optimum growth and development of my pediatric patients. Even though nurse practitioners work in a multidisciplinary team with pediatricians to diagnose and treat children, registered nurses should help patients meet their physiological needs.
Healthcare professionals should meet patient needs and demands to help them have a competitive advantage in the healthcare delivery industry (Stawasz, 2019). In addition, my nursing education emphasized the importance of nursing theoretical frameworks in nursing practice. Nursing theories are the foundation of quality, cost-effective, and safe nursing care. However, most nurses do not integrate nursing theoretical frameworks into their clinical practice. Many nurse practitioners believe nurses play second fiddle to physicians instead of being partners in the multidisciplinary healthcare team. This is guided by historical perspectives that consider nurses as helpers of physicians. Nurse shortage is a pandemic affecting the nursing profession. It compromises patient safety, resulting in adverse healthcare outcomes.
Negative healthcare outcomes such as patient morbidity and mortality are linked to low nursing staffing (Shin et al., 2018). Most nurses do not receive adequate payment proportional to the services they offer. I am, however, opposed to the idea that nurses are helpers of doctors. I focus on my nursing