I chose my nursing career because of my passion for caring for ill, sick people and providing them with better care. I used to provide my patients with compassionate care based on my previous experience and knowledge shared by my mentors. Joining a master's degree this semester and studying nursing theory has made me look at my current nursing practice differently.
I provide my patients the same care I used to provide them passionately, but now I examine the care provided critically to determine whether it is an evidence-based practice supported by nursing theories. Florence Nightingale's theory emphasizes holistic care to address the patient's physical, emotional, spiritual, and social needs. Watson's theory of human caring motivated me to integrate evidence-based practices into my care plans. Kari Martinsen's philosophy of caring encouraged me to communicate clearly and effectively with patients and their families to provide emotional support during their hard times. Nursing theories have empowered me to advocate for patients' rights and provide the care they deserve. I have started integrating these ideologies in my current practice and providing the most evidence-based practice, holistic care, communicative care, and human caring care in my current practice as an RN.
Nursing Theory to Develop Evidence-Based Practice in the Future as an FNP
As an advanced practice nurse, I will continue to use nursing theory as a foundation for developing evidence-based practice. To achieve this, I will apply theories such as Roy's adaptation theory to create specific plans for specific patient groups to provide the most effective care they need. I will critically analyze research findings to identify evidence-based practices for patients. I have started using scholarly article searches to read about journals, analyze research findings, and verify that they are tested and supported by medical peer groups instead of relying on simple Google searches.
I will apply nursing theories from Florence Nightingale, Watson's theory of human caring, Kari Martinsen's philosophy of caring, Roy's adaptation theory, and other theories that I have learned and will be exploring more in the future, which I will integrate in my future practice as FNP and develop the evidence-based practice which will provide holistic care, communicative care, human caring care, and patient-focused care to my patients which they deserve. I am now more aware of the importance of involving patients in their care and respecting and adjusting their needs during treatment, which I will apply to my advanced practice nurse. I will integrate these ideologies into my advanced practice nurse by developing evidence-based practice using nursing theories.
My Personal and Professional Growth over this Semester
I have broadened my nurse-related problem-solving skills, enabling me to care for patients creatively using evidence-based practice because of the nursing theories I have learned this semester. Participating in classroom discussions and presentations improved my leadership skills. Previously, as a nursing home nurse, I cared for elderly and sick people. During their dying moments, hospice nurses provide the comfort, dignified, and emotional support they deserve. This semester, thanks to nursing theories such as hospice care from Roy's adaptation theory, I understood that these practices exist to serve patients better and are tested, verified, and supported.
In summary, this semester has been a journey of learning to understand the nursing foundation, like knowing how the nursing discipline has transformed from technical training to an academic science degree. Learning is a lifelong and continuous process that can be achieved through education and enhanced by work experience. This semester has been a professional development to help me become a more competent and caring nurse and practice evidence-based care in the future.