How to write a Theoretical and Scientific Foundations of Nursing Research paper

How to write a Theoretical and Scientific Foundations of Nursing Research paper

The establishment of a set of values that should guide one’s profession is among the key features of professional nursing practice. Working in today’s complex and challenging healthcare environment requires nurses to identify their philosophy to guide meaningful practice. A nursing philosophy represents a reflection of the value system, beliefs, ethics, and goals that can propel the individual to excellence (Cheraghi et al., 2019). Nurses who use this approach easily avoid insensitive and incompetent practice by balancing what the profession requires and their belief systems. This discussion focuses on my philosophy and how the perceived philosophy influences the approach to nursing practice.

Professional nursing practice represents the act of providing quality care while honoring the values of patients. This practice is guided by how nurses view the profession and the goals that drive one to become a nurse. My philosophy of nursing has developed over the years as a result of experience and observing what nursing really entails. Today, I believe my focus is to provide quality, patient-centered care while respecting the beliefs and values of patients. Through experience, I have gained insight into the aspect of quality care and observed that it is the most important feature of healthcare delivery. While every individual may have their own definition of quality, I believe demonstrating respect, empathy, and caring encompass quality nursing care.

Creating a nursing philosophy helps nurses to apply knowledge to its full extent and understand how their actions influence patient care. My philosophy is supported by the core values of respect, empathy, kindness, and culturally sensitive patient care. Through experience, I have developed a culture of involving patients and families in making key decisions as a way of encouraging active participation. Promoting quality care entails involving patients in their care and communicating effectively. My nursing philosophy is supported by the pillars that guide the profession, well known as the nursing metaparadigms. The concepts of person, nursing, health, and the environment share a comprehensive description of knowledge and philosophy that guides nursing practice.

The nursing metapardigms provide a unique way of viewing practices and beliefs of the nursing profession. Developed by Fawcett, the nursing metaparadigms have influenced the value system of the profession and how the art of science can be used to improve patient outcomes (Deliktas et al., 2019). The person represents the recipient of care which includes the patient and the family. Through experience, I have learned that each patient has a particular set of needs that should be addressed individually. For example, two patients with the same diagnosis may require different interventions. Ensuring that the patient is involved in their care and consulted when needed is a key feature that I use during practice. The nurse should empower the patient to speak for themselves and provide assistance when needed.

Health represents life experiences that require continuous adjustment to the stressors of the living environment. While most providers focus on the physical aspect of well-being, I have learned that health involves caring for more than what brought the patient to the hospital. According to Fawcett, health involves an interchange between the individual and the stressors originating from the environment (McEwen & Wills, 2019). Incorporating the mind and soul during the care of the patient is equally important and it leads to more desirable health outcomes. The TRUST model is another philosophical foundation of nursing that describes spiritual care. To promote optimal healing, this model suggests that spirituality must be incorporated during patient care (Mcharo, 2018). For example, the religious practices that form a strong pillar for the patient’s well-being must be considered. Dealing with unresolved issues, searching for meaning in faith, and teaching through religious mentors all promote the health and well-being of patients.

The environment is another key component that influences the patient’s health and well-being. Fawcett explains that the environment encompasses the internal and external influences and physical and social factors that determine one’s health (Deliktas et al., 2019). Apart from the physical environment like housing and cleanliness, I believe the people that provide support to the patient during illness influence the patient outcomes. Allowing friends and family to be part of the healing journey greatly affects recovery. While speaking of the environment, I recall upon Nightingale’s philosophy. Nightingale’s environmental theory emphasizes the need of modifying the patient’s environment to enhance recovery (McEwen & Wills, 2019). For example, providing a quiet and warm environment promotes recovery. My philosophy is to provide an optimal environment that can ensure the patient recovers quickly and leaves the hospital better than they came.

The relationship between philosophy and knowledge development is complex. To begin with, nursing is guided by the principle need to serve others and this is based on the beliefs and values that one possesses (Cheraghi et al., 2019). To effectively understand the needs of patients, nurses must acquire theoretical and scientific knowledge. For example, learning about Fawcett’s nursing metaparadigms enables the nurse to have a foundational perspective of nursing and how the different paradigms interact. Knowledge about the metaparadigms enables the nurse to consider how they relate and how the connection applies to one’s personal values and belief system (Deliktas et al., 2019). While most people can argue that personal experiences gained every day through practice provide a credible knowledge base, I believe experiences alone cannot aid in the acquisition of expertise.

The increasing use of evidence-based practice to inform healthcare decision-making explains the relationship between philosophy and knowledge development. Various theories of application are constantly being used to guide nursing care delivery and more scientific research is used to develop knowledge. For example, Jean Watson’s theory of caring defines the carative factors that are used to bring patients to optimal health. This philosophy of caring guides knowledge development because the nurse can view how providing interventions like spiritual care promote the patient’s well-being (McEwen & Wills, 2019). My philosophy of providing quality patient-centered care encompasses all these aspects. I believe nursing depends on the scientific knowledge of human behavior, personal experiences, and the unique understanding of self.

Nursing theories are crucial to the profession because they provide foundational knowledge of care concepts. These theories enable the nurses to understand the methodologies behind the practice and why specific actions are required during patient care. Theories are useful during research because they provide a set of propositions that could be examined and applied (McEwen & Wills, 2019). I believe nursing theories are important during research because they shape the parameters of patient care delivery. The theories help researchers to identify the key concepts and interventions that can be used to improve nursing care delivery. In practice, theories are important because they explain phenomena. Theories help to guide practices by explaining the behavior of patients, why a particular set of data is required, and how some values and beliefs affect patient care delivery (McEwen & Wills, 2019). Overall, the relationship between theory and practice is reciprocal.

References

Cheraghi, F., Yousefzadeh, M. R., & Goodarzi, A. (2019). The role and status of philosophy in nursing knowledge, insight and competence. Journal of Clinical Research in Paramedical Sciences8(2). https://dx.doi.org/10.5812/jcrps.90762

Deliktas, A., Korukcu, O., Aydin, R., & Kabukcuoglu, K. (2019). Nursing students’ perceptions of nursing metaparadigms: A phenomenological study. The Journal of Nursing Research : JNR27(5), e45.

https://doi.org/10.1097/jnr.0000000000000311

McEwen, M., & Wills, E. M. (2019). Theoretical basis for nursing (5th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.

Mcharo S. K. (2018). T.R.U.S.T. Model for inclusive spiritual care: Critique of middle-range theory. Journal of Holistic Nursing : Official Journal of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association36(3), 282–290. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898010117716854

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