Worldview and Nursing Process

 

Personal worldviews have a direct effect on the care that nurses provide to their patients. A worldview refers to the collection of aspects such as values, attitudes, beliefs, and expectations of our surrounding world. A worldview forms the philosophy of nurses in their practice. It guides nurses in making ethical and legal decisions in patient care. Worldviews differ from one person to another. The difference is attributable to the influence of factors such as culture, socialization, and individual social and professional practices. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore my personal worldview, a nursing theory that relates to it and their influence on my professional nursing practice.

Personal Worldview

My worldview revolves around being empathetic with others and respecting their needs. I believe that nurses should be empathetic to their patients and others. They should place themselves in the experiences of their patients as well as others they interact with in their professional and personal lives. I also believe that nurses should show love to others. They should demonstrate behaviors such as respecting diversity, being honest and truthful in their personal and professional lives. I also believe that nurses should offer patient care with love. The symbols of love that should guide the care given to patients should encompass aspects such as patience, understanding, respect, honesty, and openness (Munoz-Day, 2019). By showing love, nurses learn to treat others the same manner in which they wish to be treated too.

I also believe that nurses should be kind in their practice and personal lives. Kindness is a virtue that entails being considerate or generous to others. Nurses should show kindness to their patients. It is important in nursing practice, as it enhances patient engagement in the care process. Kindness in nursing entails providing patient-centered and compassionate care to the patient (Ye?ilç?nar et al., 2018). The incorporation of kindness into the care process results in patient satisfaction with the care as well as empowerment with the disease management process. For example, the empowerment of patients results in their increased treatment adherence and engagement in self-management behaviors that improve the outcomes of treatment for their health problems (Ng & Luk, 2019). By being considerate of the healthcare needs of the patients, nurses can develop accurate plans of care that addresses both the actual and potential health needs of the patients. Therefore, kindness, love, and being truthful should guide the practice of nurses in patient care.

My worldview on religion is that nursing practice should entail the consideration of the religious beliefs and practices of patients. Nurses should ensure that the religious preferences of the patients are considered, as they influence the experiences of patients with the care process. The consideration contributes to holism in patient care for optimum outcomes. Similarly, care should encompass the spiritual and cultural values and beliefs of the patients. The cultural values and beliefs of great importance to the patients should be prioritized in the provision of patient care, as they influence the uptake of specific care services (Ye?ilç?nar et al., 2018). Therefore, I believe that religion, spirituality, and culture are important elements that should be considered in the provision of patient care.

Nursing Theory

Orem’s theory of self-care resonates with my nursing philosophy. The self-care theory by Orem asserts that nurses play a critical role in helping patients achieve their self-care needs. They assist patients who do not have the power or will to engage in activities that contribute to the realization of their daily needs. The activities or support that the nurse gives to the patients aim at maintaining their lives or functioning and correct the deviation of their health to normal. Orem also asserted that the support from the nurse aims at ensuring that the incapability of the patients in meeting their self-care needs is addressed (Gligor & Domnariu, 2020). Through it, the nurse and patients form a therapeutic relationship that contributes to the establishment of supportive system needed to compensate the needs of the patients either partially or wholly.

A number of similarities exist between Orem’s self-care theory with my worldview. The first similarity is the importance of therapeutic relationship between the nurse and patients. The relationship contributes to the understanding of the actual and potential care needs of the patients (Younas, 2017). I believe that nurses should strive to form positive, therapeutic relationship with their patients to understand their needs better. The understanding forms the basis of the empathetic, loving relationship that culminates to the realization of optimum outcomes in patient care. The other similarity between Orem’s theory and my worldview is the recognition of the critical role of the nurses in assisting patients to achieve their self-care needs. The nurse assists patients who lack will and energy to meet their diverse health-related needs (Gligor & Domnariu, 2020). I also believe in helping patients to achieve their diverse needs. The help offered should take into consideration the uniqueness and abilities of the patients in achieving the desired self-care. In helping the patients, nurses should demonstrate respect, kindness, love, and understanding to their patients.

Orem’s theory reinforces my approach to patient care. Firstly, it provides me with the understanding of the assumptions that guide my interaction with the patients. For example, I approach patients with the assumption that they need assistance in achieving their diverse self-care needs. Orem’s theory also provides me with benchmarks for evaluating the effectiveness of patient care. The evaluation informs the need for additional interventions should the anticipated care needs are not met. An example can be seen from the use of the universal self-care outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness of the care interventions that were adopted to address the care needs of the patients (Younas & Quennell, 2019). Lastly, Orem’s theory influences the nature of relationship I have with my patients. I strive to understand the actual and potential health needs of the patients during my interaction with them. The understanding informs the development of the appropriate treatment plans to optimize the care outcomes.

Example

An example of a recent experience where my worldview could have been applied is an encounter with a patient who did not want his child to a blood transfusion. The patient declined with the assertion that blood transfusion was against their religious beliefs and practices. The nurse and physician attending the child insisted that the child needed blood transfusion for him to live. This led to significant irritation and confrontation by the parent. My worldview could have been applied to the scenario. I would have aimed at understanding the concerns about blood transfusion and explaining to the parent its importance. I would have also demonstrated kindness by involving him in examining the different alternatives that existed and their benefits and risks. Through it, the parent could have made an informed decision about the need for blood transfusion for his child.

Influence of Nursing Theory and Worldview on my Future Practice

My worldview and Orem’s theory of nursing will assist me in developing my future practice. The worldview and theory will inform my future relations with my patients and other healthcare providers. They will strengthen my desire for improving my inter-personal and professional relationship skills to ensure that I address optimally the care needs of those I serve (Antonytheva et al., 2021). The worldview and theory will also influence my future practice by increasing my involvement in areas such as research in nursing. The worldview and theory will increase my awareness about the various aspects of nursing that influence patient care. The awareness will stimulate my interest in exploring the ways in which nursing research can inform evidence-based practice. Through it, I will be able to support the use of research and evidence-informed decisions in the provision of patient care (Munoz-Day, 2019). Therefore, I believe that my worldview and self-care theory by Orem will inform my future practice as a registered nurse.

Conclusion

In summary, worldview is an important aspect in nursing practice. A worldview informs the actions and decisions that nurses make in their daily practice. My worldview revolves around love, kindness, empathy, and being truthful to others. My worldview relates to self-care theory by Dorothea Orem. It recognizes the need for understanding and helping others achieve their needs in a manner that respects their values, beliefs, and practices. My worldview and theory will influence my future practice as a registered nurse. They will influence the relationship I have with the patients as well as my level of awareness about the different issues affecting nursing practice and patient care.