Philosophy of Nursing

Calling

At the end of the day, I went into nursing to love and care for people in a tangible way. I chose nursing as a career instead of studying to become a physician because a nurse's relationship with a patient is very different compared to a physician. It is through nursing where I get to see patients for 12 full hours. Other medical personnel may go in and out of the room at one time, but nurses are with the patient throughout the day. Nurses are the ones who spend the entire day in and out of the room with patients. Nurses are the ones who build rapport with patients and patients begin to open up. Nurses are the ones who meet the patient's family members who come to visit. Nurses are the ones who get to participate in teaching, educating, and providing bedside care. Nurses see how a patient is throughout majority of the day and when a patient's mood changes. Nurses are at the patient's bedside, and are the ones who see a patient change from their normals to abnormals. I believe nurses are a patient's advocate, and when the healthcare system may not put a patient's needs first, a nurse can.

I have held a patient's hand who had less than six months to live with terminal brain cancer. I have encouraged patient families whose loved ones are fighting cancer. I have prayed for and encouraged patients facing anxiety towards their medical illness and present circumstances. It is through these experiences that have shaped me into the person I am today. Through difficulty and caring for individuals amongst these circumstances, I have learned to importance of presence and listening. Nursing allows me to be that person to genuinely love and care for individuals despite any stigmas that may interfere with an individual's care.

Hospital nursing is not the only field I want to go into, I have the desire and hope to go into working within the community. I believe nursing allows people tie together physical care with emotional, spiritual, and mental care. The homeless population is in need of every type of care, specifically mental due to the large mental health population within homelessness. The homeless population is often misunderstood and marginalized. I believe in loving people despite stereotypes and negative stigmas. Nursing allows me to reach a population that I would not normally interact with, and I believe that is what makes nursing significant.

I also have the dream and hope to care for women. My heart goes out to single mothers, women who have been sex-trafficked, and women in need of medical care in general. Whether this involves prenatal care to abortion clinics, I hope to provide care for women who may feel isolated and in need of medical care and also support. Despite the difficulties that women face, I believe in caring and supporting women who are facing physical and social issues.

I hope to care for my patients well, and show patient's that they matter and are more than just a room number.

Values

Values are principles that are the foundation of who I am. These key values are what I aspire to be. My foundational values are integrity, compassion, gratitude, faith, and respect.

Integrity is a core value because I believe in truth. I believe in the importance of honesty and telling the truth. Whether that includes integrity in the workplace, school, or relationships, I believe in the importance of telling the truth. With honesty, there are no lies and nothing to hide. Integrity shows that a person values the importance of honesty and telling the truth in order to prevent conflicts and issues. I have the desire to lead by example, whether in the workplace or in my personal life. Leaders do not compromise their integrity and honesty by cheating. Integrity means to do the right thing, despite its difficulties.

Compassion is a core value because of how I believe people should be treated. No matter an individual's political view, sexuality, race, gender, etc. I believe that each individual is deserving of care. I do not believe in discrimination, but I do believe in the necessity of compassionate care. Compassion is a core value I believe in because I believe in treating and caring for others in the same way I would want anyone to treat and care for myself or someone I love. Compassion extends a loving and caring hand towards someone I would not naturally care for. Compassion looks past superficial boundaries and meets someone where they are.

Gratitude is a core value because of the importance of a thankful heart. A thankful heart brings a sense of gratitude for the things and opportunities we have been given. With a thankful heart comes joy in all circumstances. I believe in gratitude as a core value because of the benefits of having a thankful heart and attitude. Gratitude makes the most of every situation, and looks past difficulties in order to see the silver lining. Gratitude allows me to believe in the good despite the bad. Gratitude pushes me to change my perspective and mood in order to see the better side of things.

Faith is a core value because of how important my faith is in my life. Faith shapes who I am as a person and what I believe in. Faith causes me to believe in something greater than myself. I have the hope to persevere and in the midst of trials, there are greater days to come. Faith is what keeps me secure and knowing that I am not alone in the midst of trials and struggles. Faith causes me to have compassion and love others the same way I am loved. Faith looks beyond present struggles, and causes me to persevere despite trials that I am facing.

Respect is a core value because it is how I hope and aspire to treat others. I believe in respecting others despite any differences, which may include differences in political views, sexuality, religion, race, gender, etc. I choose to respect individuals, and I hope to receive the same respect. However, regardless of how an individual treats me, I still strive to respect others regardless of the circumstances. Respect chooses to treat others in a way which is dignifying and not demeaning. Respect shows that each person has value and is deserving of fair treatment. Respect allows me to treat another person in such a way that shows they are of worth.

Integrity allows me to be honest in my work, compassion influences the way I treat others, gratitude and faith impact how I persevere in the midst of trials, and respect allows me to show dignity to every person.

Vision

My vision is to reach as many as I can through nursing and spreading the Gospel. I hope through nursing I am able to minister to others physically and spiritually. I hope to administer medication, start IV's, perform blood transfusions, all with sharing the Gospel. Whether this may include through words or in action. I hope to bandage the wounded, which may be physically or even spiritually. At my very best, I hope that God can use me despite my weaknesses. I hope that God will use to to care for individuals who may have never even met a Christian. However, through nursing, it opens up a field to minister to those who may never step foot in a church. I want to be someone who is intellectual and gifted to help care for individuals in need of physical care. However, I also hope to be the person to provide spiritual care for those with spiritual needs. I want to become someone who is courageous and fights for righteousness and justice. I want to become someone who stands up for my patients and chooses not to become jaded by the cruelty of this world. I hope to become someone who loves people unconditionally, even if it may not be from my strength, but God alone.

The type of person I want to become is one who does not become jaded when it comes to the problems and struggles of this world. I hope to continue serving and loving others well in order to share the love of God. I hope to be someone who brings positivity into the world, sharing the hope that comes from the love of God. I hope to be someone who can have compassion with individuals who are marginalized, oppressed, and rejected by others. Through nursing, I hope that I can grow as a person who is compassionate and willing to serve with a servant's heart.

I want to open a clinic that reaches the homeless or a women's clinic. I have a vision that may reach a third world country, such as Vietnam. My parents left Vietnam during the Fall of Saigon. I have often thought of an dreamt of reaching the nations through nursing and clinics. My vision includes opening one in Vietnam and caring for individuals who were sick and lacked medical attention and care. Vietnam is a country where spreading Christianity may be difficult, but I hope that through providing medical services, I would be able to minister to others in order to live out the Gospel in a tangible way. I hope to reach the marginalized through providing medical services and also ministering through sharing the love of Christ in word and action. I hope to be the light of the world in an area where the Gospel may not be heard of or spoken of as often. I hope that medical opportunities will open up doors for me to share the love of Christ where Christianity may not be as easily accepted.

My vision is to reach people for Christ through nursing in order to spread the Gospel.

Mission

My life mission is to serve and love others through the love of Christ in my work and personal life. I believe that as a follower of Christ, I am called to love others the way Jesus loved. Jesus ate with the marginalized, oppressed, rejected, poor, and needy. I believe that in my life, I am called to care for, love, and accept those who are marginalized and rejected by society. My purpose is to live for God in all that I do, honoring God in my works. Whether my work involves my career or my own personal life. God created me to make an impact for Him, in order to make his name known. My purpose was created to love and care for others. As someone who empathizes easily and is known to be a communicator, I am able to resonate with others more easily. I have the ability to connect with people, and interact well with others. I am shaped in a way that is more accepting of others and understanding, which allows me to be used for the Lord. I was created to connect with, love, and make God known to others. My ultimate purpose and mission in life is to treat and care for others in such a way, that people know that it is only because of God’s love them that I am able to love others well.

God has used this part of me to shape me in order to care for others in my line of work. I believe it is only through the foundation of my faith in order to love and care for patients well. God created me to care for others in life, and also equipped me to care for others because of how God made me. The holistic approach in nursing requires a person to connect with patients beyond the physical. People may go into nursing for the job security, but the art of nursing involves implementing empathy and compassion. God has created me in such a way that is sensitive to the needs of others, which allows me to implement how God created me and use it optimally in order to glorify God in my career. Compassion allows a patient to feel respected and cared for. My faith allows me to have compassion with others and care for others in a way that may be different than most nurses. Nursing requires a person to care for those who may be rejected, whether that includes caring for patients who are a victim of abuse or caring for an abuser. Nursing requires a person to look beyond his or her own personal judgements and biases in order to care for the patient placed in front of him or her. God has equipped me to care for people beyond stereotypes and assumptions because of how he created me. The unique role that God created me for involves loving others well and building a relationship in order to make His name known. God’s purpose for me is to go out into a suffering and broken world, and care for those who are affected by the evil in the world.

God created me as someone who can empathize and relate to others, which can be utilized in my line of work, which God created for me to walk in.

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