Beliefs and Values
Beliefs are assumptions about the world, without any real backing, stemming from upbringing, culture and religion. Values are ideas, behaviours and actions we personally decide have worth, often derived from such beliefs.
Personal Nursing Belief
As a developing nurse, I believe that understanding the value of holistic care and the connection between mind and body in relation to health is invaluable when providing comprehensive care for patients is vital to getting the the root of their issues, rather than treating them solely for their symptoms. Additionally, offering holistic aspects of care will enhance patient mental health and increase their trust in the healthcare process.
Additionally, being advocative for patients is every nurse’s responsibility. Providing compassionate and genuine care whilst ensuring patients’ needs are heard will mean their care is always up to standard and the patients feel comfortable and in control. Incorporating more minor aspects of holistic care into my practice will doubly enhance this comfort in patients and promote a more productive relationship between myself and them.
Core Values
Service to Others
An obvious value of mine as a nursing student is service to others. Offering help to anyone in need in my daily life tends to be the most rewarding part of my day. Volunteering, offering advice to friends or simply picking up a dropped item for a stranger and making their day just a little better makes a day feel valuable. Not only do nurses provide care through medical intervention, they also offer emotional support and comfort to patients who are suffering. This dedication to patients builds a sense of trust in the healthcare system and a community for patients in times of strife.
Accountability
Accountability is important to me because I believe it is vital to maintain any functioning workplace or community. Acknowledging mistakes will not only protect the integrity of my practice, but also keep me humble and promote personal growth from errors. Being accountable and dependable will improve my care with patients, as well as improve my professional reputation as a nurse, which can ease the minds of patients. Overall, workplace performance, trust, and collaboration can all be improved by being an accountable professional.
Curiosity
Curiosity has been a natural value of mine since the second I could start asking questions. Learning at least one new thing daily keeps me driven and fulfilled. Curiosity is vital to personal growth as a practitioner, as nurses should keep up with the newest studies and practices that are applicable to practices. By being curious, I must critically analyze new information, a skill valuable in nursing as I need to deal with constantly changing and complex situations in patient care. By being curious, I am ensuring that I will be a learned and effective nurse in practice.
Advocacy
Advocacy is important to me because I believe in justice for all. When people are vulnerable or unable to speak for themselves, it is the responsibility of others to ensure that they receive their due respect and dignity. In my daily life, I commit myself to standing up for friends and peers to make sure everyone is treated justly. In practice, nurses often deal with patients that are vulnerable in any number of ways, be it mentally ill, or even unable to speak the same language as their healthcare providers. As a nurse, it will continue to be my job to speak up about inequality in treatment and provide patients with the most ethical interventions with their best interests in mind.