Nurses are very important to the healthcare profession and are likely the ones to make vital improvements and contributions. In my experience, nurses who lack higher education have very little impact to change and/or have the ability to make drastic changes in the culture of nursing. We should be focusing on creating leaders for tomorrow. This will require strong individuals who possess a multidisciplinary level of skill, education, and knowledge. Smalley (2005) states, “Nurses who are self-motivated, continue their education, and are active in professional organizations enjoy career satisfaction and provide better healthcare” (p. 60).
My Background
I began nursing school as a single mother and knew if I could make a change not only for me but other people I could make a difference. I have always wanted to become a nurse as a child and pursued my dreams even during difficult times. I often reflect back on my decisions in life and find myself thanking my nursing education for helping me grow not only personally but professionally.
I began my career as an operating room nurse, circulating and scrubbing every case I could be involved in the pursuit of professional growth. I moved up after one year and began doing level 1 trauma and then pediatric trauma children under the age two. I was in many first time cases for the state of SC, like the first artificial heart case on a pediatric patient, the youngest child to receive a heart, the first DCD patient, robotic surgery, and many more. It was the knowledge that built on itself but without the fundamental knowledge and understanding of who I was and what I wanted to be would have been a very difficult experience. Core Values and Beliefs My core values and beliefs stem from a multicultural upbringing from living around the world. I was influenced by many different cultures and practices. I lived in villages, big cities, and rural communities. This has led me to feel comfortable around patients and other professionals from different ethnic groups. I understood that what my family believed in was not the norm (being a Christian), and there were so many different ways of living. My values and beliefs have helped me make personal decisions and how I was raised has helped me understand the many different cultures we face as nurses. Nursing as my Profession I chose nursing as my profession because I wanted to make a difference. I wanted my children to see me making a difference and know when I leave this world people remember me as dedicating my life to helping others. I believe I am still in nursing today because the light still burns inside me to strive for excellence in how people are cared for and treated. I also know that there will always be job security and new nursing opportunities that will allow me to explore other ways in helping people heal, grieve, and understand their medical illnesses. We all have goals and mine is to become a nurse educator. I want to educate other nurses on the necessary changes within our profession to achieve their goals. The principles and standards of nursing assume that the protection and fundamental rights of patients are our responsibility. I value best practices, quality-nursing care, and equal rights for all people while upholding my moral and legal responsibilities as a licensed provider. I believe the core focus of nursing is the art of caring, nurturing, and healing. Nursing goes beyond simply caring for illnesses, diseases or ailments and is caring for the person. A nurse cares enough to aid people in returning to a state of optimal health and wellness in mind, body and spirit. These are believed to be the basic aspects essential to a fundamental nursing philosophy. …show more content…
One of our charges as nurses is to advance the profession through education and advocacy. It is thought the constant pursuit of excellence that we advocate for the profession through speaking, activities, and conferences that we can continue our professional presence. Being present in the current challenges and barriers in healthcare will strengthen the profession. It is only after this continuous commitment to nursing will we be successful in becoming a stronger profession, one that will be considered one of the strongest in the healthcare