Nursing involves more than book guidelines in taking care of the sick. A personal nursing philosophy is necessary to act as a guide to individual actions during practice. Nursing practice involves compassionate care, knowledge-based practice, love, respect, commitment and lack of prejudice. As a matter of fact, nursing practice should embrace different cultures and accept diversity factors within work environment. The four meta-paradigms of the nursing theory include health, environment, people, and nursing.
Environment informs a lot of nursing decisions. Environment can either be internal and external. Conventionally, external and internal variables constitute a nursing environment. Nonetheless, nursing environment is dynamic and its maintenance requires a symbiotic relationship between the general environment and individuals within the environment. There is always a choice to redefine the environment or maintain. It is important to note that the prime objective of nursing extends beyond curative purpose. As a matter of fact, the primary objective is to restore the body’s homeostatic state through external factors adjustment and further maintain the desired state.
A healthy state is the summation of a state of holistic physical, social and mental, well-being and it goes beyond mere absence of disease. This definition fully covers the concept of health and helps nurses to appropriately respond to emerging health issues within the society. However, it should be noted that each of the health components bear varied weights and are subject to individual interpretations. It is however important to emphasize that mental component of health bears a lot of weight and is the key driver to holistic well-being. However, physical health and social well-being are as well important.
The four nursing meta-paradigm elements do not exist independently. Inappropriate self-perception/stress is a barrier to recovery and hence a patient will need a calm and serene environment, in addition to holistic nursing care. As a matter of fact, in a nursing care scenario it is important to consider all elements. It is important to evaluate a patient’s needs based on health, environment, person and nursing care which constitute the four nursing meta-paradigms. In essence, I find it incumbent to assess a patient based in his/her individual settings. This entails provision of care while maintaining respect for each person’s uniqueness and individuality as well as their reactions to life and environment (George et al., 1996).
As a practitioner in hospice care, I would apply my understanding of the four nursing meta-paradigm elements of health, environment, person and nursing care by ensuring that the propositions of hospice care are factored in my practice. The first proposition requires that hospice care be made universally available. This will ensure that all persons desiring to have access to hospice care can access the care. The second proposition touches on matters to do with the value that hospice care affords the patients and their families. As a hospice practitioner, it will be my preoccupation to ensure that patients and their families are benefitted by the services offered by the hospice unit.
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