My worldviews have become a melting pot of how I was raised and my own life experiences. I was raised Roman Catholic as a child. I attended both public and Lutheran universities. The state school I attended was extremely diverse, with the vast majority of the student body identifying as non-white. I was surrounded by people different from myself, and I gained many friends that were able to teach me about their lifestyles, believes and values.
It was a very diverse, liberal, and inclusive environment, which shaped my values and beliefs as an adult. During this time, I also became very involved in politics. I don’t enjoy the concept of anyone trying to push religious beliefs onto others, and I’m not too fond of the idea of religion dictating politics. I am married into a family that is very free-spirited in beliefs and actively practices Nichiren Buddhism. My life is very much an assortment of views that have blended into something beautiful.
Having an understanding of your worldview is essential in nursing. I’m very aware that how I see the world and my personal beliefs can ultimately impact the care I give my patients if I lack mindfulness. As a nurse it is our job to provide care, not pass judgment; but as humans, we all have implicit biases (DeNisco & Barker, 2016). Inherent biases exist because as humans, we all strive to understand the world through the scope of our lens, views, culture, values, or set of beliefs.
DeNisco and Barker state, “Unaddressed cultural difference between the nurse and the patient a result in difficulties with diagnosis, nonadherence, and mutual frustration when the patient or the nurse does not meet the implicit, culturally determined expectations of the other.” (2016, p.581). DeNisco and Barker talk about how being aware of your own inherent bias and having cultural humility can make nurses more reflective and proactive in their interactions with patients.
My future role in nursing informatics is considered a nonclinical role, but I will continue to strive to be open-minded, respectful, and communicative regardless of my role. Language barriers have had the most significant effect on safe quality care and patient satisfaction from my own experience. Our patients and patient’s families are sometimes our greatest resource, and being able to communicate effectively is critical in having understanding for all parties involved. I hope to continue to be able to use appropriate translator services and would love to play a role in the improvement of these technologies for bedside nursing.
DeNisco, S. M., & Barker, A. M. (2016). Advanced practice nursing: Essential knowledge for the profession (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.NUR 513 Topic 3 DQ 2 How will your worldview and cultural and spiritual competence affect your future practice and role?
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