Simply Week 5

Another example that change is a "good thing"! (Thanks Levin & Martha Stewart)

Week 5 already!  This class has flown by.  Once again, I'm shocked at how much I am learning and equally shocked how delighted I am with the knowledge.  Pursuit of the ASN was difficult and demanding, but everything was new, bloody, and if I was lucky, disgustingly fascinating.  In contrast, the BSN degree was more administrative than clinical.  The BSN prepares the RN for management and leadership roles, much needed education and experience in nursing, but so vanilla.  Every day, I relish my choice and opportunity to attend grad school, to chase that terminal degree.  Unlike the BSN where the majority of the learning occurs in the classroom, the DNP forces the nurse learn.  A nurse will get from this degree only what she puts in, much like an Easy Bake Oven.  Put in a mud pie, no magic light bulb is going to turn dirt into chocolate.  Your instructors can't force the knowledge and enlightenment on you, but they will show you the path.  (BTW, they make EBO in purple floral now!  And no light bulb!  I'm indignant for the 70's era kids that endured the Pepto-pink, hand searing model.)

This week I am working on my personal philosophy of nursing.  I’ve been working on it for two weeks, but I could wax philosophical and say I’ve been drafting my own personal philosophy of nursing my entire nursing career.  On a subconscious level, all nurses are developing their own nursing philosophies.  Nursing philosophies, a compilation of personal beliefs, what we have evidenced in our own practices, sometimes the experiences of other nurses, and the nursing theories taught in school are fluid.  Nursing philosophies change as we expand our practices and grow richer, more complex. 

I believe it is important to write down your personal philosophy.  If you are a continual student like me, draft a personal nursing philosophy the beginning of every new degree.  Evaluate it periodically and make changes PRN.  I’m looking forward to grounding my practice and reminding myself of my personal, core nursing values through this week’s exercise.