Philosophy helps nurses to think more critically and reflect on how their own values influence their practice and way of being. A better understanding of the importance of philosophy in the nurses ‘world’ is not only relevant but vital to our discipline and professional practice 1
In 2020 to celebrate the life and work of Florence Nightingale, in keeping with her 200-year anniversary by shining a light on 200 nurses working in our organisation.
This presentation shares the analysis and creative expression of the emergent themes. Reflection helps to produce a deeper sense of learning and “a new appreciation of the knowledge and skills of clinical practice”2.
Purpose
To capture accounts of a time when nurses felt they made a meaningful difference to patient care. These were then compared to Nightingale’s historical writings3, demonstrating the social impact of nursing across generations.
Methods
A narrative inquiry design using diary entries of over 200 nurses were collected and analysed. A Visual Artist then portrayed the final themes as a series of artworks.
Results
Five overarching themes emerged: (1) Compassionate practice; (2) Person-centred care; (3) Human connection; (4) Patient safety; and (5) Teamwork and collaborative practice.
This initiative provided a rich opportunity to reflect on authentic values that nurses hold “Today I learned that compassion is ingrained in me-in these quiet and private moments it comes so naturally and authentically, purely for the patient, no matter who they are"
Conclusion
The findings demonstrated the importance of taking a philosophical view of nursing, enabling reflection and sharing of experiences where they felt they made a difference as a nurse, capturing everyday ‘person centered moments’ illuminating ‘philosophy in action’ by shining a light on the work of everyday nursing practice. This project embodies nursing philosophy in action and highlights the provision of person-centred care.