Transitions Paper
Transitions Paper
Introduction
Every nurse has gone through a series of transitions in his/her life in order to success to become a competent and successful professional nurse. These transitions require the reconceptualization and reconstruction of nursing knowledge through active methods characterized by advancing education (Hamric et al., 2014). As an individual interested in taking on greater professional nursing responsibilities and roles, I have identified advanced education as a tool for advancing in my nursing career by meeting greater licensing and credentialing requirements. I anticipate that a graduate level education will enable me take on greater professional responsibilities and roles. The present paper discusses the motivations for pursuing a graduate level nursing degree.
Personal philosophy of nursing
My nursing philosophy is characterized by culturally sensitive, empathetic and holistic care to all patients while observing all the professional principles. As a nurse, I perceive myself as a leader, manager, teacher, provider and advocate who delivers the highest quality nursing care in order to accomplish the best possible outcomes for patients. To me, nursing is all about compassion, and trying to understand patients and their families at the health, emotion and spiritual levels. As a professional nurse charged with the responsibility of providing professional nursing care services, I feel that I have a personal commitment to continually challenge myself and pursue advanced lifelong learning, through hands-on experience and formal education, to improve my nursing knowledge and better myself (Masters, 2017). My personal philosophy of nursing specifically characterizes nursing as a concept with four aspects. The first aspect is the focus on people with nursing care delivery being centered in caring for the whole person, and not simply treating a single health concern or illness in isolation. Transitions Paper This holistic perspective looks at every facet of the life of the patient to facilitate an optimum quality of life. The second aspect is the environment, which acknowledges that although a patient is central to nursing care delivery, the patient’s environment has an influence on health. The interrelation between the environment and the patient (such as culture) has implications for health. The third aspect is the health, which is considered as a dynamic state that exists on a continuum from illness to health. Patients present themselves as sick then receive nursing care that shifts them towards wellness. The fourth aspect is nursing, perceived as professional intervention that makes meaning of the patient’s health status while engaging the patient in a meaningful relationship (Black, 2020).
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Specialty focus
My specialty focus in the graduate level nursing degree program is a Master of Science in Nursing Clinical Nurse Leader (MSN-CNL) degree track. This program will offer me theoretical and practical knowledge in the areas of transition management, care coordination, evidence-based practice, research and leadership. Once I have completed the program, I expect to gain CNL certification offered by the Commission on Nurse Certification (Southern New Hampshire University, 2020). The specialty focus on MSN-CNL is driven by an interest in becoming an occupational health nurse (OHN), a position that entails creating and enforcing protocols that maintain a conducive and safe workplace. This interest is driven by the awareness that workplace accidents still abound despite efforts to the contrary so that there are many workplace injuries. As an OHN, I would have the opportunity to intervene in these cases by using the unique professional knowledge, background, experience and knowledge to promote a safety culture that leverages best practice and evidence-based techniques. Besides that, I expect to use the position to improve the relationship between safety officers and employees. This is a common concern since OHN are typically perceived as strict and often avoided. I hope to use my position to improve communication between safety officers and employees thereby easing efforts to improve workplace safety outcomes (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2020).
Short-term and long-term professional career goals
My vision for future professional nursing practice is the presentation as a unique profession that transforms the health care system to provide quality, affordable and seamless care that is accessible to all. In addition, it must be evidence-based and patient centered with a focus on achieving improved health outcomes. Being a part of this change is only possible through advanced education and practice opportunities. However, efforts to complete the graduate study program are hindered by concern about time management. Time constraint presents a concern since the education program needs compete with personal and professional responsibilities. I intend to address the time constraint concern by having a timetable that manages my time and prioritizes tasks with a focus on efficiency, efficacy and effectiveness (Masters, 2017). My greatest personal strength is perseverance to achieve my goals. I am not easily discouraged and try my best to achieve my goals. I have enhanced this strength by attending motivational programs. I intend to maintain licensure and continuing education by keeping up to date with the requirements and ensuring that I meet them. In addition, I intend to share newly gained knowledge to inform real-world problems by publishing opinion pieces that synthesize my thoughts on existing problems, as well as participating in discussion forums that engage other professionals (Masters, 2017).
Conclusions
Transitioning to graduate level education offers career opportunities while presenting some challenges. The intention to pursue gradual level nursing education is supported by the intention to offer culturally sensitive, empathetic and holistic care to all patients while observing all the professional principles. This personal philosophy characterizes nursing as a concept based on the four aspects of people, environment, health and nursing. This has informed the decision to focus on MSN-CNL, particularly OHN as a specialty, with interest on intervening on workplace safety cases and improving the relationship between safety officers and employees. This specialty informs interest in converting the vision of nursing practice into a profession that transforms the health care system to provide quality, affordable and seamless care that is accessible to all. Still, achieving this vision is only possible through an advanced education with graduate level nursing education being a step in that transition. In addition, the effort is hindered by time constraints and supported by perseverance.
References
Black, B. (2020). Professional Nursing: Concepts & Challenges (9th ed.). Elsevier.
Hamric, A., Hanson, C., Tracy, M., & O’Grady, E. (2014). Advanced Practice Nursing: An Integrative Approach (5th ed.). Elsevier-Saunders.
Masters, K. (2017). Role Development in Professional Nursing Practice (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Southern New Hampshire University (2020). Master’s in Nursing Online: MSN Degree Programs. https://www.snhu.edu/online-degrees/masters/ms-in-nursing
Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2020). Public Health Nursing: Population-Centered Health Care in the Community (10th ed.). Elsevier, Inc. Transitions Paper
