Nursing Philosophy and Metaparadigm the Term Paper

As such, "nursing is caring for people and their environment in ordered to maintain well-being in individual, family, and/or community using therapeutic techniques" (Long, 2012). Caring is at the very center of the nursing paradigm, and helps set a foundation for the other elements. Next comes the concept of health. This "concerns nurses as medical professionals (rather than mere adjuncts to doctors)" (Johnson, 2013). Nurses care because they want to promote health and ease suffering. Yet, "health is not an absolute concept, but exists in the context of the health problems of the individual" (Johnson, 2013). Once again, it must be fluid and flexible enough to be able to adapt to a wide plethora of different types of situations. Both of these first two elements must maintain a certain level of flexibility in order to cater to the third element, the unique individual person that is in need of medical care. Overall, "every person is unique and autonomous" (Long, 2012). Therefore, the strategy of care must be unique to their own individual needs. One individual might need one strategy, while another would react negatively to that same pattern. In such, it is clear that the person is the center of the nature of care and how it is delivered within nursing, where "nursing focuses on the human experiences and responses to birth, health, illness, and death in the context of individuals, families, groups, and communities" (Long, 2012). Yet the environment is the last factor that must be placed in a position of significance as well. The notion of the environment "serves to explain the full context of health care and nursing specifically" (Johnson, 2013). It revolves around the uniqueness of the "home life, mental state, addictions, physical pain, chances of relapse, rewarding work and a host of other variables come to define the context of recovery" (Johnson 2013). The environment is the last influential factor in the nursing paradigm and helps serve as a way to facilitate the most appropriate strategies for care. It can be used to the advantage of the modern nurse who must find a way to work well within it.

Overall, the four concepts of the nursing paradigm are all interrelated and together help to generate the most successful care strategies. Without addressing all four concepts, a care strategy will undoubtedly fail. It is true, "caring is at the center of all-successful nursing encounters" (Baxter, 2012). The concept of providing good and appropriate care is at the center of all elements of the nursing metaparadigm. This then allows for a stable structure to be transferred on a flexible basis to help adapt to every situation and individual need.

References

Baxter, Cecelia. (2012). Personal philosophy of nursing. Midway College. University of Arizona College of Nursing. Web. http://www.juns.nursing.arizona.edu/articles/Fall%202008/personal%20%20philosophy%20of%20nursing.htm

Johnson, Walter. (2013). Four basic metaparadigm concepts in nursing. Personal References. Web. http://www.ehow.com/list_6106429_four-basic-metaparadigm-concepts-nursing.html#page=0

Long, Angela. (2012). Program outcomes. Nursing Metaparadigm. Pacific Lutheran University. Web. http://www.plu.edu/~longad/nursing-metaparadigm/home.html