Nursing Meta-Paradigm: 

Nursing: Far more than executing the orders of a provider, the nurse provides person-centered care using evidence-based practice, astute clinical knowledge, and robust interpersonal skills to provide holistic healing to patients and families. This involves thoughtful communication with a multidisciplinary team, expertise in medical technology and informatics, and a flexible mindset that is willing to grow in knowledge and adapt to the inevitable changes in the healthcare setting. They advocate for and provide education to their patients to help them be their absolute best. 

Person: The nurse does not merely see a name or a room number, but rather a unique individual, created and loved by God. The nurse does not simply follow a formula or algorithm to treat a patient- but gets to know the person and find out what is most important to them. The nurse knows there is no room for any prejudice or bias in providing care, and aims to treat all patients in a professional, charitable, and honest manner.  

Health: The nurse sees health far beyond “normal” lab values/vital signs or an absence of symptoms as the scope of health. Rather, the nurse knows a healthy life is a life of meaning and purpose to be shared and savored with others. The nurse fosters healing both physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual healing and wellness to give true life to those they are serving.  

Environment: The nurse does not allow feelings to rule them but instead aims to calmly and serenely adapt to the challenges of an ever-evolving industry and society. They seek to be good stewards of their time and resources to provide efficient and sustainable care. They seek to sustain a healthy, supportive, and structured environment iso they can encourage and educate patients to do likewise.  

Where do you see yourself in 1 year? What is your goal? 

Within 1 year, it is also my goal to obtain my CHPN certification (Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse). This will allow me to confidently offer evidence-based practice suggestions to families who are considering or have signed on a loved one to hospice care. Some of my co-workers are fairly new to hospice, so it will allow me to confidently offer suggestions to my team to ensure patients are getting the highest quality of care.  

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? What steps are needed to accomplish this? 

The truth is that I’m still determining which direction I would like to move forward in my nursing career. In my 4+ years in hospice (our of my 7+ years as an RN) I have worked doing home hospice, inpatient hospice, and hospice liaison roles. I have seen the “big picture” of hospice and what takes place in the field and behind the scenes. That said, I don’t feel I have a strong desire to serve in a management role, nor do I wish to become a nurse practitioner to prescribe. Other options could involve serving in a quality improvement or educational role. Serving on a quality committee (which I did at my previous employer) and volunteering to serve as a preceptor (which I have done in previous roles) could help improve my chances of landing such a role.  

While I have considered continuing my education with a master’s degree, I realistically cannot afford the burden of additional student loan debt at this point in my life. If I were to pursue a master’s I would consider Nursing Education, as for years I’ve entertained the possibility of working/teaching at a college or university. I’ve also considered studying bioethics to combine my experience in the hospice field with my faith as a Catholic to help guide others in making challenging healthcare decisions.