My Philosophy of Nursing defining the Metaparadigm

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Philosophy of Nursing Defining the Metaparadigm
Cindy S. Steele
Westcoast University

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Introduction
A metaparadigm is a set of concepts and propositions that sets forth the phenomena with which a
discipline is concerned. A metaparadigm is the most general statement of a discipline and
functions as the framework in which more restricted structures of concepts develop. The
metaparadigm of nursing is comprised of four elements, person, health, environment, and
nursing. The four elements are important in nursing theory because they are the key focus of
providing care to the patient.
The Four Metaparadigm in Nursing
Person is a biochemical, physical, psychosocial, intellectual being that survives based on
external and internal needs being met. In nursing person refers to the patient, family, and friends.
It is important for the nurse to nourish the person’s body, mind, and soul. This would include
nourishing the family and friends. The ultimate goal is to provide the patient with care to
empower the patient to care for themselves to the best of their abilities. The patient, family, and
friends should feel that the nurse truly cares about their well-being and health.
Health is the ability to function independently, successfully adapting to life’s stressors,
and achievement of one’s full life potential and unity of mind, body, and soul. Health is
determined by the ability to meet the physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem, self-
actualization needs. The responsibility of the nurse is to promote the patients’ health, and assist
the patient to meet their physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization
needs. If the patient is unable to attain these needs, the nurse needs to assist the patient in
finding the resources to meet these needs.
Environmental is the external elements that directly or indirectly affect how organisms
respond. External elements include the air, water, land, temperature, humidity, and relationships

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with other organisms. The responsibility of the nurse is to ensure the patient is in an
environment that is advantageous to the patient.
Nursing is a scientific discipline of caring that involves the delivery of optimal health
outcome for the patient through a mutual relationship in a safe and caring environment. Nursing
requires knowledge, skills, technology, collaborations, and communication to carry out duties
and responsibilities for achieving the best possible scenario in patient health outcomes.
My Additions and Deletions to the Metaparadigm
A concept I would include in the metaparadigm of nursing would be the human
genome. The human genome provides a better understanding of the interactions between genes
and the environment, and assists with finding better ways to improve health and prevent disease.
The Human Genome Project (HGP) was an international research project to sequence and map
all of the genes for the human species. The project was completed in April 2003. Since 2003,
rapid improvements in providing care to patients has become available. The human genome can
look at specific genetic markers, and determine how a patient will react to certain therapies. It is
important to include the human genomes in the nursing metaparadigm so nursing care can
expand and provide patients care with human genetics. I would not eliminate any of the
metaparadigm concepts in nursing because they all are essential in providing and describing
nursing.
Conclusion
The nursing metaparadigm defines how nurses should be caring for their patients. It
shapes the teachings of caring for the person, health, environment, and nursing. Adding the
human genome to the nursing metaparadigm would help nurses understand and implement
complimentary individualized care plans to ultimately improve the health of their patient.

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References
Lea, D. (2009, February 17). Basic Genetics and Genomics: A Primer for Nurses. The Online
Journal of Issues in Nursing, 14(2).
McEwen, M., & Wills, E. M. (2014). Theoretical Basis for Nursing (4th Ed.). Philadelphia:
Wolters Kluwer Health.

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