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This page features various artifacts that I will complete during my Master of Nursing journey.

NURS 608: Philosophical Foundations of Nursing

Challenging My Ways of Thinking - Philosophical Foundations – The Ontological Dimension

Objective: Read the poem called I am Your Nurse (Perry, 2009, p. 24).

What does this poem say about what nursing is? Can you write another verse to add to this poem?

Begin your verse with -- I am your nurse.

Purpose: Reflect and Reconsider - a reflection activity that helps to solidify and review key learnings from the unit.

Date: September 25, 2025

3.1 Parallel Poetry

I am Your Nurse (Perry, 2009, p. 24)

I am Your Nurse

I ease your pain.
I bathe your skin.
I make your bed.
I help you dress.
I meet your needs.
You heal me.

I am your nurse.
I feed you meals.
I give you rest.
I tend your wounds.
I sense your suffering.
I answer your questions.
You teach me.

I am your nurse.
I know your pain.
I share your loneliness.
I feel your despair.
I taste your joy.
I sense your spirit.
You touch my soul.

And sometimes,
for just a moment,
I am you,
and you are me,
and we are one.

Together,
we go beyond the limits
of ordinary experience,
to live the extraordinary.

My Verse:

I  am Your Nurse.

I hold you tightly.

I feed you milk

I support your parents.

I advocate for you.

I become your voice.

I feel your strength.

You teach me that miracles happen every day.

What does this poem say about what nursing is?

Perry's poem highlights the importance of nursing going beyond evidence-based care. The nurse in the poem practices holistic nursing, treating the entire person, including their physical and mental well-being, rather than just their symptoms and disease. The poem illustrates the profound strength of a nurse-patient relationship when it is founded on trust, empathy, and compassion.

By: Briana Sheppard

Reference

Perry, B. (2009). More moments in time: images of exemplary nursing. In Athabasca University Press eBooks. https://doi.org/10.15215/aupress/9781897425510.01

 Challenging My Ways of Thinking – Philosophical Foundations – The Ethical Dimension

Objective: Go to https://worditout.com/word-cloud/create  or https://wordart.com/create  and create a word cloud with your nursing values. 

Purpose: Open Our Minds - an opening activity, hook or advanced organizer to introduce unit topic.

Date: October 17th, 2025

Reference

AI Word Cloud Generator. WordArt.com. (n.d.). https://wordart.com/ 

References

Al Yasin, A. M. (2023). Theory critique of Kristen Swanson’s theory of caring. Open Journal of Nursing, 13(08), 528–536. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojn.2023.138035 

Andershed, B., & Olsson, K. (2009). Review of research related to Kristen Swanson’s middle‐range theory of caring. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 23(3), 598–610. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6712.2008.00647.x

Gilbert, H. A. (2020). Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory and its influence on contemporary infection control. Collegian Journal of the Royal College of Nursing Australia, 27(6), 626–633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2020.09.006

Riegel, F., Crossetti, M. da, Martini, J. G., & Nes, A. A. (2021). Florence Nightingale’s theory and her contributions to holistic critical thinking in nursing. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 74(2). https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2020-0139 

The Future of Nursing Knowledge

Objective: Read Glauser’s  (2017) article on technology "shaking up" nursing. What is your experience with the way technology is changing nursing theory and practice? Create a blog entry (300 words) that expresses your response to this question. 

Purpose: Reflect and Reconsider - a reflection activity that helps to solidify and review key learnings from the unit.

Date: November 26, 2025

Reflect and Reconsider- Technology in NICU

In the fast-changing world of healthcare, technology is more than just a tool—it is a transformative force reshaping both the theory and practice of nursing. Glauser (2017) describes how digital innovation is “shaking up” nursing by transforming how care is delivered, knowledge is shared, and relationships are built. In the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), these transformations are particularly evident, as technology is seamlessly integrated into both the science and art of nursing practice.

In my experience, technology has profoundly enhanced family-centred care by increasing access, inclusion, and understanding. For example, language translation tools now enable nurses to communicate clearly and compassionately with families who speak different languages, thereby reducing barriers and fostering trust among them. Moreover, online participation in medical rounds allows parents to remain involved even when they cannot be physically present at the bedside. Virtual family-centred rounds can improve parents’ sense of inclusion and engagement in decision-making (Rosenthal et al., 2023).  Other benefits of virtual family-centred rounds include reduced harmful errors due to miscommunication, shorter hospital stays, decreased parental anxiety, increased family understanding, enhanced family experiences, and improved staff collaboration (Rosenthal et al., 2023). 

Despite these advantages, technology also introduces new challenges. Many parents turn to the Internet for answers about their child’s health, but the accuracy of this information varies widely (Kubb & Foran, 2020). In the NICU, this can create confusion, anxiety, and even mistrust when online content conflicts with professional guidance. Additionally, technology itself can fail—an app may crash, or charting systems may go offline—disrupting communication at critical moments.

In summary, while technology reshapes nursing theory and practice by promoting connection and accessibility, it also requires nurses to remain vigilant and discerning in their approach to care. The challenge lies in maintaining human presence and professional judgment amid rapid digital change, ensuring that technology supports, rather than replaces, the heart of caring in the NICU.

By: Briana Sheppard

References

Glauser, W. (2017). Artificial Intelligence, Automation and the Future of Nursing: Technological change is already shaking up the profession. What is your relationship with technology going to be? Canadian Nurse, 113(3), 24–26. 

Kubb, C., & Foran, H. M. (2020). Online Health Information seeking by parents for their children: Systematic Review and Agenda for further research. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(8), e19985. https://doi.org/10.2196/19985

Rosenthal, J. L., Tancredi, D. J., Marcin, J. P., Ketchersid, A., Horath, E. T., Zerda, E. N., Bushong, T. R., Merriott, D. S., Romano, P. S., Young, H. M., & Hoffman, K. R. (2023). Virtual family-centered hospital rounds in the neonatal intensive care unit: protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial. Trials, 24(1), 331. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-023-07340-x