Teaching Philosophy

Philosophy

As a former ICU nurse and current Rehabilitation nurse, I draw on several different theories and frameworks that drive my practice as both a clinician and educator.

Central to my personal philosophy is George Engel’s Biopsychosocial Model which emphasizes the integration of biological, psychological, and social factors to understand how a patient experiences illness or disability. Nurses are the most versatile and impactful discipline in all of medicine. To competently fulfill our roles as caregivers, educators and advocates, we must see the patient as a whole entity, considering the internal, external, psychological and physiological factors that impact health outcomes.

As an educator, my philosophy fits most closely with Vygotsky’s theory of Constructivism which states that learners are not simply passive recipients of information; instead, they actively construct their own understanding of the world based on prior experiences. This is why I feel strongly that simulation is one of the most pivotal tools for preparing nurses for entry into practice. This is supported by Klob’s Experiential Learning Theory that promotes learning by providing immersive environments and experiences capable of eliciting emotion and promoting critical thinking through reflective debriefing.