Below is my philosophy of nursing. I welcome any criticism or discussion. And maybe you could post your own philosophy of nursing. All nurses should have one, right?
Monistic Nursing
"The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
-- St. John 17:22-23 (NRSV)
When I think of myself as a solitary being in a world full of other solitary beings I am a victim of my own illusion. The multiplicity of individual beings is an illusion. There is only one being, and we are all it. Therefore, when I care for others, I care for myself; when I fail to care for others I hurt myself. In short: I am the other person, as much as I am me.
I call this philosophy of nursing "monistic nursing," and it centers on the idea that there's no real separation between the caregiver and the one receiving care; there's only the illusion of separation or differentiation. Nursing, in this regard, is a selfish act but with a twist: the definition of the self is extended outward to include other selves, and in so doing, the natural force of self-interest becomes the driving motivation to provide comprehensive and quality care.
In addition, monistic nursing doesn't stop at the patient; it includes everyone the nurse comes in contact with. It includes the patient's family, the nurse's coworkers, the management, and personnel from other departments. Monistic nursing considers all persons to be just one person. I am the housekeeper. I am the woman at the bedside suffering anticipatory grief. I am my coworker who's having a hard day.
So, the definition of nursing becomes an act whereby we demonstrate the belief that the word "I" is universal rather than solitary. "Nursing" and "Love" become synonymous.
But what drives you to live by your philosophy of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you? After all, we know that no good deed goes unpunished, so even though you don't gossip, others will gossip about you. Even though you don't abuse anyone, someone may abuse you. If your philosophy is merely striking a deal with other humans, you might find yourself the plantiff in People's Court way more than you would like.
I'm not bashing your philosophy, it's Christ for sure, I'm only hoping you will expand on how you make it work.
Good questions, and I will answer them according to my beliefs. :)
What drives me is the LOVE within me. It is innate. I am like my Father who created me, therefore HE is in me. If HE is truly in me, I don't worry about what others think or do to me. I am my own person, I think for myself, I respond to life the way that I am innately designed to be. It's not always easy, but it is always a choice.
It is NOT difficult for me to be kind, considerate, compassionate, loving, caring, sensitive to others feelings, concerned about the welfare of others, smile naturally, laugh a lot, or be myself. I like me. I'm not perfect. I understand that I am not perfect, nor will I ever be perfect. I was not born perfect. I make mistakes, and at times people express that they are hurt by the way I may say certain things. When that is brought to my attention, clarification with understanding is important to me because it is NOT my will to bring injury or harm to another. If it were, I can think of a few people in my past who I would have erased from Planet Earth without a skip in my heartbeats.
I NEVER said my philosophy was "striking a deal with other humans". You are perceiving a definition that is NOT of my thinking with that Golden Rule. :)
I am NOT kind to EXPECT kindness. I am kind because I desire to be like my Father, and it is mostly innate for me. I am NOT loving because I want others to love me back. That often does NOT happen in life no matter how nice you are as a person, so to think on that as a reality is not being realistic. In other words, I am who I am because I am that way. And the golden rule is exactly how I am.
I did not say "Do unto others as THEY do unto you." What I said was "Do unto others as YOU would want others to do unto you."
It is a noble ideal ... but I wonder how consistently and how deeply you have been able to meet this ideal over time.
Are you able to maintain enough "separation" between you and your patients to avoid burnout? Sometimes having a few boundaries and separating yourself from some of the pain we see in nursing is necessary to keep ourselves healthy. We sometimes need a bit of a respite from the burden.
How long have you been a nurse? How many years have you been able to maintain a professional practice based on this philosophy? Do you find yourself sometimes pulling back a little to give yourself a needed respite sometimes?
Just wondering about the burnout factor.
llg
I'm not a nurse. I'm a nursing student. As far as burnout goes, I have no idea. However, I have been an aid in both a nursing home, and now on a cardiac care unit, for whatever that is worth to you.
I don't think separation reduces burnout. If that were the case, then no one would burn out. I've never read anyone who quit nursing and did so because they cared too much for their patients. Usually, they don't feel they have enough status, pay, respect, blah, blah, blah. It makes you wonder why Mother Teresa never burned out.
Christians aren't the only ones who think we are all one. This is the basis of metaphysical thought as well.
I don't think Joe Churchgoer actually believes we are all one. Christ evidently believed we should be, but when has Christ ever stood in the way of what a Christian will believe?
Good questions, and I will answer them according to my beliefs. :)
What drives me is the LOVE within me. It is innate. I am like my Father who created me, therefore HE is in me. If HE is truly in me, I don't worry about what others think or do to me. I am my own person, I think for myself, I respond to life the way that I am innately designed to be. It's not always easy, but it is always a choice.
It is NOT difficult for me to be kind, considerate, compassionate, loving, caring, sensitive to others feelings, concerned about the welfare of others, smile naturally, laugh a lot, or be myself. I like me. I'm not perfect. I understand that I am not perfect, nor will I ever be perfect. I was not born perfect. I make mistakes, and at times people express that they are hurt by the way I may say certain things. When that is brought to my attention, clarification with understanding is important to me because it is NOT my will to bring injury or harm to another. If it were, I can think of a few people in my past who I would have erased from Planet Earth without a skip in my heartbeats.
I NEVER said my philosophy was "striking a deal with other humans". You are perceiving a definition that is NOT of my thinking with that Golden Rule. :)
I am NOT kind to EXPECT kindness. I am kind because I desire to be like my Father, and it is mostly innate for me. I am NOT loving because I want others to love me back. That often does NOT happen in life no matter how nice you are as a person, so to think on that as a reality is not being realistic. In other words, I am who I am because I am that way. And the golden rule is exactly how I am.
I did not say "Do unto others as THEY do unto you." What I said was "Do unto others as YOU would want others to do unto you."
BIG difference to me. :)
Fair enough. Fair enough, indeed. The Golden Rule is your nature. I wish I could say the same about me. It is not my nature. My philosophy is not in my nature. Nothing good comes out of my nature, only fear, anger, pride, and extreme self-centeredness. Christ must have given you 100 talents to use; He only gave me 30. I am a constant impediment to what my higher self wants me to be. I am at war with myself.
But at least there are some out there who have it in their nature to be good...or so they say.
Think the better rule is to do unto others as THEY would like done to.
We shouldn't impose on others the treatment that we would prefer, if their choice is different.
Finally, someone with enough family jewels to stand up and correct Christ!
But I would suggest that Christ was coming from the belief that we are not really separate individuals, that in fact we are only one being living under the delusion of differentiation. Thus we are told to hate our parents, children and spouses or we are not worthy of Him. To consider someone to be your spouse is to create an artificial separation and deny the reality of your unity with them. And that's where I'm coming from with the patient. I may see them as separate but the truth is that they are not separate from me at all.
Nevertheless, I wish I could give you some trophy or something. I've never actually met anyone who edited the Golden Rule. I can respect that kind of independent thinking, for sure.
I'm not a nurse. I'm a nursing student. As far as burnout goes, I have no idea. However, I have been an aid in both a nursing home, and now on a cardiac care unit, for whatever that is worth to you.
I don't think separation reduces burnout. If that were the case, then no one would burn out. I've never read anyone who quit nursing and did so because they cared too much for their patients. Usually, they don't feel they have enough status, pay, respect, blah, blah, blah. It makes you wonder why Mother Teresa never burned out.
I can't quote the sources, but there is a lot of research that shows that "over-involvement" is one of the major causes of burnout. The psyche needs at least a little differentiation so that a person can "give it a rest" once in a while. That type of separation is not the same as "uncaring separation."
A person can't stay healthy if they experience the pain of every bad thing they see on TV with the same intensity they would feel if it happened to them. We couldn't get through the day if we were so constantly in shock and mourning for all the pain in the world.
Nell Noddings (one of the major caring theorists) describes it as being concentric circles. The inner circles represent yourself and those close to you. You care for them intensely. Outer circles contain those people with whom you have a slight acquaintance. We care for them, but not as intensely and personally as we do for those people in the innermost circles. The far reaches of the most outer circles contain those people we don't personally know ... see on TV ... etc. We still care for them, but with less intensity.
We know there are people suffering on the other side of the world, but we still sleep at night, laugh at funny movies, smile throughout the day, etc. We don't experience the pain of those people the same we experience our own pain or the pain of someone close to us. Even Mother Teresa took a break once in a while.
Dude -- No offense intended, but do open your mind.
Where do you come off thinking that your choice for someone else is holier than theirs?
Don't think you've "gotten" even the fundamentals of the philosophy you're touting.
Please continue your reading assignments.
So, Larry, if I'm a psych nurse and my patient is going through ETOH w/d and wants a shot--of rum--I should go and get that for him? Do unto others as they would have me do unto them? I found it interesting that you edited the Golden Rule; that doesn't mean I think your edition stands up under scrutiny.
As for not grasping the fundamentals of my own philosophy, since you can see that I have not grasped them, I suppose that means you have grasped them. Otherwise, you wouldn't really know if I had grasped them or not. So, by all means, teach them to me. I am more than willing to be your student if you understand my philosophy and I don't.
I can't quote the sources, but there is a lot of research that shows that "over-involvement" is one of the major causes of burnout. The psyche needs at least a little differentiation so that a person can "give it a rest" once in a while. That type of separation is not the same as "uncaring separation."
A person can't stay healthy if they experience the pain of every bad thing they see on TV with the same intensity they would feel if it happened to them. We couldn't get through the day if we were so constantly in shock and mourning for all the pain in the world.
Nell Noddings (one of the major caring theorists) describes it as being concentric circles. The inner circles represent yourself and those close to you. You care for them intensely. Outer circles contain those people with whom you have a slight acquaintance. We care for them, but not as intensely and personally as we do for those people in the innermost circles. The far reaches of the most outer circles contain those people we don't personally know ... see on TV ... etc. We still care for them, but with less intensity.
We know there are people suffering on the other side of the world, but we still sleep at night, laugh at funny movies, smile throughout the day, etc. We don't experience the pain of those people the same we experience our own pain or the pain of someone close to us. Even Mother Teresa took a break once in a while.
llg
Over-involvement is one of the major causes of burnout? Perhaps that is written somewhere, but if you go over to nurseweek and read those posts (half of which seem to be written by burnouts) They don't state the psychological pain of empathy as a reason for leaving the nursing field. Most of the time, they just feel pooped on by management.
And as far as taking a break goes, of course. I jog regularly to take care of myself, but I don't jog endlessly. In fact, I spend very little time in the day "taking care of myself."
Everyone's so afraid of burning out for caring too much that it's a wonder a call light ever gets answered. I actually had a nurse try to tell me about therapeutic neglect in the PACU while a patient was crying for pain meds. Maybe post op pain can be therapeutic, but the truth was, if she administered the morphine, the pt would be in there for another 45 minutes--and she would have had to care for her rather than sit in the breakroom. I wish nurses like that would burnout. But they never do.
So, Larry, if I'm a psych nurse and my patient is going through ETOH w/d and wants a shot--of rum--I should go and get that for him? Do unto others as they would have me do unto them? I found it interesting that you edited the Golden Rule; that doesn't mean I think your edition stands up under scrutiny.
As for not grasping the fundamentals of my own philosophy, since you can see that I have not grasped them, I suppose that means you have grasped them. Otherwise, you wouldn't really know if I had grasped them or not. So, by all means, teach them to me. I am more than willing to be your student if you understand my philosophy and I don't.
I actually thought the same thing about Larry's take on the Golden Rule. If I live my life by doing what I think others want me to do to (for) them, I think I might just become slave.
That is sort of a weird twist on the Golden Rule but hey, if it works for Larry, so be it :-) . . . .
"I don't think Joe Churchgoer actually believes we are all one. Christ evidently believed we should be, but when has Christ ever stood in the way of what a Christian will believe?"
I'm curious where you got the idea that Christ believed we are all one? I know we are made in the image of God but we are all unique individuals with unique strengths and weaknesses. I don't think we are all one. I don't wanna be one with some of the sick individuals who unfortunately populate our world. I don't even wanna be one with my best friend . . . I love her and we love to spend time together but it is nice to go home too. I love my husband but wouldn't want him around 24 hours a day and I adore my two year old but I am glad for a chance to get out of the house and jog or workout when my husband comes home.
My nursing philosophy . . . . I'm my patient's advocate. I do my very best to give my patient the best care. That's it.
Whatever you just smoked needs passed around.. (teasing)
:roll
Very interesting points brought up here by all. I always think of Mother Teresa's point of view which is that when she is caring for another human being, she feels that she is caring for God and should give care as though she is caring for God Himself. Meaning that we all come from the same place, we're all related, and we should always give our very best to our fellow beings.
Do what thou will, and harm ye none
The above happens to be one of my favorite things to live by. It has a 'do unto others' thing happening, yet doesn't have the Catholic oppression feeling to it.
live4today, RN
5,099 Posts
Good questions, and I will answer them according to my beliefs. :)
What drives me is the LOVE within me. It is innate. I am like my Father who created me, therefore HE is in me. If HE is truly in me, I don't worry about what others think or do to me. I am my own person, I think for myself, I respond to life the way that I am innately designed to be. It's not always easy, but it is always a choice.
It is NOT difficult for me to be kind, considerate, compassionate, loving, caring, sensitive to others feelings, concerned about the welfare of others, smile naturally, laugh a lot, or be myself. I like me. I'm not perfect. I understand that I am not perfect, nor will I ever be perfect. I was not born perfect. I make mistakes, and at times people express that they are hurt by the way I may say certain things. When that is brought to my attention, clarification with understanding is important to me because it is NOT my will to bring injury or harm to another. If it were, I can think of a few people in my past who I would have erased from Planet Earth without a skip in my heartbeats.
I NEVER said my philosophy was "striking a deal with other humans". You are perceiving a definition that is NOT of my thinking with that Golden Rule. :)
I am NOT kind to EXPECT kindness. I am kind because I desire to be like my Father, and it is mostly innate for me. I am NOT loving because I want others to love me back. That often does NOT happen in life no matter how nice you are as a person, so to think on that as a reality is not being realistic. In other words, I am who I am because I am that way. And the golden rule is exactly how I am.
I did not say "Do unto others as THEY do unto you." What I said was "Do unto others as YOU would want others to do unto you."
BIG difference to me. :)