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.
There's a difference between detaching and giving in. You care enough to give your best ever day and to be a patient advocate. But as was said, we have to detach ourselves enough to go home, sometimes knowing the one you turn them over to isn't going to be that advocate, isn't going to follow up on the care you diligently provided. Do you become like them and next time, not care about the sores on your patients ears? Is that detachment? No, you continue to be the most excellent nurse that you can be, because not only does it benefit your patient, it benefits yourself.
I know all to well the frustrations of being a consciencious nurse. Sometimes I actually envy those coworkers of mine who never have a bad day, who have time to spare, who obviously aren't spending time with their patients. Wish I could be like that sometimes, then maybe I wouldn't feel so burned out. Not that I'm better than them, but I just can't be like that. I'm not going to change. And boy do I ever beat myself up for not being perfect.
Don't you ever change either.
In reality, I know what detachment is. I mean, otherwise I would be paralyzed as a nurse. But as I said, detachment in the physical world is not really what I'm talking about. You are no more detached than I am, as evidence by what you wrote above. As evidence by what you wrote above, even if you don't describe it the way I do, you still are acting as if you and your patient are one person and not two. Even though you're at your computer right now, that monistic nature in you hasn't changed, and if there were patients in front of you instead of a computer, you'd act accordingly.
Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what I gather from your replies.
My personal philosophy of nursing changed as I moved from pre-nursing (Idealism: Imagine thyself) to student nurse (Pragmatism: prove thyself) to new grad nurse (Humanism: give thyself) to 20 year bedside nurse (Realism: be thyself) to leaving bedside nursing (Existentialism: Choose thyself)
Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
Originally posted by fiestynurse
My personal philosophy of nursing changed as I moved from pre-nursing (Idealism: Imagine thyself) to student nurse (Pragmatism: prove thyself) to new grad nurse (Humanism: give thyself) to 20 year bedside nurse (Realism: be thyself) to leaving bedside nursing (Existentialism: Choose thyself)
Now YOUR philisophy makes sense to me. :chuckle :kiss
Hey Steph, I like that site. I added it to my favorites. I'm a rabid anti-abortionist, anti-euthanasia, human dignity and animal rights advocate. I also happen to believe in socialized medicine for America--god forbid. How we treat our fellow living creatures be they human or animal is the prognosis for our spiritual development.
Thanks for the tip. I printed the article you suggested and I'm going to read it in bed.
Honey, you need to read it in the morning at the breakfast table after two or three cups of coffee . . you'll nod off if you tried to read it in bed. :)
I'm not sure you can use the word "arrogant" for Mother Teresa but she certainly didn't suffer fools gladly and stood up to, among others, President Clinton for his pro-choice stance.
Avoiding burnout:
Empathy vs. sympathy
Choose your family over your job, not vice versa. (Choosing my job over my family caused the burnout for me).
Try to avoid the little petty battles and gossip and altogether divisive things that go on at work . . detach yourself from that, not your patient.
Be kind to yourself . . . give yourself a break. Take time out to do something just for you. I love to get outdoors and walk or jog, take deep breaths of fresh air, talk to God. I love to hit a great bookstore and browse for hours. I love to sit with a friend over coffee and chat. I love to take a nap with my 2 year old.
My personal philosophy of nursing changed as I moved from pre-nursing (Idealism: Imagine thyself) to student nurse (Pragmatism: prove thyself) to new grad nurse (Humanism: give thyself) to 20 year bedside nurse (Realism: be thyself) to leaving bedside nursing (Existentialism: Choose thyself)
Sorry to battle you on this, but I have to so that others will see the point I'm trying to make.
Look at what you are saying: you came to a point where you could give up yourself for the love of others, but then you failed. In the end you leave nursing and return to a selfish existence where only "you" matter.
Am I supposed to take some heart in that? Am I supposed to take advice from you? Am I supposed to consider that wisdom? That's what the story of Judas in the Gospel is all about. I won't let that happen to me. I refuse to accept your experience as the way things naturally have to be. I refuse to accept your reality. I refuse to drag with me into my death the selfishness that tormented me for the first 37 years of my life. I am not a sufficient reason for my existence!
My personal philosophy of nursing changed as I moved from pre-nursing (Idealism: Imagine thyself) to student nurse (Pragmatism: prove thyself) to new grad nurse (Humanism: give thyself) to 20 year bedside nurse (Realism: be thyself) to leaving bedside nursing (Existentialism: Choose thyself)
That was a VERY GOOD EXPLAIN OF WHAT NURSING COULD BE! Ican see the different levels from practice to metato outsiddemeta- level.
I found in a bool of nursing history, that in India, hundreds of years before Christ; Charaka (who ever he/she was..: had summaized four qualifications for a nurse:
1) KNOWLEDGE of the manner in wich drugs should be prepeard or compounded for administration
2) CLEVERNESS
3) DEVOTION TO THE PATIENT WAITED UPON
4) PURITY (BOTH MND AND BODY)
"Medicine" An !llustrated History
The norwegian issue (but in english), 1987; p 543
ISBN; 82-05-17313-3
You can choose to look at it as different levels; minor or major, micro or macro or what ever. I allways have that little citation in my notebook on job,- where I also write down other tings...
For me it is interesting because its written down over 2000 years before Florence Nightingale come with her notes (of nursing)
Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
Originally posted by ADNRN
Sorry to battle you on this, but I have to so that others will see the point I'm trying to make.
Look at what you are saying: you came to a point where you could give up yourself for the love of others, but then you failed. In the end you leave nursing and return to a selfish existence where only "you" matter.
Am I supposed to take some heart in that? Am I supposed to take advice from you? Am I supposed to consider that wisdom? That's what the story of Judas in the Gospel is all about. I won't let that happen to me. I refuse to accept your experience as the way things naturally have to be. I refuse to accept your reality. I refuse to drag with me into my death the selfishness that tormented me for the first 37 years of my life. I am not a sufficient reason for my existence!
And I refuse to die alone.
Actually, if you are "at one" with the patients, then why leave yourself out of the equation? Under your philosophy, if you're choosing yourself, aren't you still choosing the patients as well- since you "are one?" And again, if you are at one with everybody in the universe, why assume everybody else's philosophies are wrong and selfish? Are they not also "your" philosophies- since you are at one with them, too. Why judge the BSNs in the hospital you mention? Are you not one with them also? Did you show any empathy for their situation?
You're placing black-and-white labels on everybody else that doesn't follow your vein. And for someone who prescribes to monism, you sure do say "I" a lot. Why not "we" then?
Who are you actually trying to connect with? A certain amount of acceptance toward others could be a sure way to connect with others and not "die alone."
Are you going to continue nursing others after your body gives out, and you can't effectively take care of others anymore? Why is it selfish to finally "choose thyself" after years and years of putting others before you? I feel that calling someone who has put more than 20 years of their blood, sweat, and tears into taking care of others "selfish" is way out of line. Don't discount her experience- that's one of the biggest problems in nursing as it is.
Actually, if you are "at one" with the patients, then why leave yourself out of the equation? Under your philosophy, if you're choosing yourself, aren't you still choosing the patients as well- since you "are one?" And again, if you are at one with everybody in the universe, why assume everybody else's philosophies are wrong and selfish? Are they not also "your" philosophies- since you are at one with them, too. Why judge the BSNs in the hospital you mention? Are you not one with them also? Did you show any empathy for their situation?
You're placing black-and-white labels on everybody else that doesn't follow your vein. And for someone who prescribes to monism, you sure do say "I" a lot. Why not "we" then?
Who are you actually trying to connect with? A certain amount of acceptance toward others could be a sure way to connect with others and not "die alone."
Are you going to continue nursing others after your body gives out, and you can't effectively take care of others anymore? Why is it selfish to finally "choose thyself" after years and years of putting others before you? I feel that calling someone who has put more than 20 years of their blood, sweat, and tears into taking care of others "selfish" is way out of line. Don't discount her experience- that's one of the biggest problems in nursing as it is.
If she is talking in the monistic sense of choosing herself, because she has become one with her patients, then I stand corrected on my assumption of her philosophy.
Otherwise, I stand by what I wrote. However, you have a point: if I am truly monistic, then it doesn't matter whether or not I choose myself or my patients. But as far as disagreeing and discussing things and using the word "I" a lot, I fully admit that my participation in this newsgroup is not a monistic activity. Technically speaking, I'm operating as my lower self. If I were operating as my Higher Self, I wouldn't need to type to talk to myself.
In fact, nursing is operating as my lower self. If I were operating as my Higher Self, the entire illusion of the universe would fade and there would only be me looking at me. Nursing is but one way (I think one of the best ways) for the lower self to learn to love. Love kills the illusion of self and reveals the Higher Self. So nursing is really like a religious practice. Nursing is like cleaning the mirror--to put it metaphorically.
Sorry for all the metaphysical talk, but you asked for it:cool:
As an Rn who happens to have a BSN and has been in the profession 20+ years, here's my two cents' worth:
1. When it's about the check or who- did -what- to -whom battle with management, it's time to either get out or re-prioritize.
2. My burn-out score on surveys our facility did has not changed even with changing units/positions or hours. It has not affected my patient care except to make me step back and take a look at how I react to situations and to think twice (most of the time) before I open my mouth. The score was high because of my attitude, which was not where it should be.
3. Re-evaluating why I'm in nursing always brings me back to my original feeling that I am called to be a nurse.
4. #3 sometimes conflicts w/ my calling to be a wife and mother.
When I focus on the patient, and try to meet their needs, I do okay. When I get bogged down in unit politics, that's when I start struggling. Now I'm just at the point where I'm cordial, but I don't get involved with the games that go on. The Serenity Prayer is very applicable in this situation--nurses are so prone to co-dependency and victimization.
ADNRN
143 Posts
In reality, I know what detachment is. I mean, otherwise I would be paralyzed as a nurse. But as I said, detachment in the physical world is not really what I'm talking about. You are no more detached than I am, as evidence by what you wrote above. As evidence by what you wrote above, even if you don't describe it the way I do, you still are acting as if you and your patient are one person and not two. Even though you're at your computer right now, that monistic nature in you hasn't changed, and if there were patients in front of you instead of a computer, you'd act accordingly.
Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what I gather from your replies.