Supercalifragilistic

I have been told by coworkers that I am "too nice" to pt's families, to docs, to care assistants, etc. But my philosophy tends to be that "you can win more flies with honey than with vinegar." (Granted, who wants to win flies?) Mostly, the situation is that other nurses make a big deal about some issues that I just don't see as being worth the fight. There are also times where another RN tends to see a NICU pt's mom as manipulative, but I see her as stressed out and trying to protect her baby. Anyway, I'm beginning to believe that this career does not suit my personality type. Anyone ever been told they were "too nice"? If so, what did you do about it?

Yep, it's "Szasz" - I remember reading about him too and putting him on my "to-read" list. Speaking of reading, just read the Raskin article. Geez - when I said I was interested in "nursing theory" I sure wasn't referring to the same "nursing theory" he was talking about through most of the article! Maybe I should have said "nursing research" since what I was referring to was not an overarching "theory of nursing" but rather, investigatons into theories of best practices in nursing care. That's how the term "nursing theory" was used in my nursing school...it wasn't used to refer to a single, all-encompassing theory of nursing. Can you imagine trying to come up with such a theory??? Yikes!!!

Sorry to the OP - didn't mean to hijack the thread with such lengthy posts. What I wish I'd known/realized before nursing school: That I'm much more interested in nursing theory and health information/education as a career than in bedside nursing as a career!

Snake, RE: Virchow I will have to look him up! I know the name, and I think we covered him in my nursing pre-reqs. I just don't remember ever hearing that his was THE ultimate definition of disease and the one we still use as a "litmus test" for defining disease today. RE: "Being old doesn't make it wrong, indeed it often gains validity during repeated use." I agree with you here and did not mean to imply otherwise. Rather - like you said in talking about runaway slaves - just meant I'm glad we don't still use ALL 19th century definitions and standards anymore! RE: Diabetes & lesions Interesting! Didn't know single dysfunctioning cells could be called "lesions." RE: mental health & the DMS I think the issue here is really that we still have a long way to go in understanding psych issues. There's still a lot of research to be done, and we are certainly far from having "all the answers," hence some of the "confusion" and reworking of definitions. Personally, I am really intrigued by psych - especially how it overlaps with philosophy, religion, and social mores. I forget who it is here on Allnurses.com, but someone has a signature line that says something like, "when you talk to God, they call it prayer; when God talks to you, they call it schizophrenia." Who's to say, since we don't really know the causes of these things (yet)? But just because we don't have the answers yet doesn't mean it's not science. You're right, whether it's "science" has to do with the method/process for determining the answers. So I'm sure some of the reworked definitions are unscientific, but I'm sure others are scientific and change based on new & developing information that must be considered. Will have to check out that link posted by Susy K. RE: evidence-based nursing Probably true that much of it is empirical right now. Again, another area with a long way to go; I think the push for this is relatively new. But there are plenty of studies (regarding nursing practice) that have been done and are being reproduced...time will tell whether or not they hold the same results! RE: general skepticism and playing the devil's advocate I am right there with you on this one! Firm believer in the saying, "Question Authority!" Makes you a better citizen/nurse/person when you take the info and analyze for yourself whether it is legitimate.

The Princess Bride

Snake, I am a new nurse and generally find that my work is much less "art and science" and much more technical skills and tasks to be marked off of a long to-do list. However, I disagree with the following arguments that you used in an effort to debunk the "art and science" idea: Ever heard of "evidence-based nursing"? If you have not, you should definitely look into it! (1) I NEVER heard this exclusionary definition of disease before. (2) I, for one, am glad we do not live by 1858 definitions/standards anymore... (3) Is diabetes a "lesion" or an "infective process"? As far as I know, it is neither...but I think we'd all agree it is a "disease." (And you use it as an example of disease, if I'm not mistaken.) See my comment above regarding diabetes. And this is why caring IS an art - it requires EXPRESSING oneself in a way that makes an IMPACT, and doing this generally does convey or provoke an emotional response.

OMG - that is my most favorite movie line EVER!!!! Oh, now I know what I'll be picking up at Blockbuster this weekend.... :roll

Another tip. Anytime you talk to someone in a different department (i.e., lab, radiology, etc.), ALWAYS get the full name of the person you are speaking with. Then when lab tells you to draw blood in a blue tube, and lab calls back later to say you should have sent it in a purple tube, you at least can say who gave you the wrong instructions!!! Same for when Joe in radiology tells you to bring the patient down at 10:00 and then you get there and Susie tells you they won't be ready until 11:00, you can say "Joe told me 10:00" - goes a lot farther than, "well, somebody told me 10:00"!!!

Lady T is exactly right. And FYI, when using "its" as a possessive, there is no apostrophe ( ' ). "it's" = abbreviated form of "it is" "its" = possessive form

Or the Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which has one of the top 5 nursing grad schools in the country. Chapel Hill is a great town (known for being "progressive"/liberal and charming/quaint, also known for basketball, and a few hours from either the beach or BEAUTIFUL mountains!). The hospital is right there at the university campus, and there are plenty of apts around. But I don't think they offer a CRNA program. Here is a link to the school in case you are interested. http://nursing.unc.edu/

info on lillian wald: http://www.nahc.org/NAHC/Val/Columns/SC10-4.html

thanks, tweety - needed to hear this one this morning! been at the job for 8 months now, going much better now than in the first few months --- but had "one of those nights" last night. felt like i left things pretty disorganized, and felt pretty incompetent by the end of the shift...nothing major, just little things that i should have been more on top of. however i AM learning to be gentle with myself at the end of the day. thanks for the reminder...:)

thanks, tweety - needed to hear this one this morning! been at the job for 8 months now, going much better now than in the first few months --- but had "one of those nights" last night. felt like i left things pretty disorganized, and felt pretty incompetent by the end of the shift...nothing major, just little things that i should have been more on top of. however i AM learning to be gentle with myself at the end of the day. thanks for the reminder...:)

actually i don't remember who peplau was. my fave is/was lillian wald.

actually i don't remember who peplau was. my fave is/was lillian wald.