The Lost Art of Nursing

[lncnsl, BSN, RN]

I'm currently working on an article about the lost art of nursing. I still strongly believe that nursing is an art.

Yesterday, I was in a patient's room who was just transitioned to comfort care, talking to the family members, and providing support and comfort. Another nurse asked jokingly asked, "Did you want to take them home with you? You were there for a long time." For some reason, this bothered me. Other than that instance, I have encountered different situations where nurses question what I do (sitting at the edge of the bed of a patient who's very anxious/scared, taking a patient out to the garden or window with a great view of the city skyline, and etc.) I let it pass to my other ear because I love doing these things for my patients, and I will always find ways to do it no matter how hectic a shift gets. However, it made me question if other nurses realize that this "extra" duty is not really an extra duty, because it is nursing in itself. Building therapeutic relationships, expressing compassion and empathy by simply offering water and ice before a patient asks for it. I wonder if nursing schools are still teaching or putting emphasis on the foundations of nursing, where and how the profession started, the theories that have shaped it, and others.

If you have encountered the same situation, how did you react? What did you feel?

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

I'll never forget the new ICU nurse who shaved her intubated patient's legs, leaving them smooth on the sheets.

Her preceptor said, "Thanks a lot! Now we'll all have to start shaving legs around here!"

 

[lncnsl, BSN, RN]

Thank you for sharing! It is sad hearing these stories. News about nurses being unprofessional, neglectful and etc. is also alarmingly increasing and coming up to the surface.

[Davey Do]

I doff my proverbial hat to you, Incnsl.

Yes, nursing can be and is an art if only we seize opportunities to take advantage of situations and act accordingly.

Please do not allow others to sway you from this course of action you have adopted. "To thine known self be true", "Damn the torpedoes" and "Keep on keeping on!"