Running head: CARING

Caring In Nursing Emily Grange Dixie State University NURS 2600 Phillis Swift January 20, 2014

CARING Caring In Nursing

Nursing is caring. The central aspect of caring is humanitarianism, the idea of being human (Vance, 2003). Some might also say that the focus of nursing is on the relationship between a nurse and their patient(s) (Longo, 2011, p. 8). Being human is to say that as human beings we have an innate desire to empathize and care for others. To me, caring is all about empathy, the ability to emotionally place your self in another humans situation

and treat them, as you would want to be treated. Most individuals have a central goal in life and that is to grow and develop the ability to care for themselves, provide for themselves. When that goal can no longer be met because of a healthcare related issue, they come to us looking for sympathy and assistance in healing and/or getting better. Caring is not just providing medications, emptying catheter bags, or cleaning up stool, it is about having an invested interest in their care and that your goal is the same as their goal; The goal should be for them to get well.

The top ten caring behaviors that are most frequently seen in nursing are; Attentive listening, showing the patient that what they have to say matters to you. That you are not annoyed or inconvenienced by being in their room but that taking time to talk with them and hear their concerns is important. Comfort which involves keeping them comfortable but

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also easing their fears and anxieties. Honesty will help them to be prepared and allows you to address all concerns. Patience, the healing process is not about you, it is about the

patient. Take your time and allow them the same, this will help keep them safe and prevent mistakes. Everyone is different so be open-minded. Take responsibility for any mistakes made, don't blame the patient and don't blame your coworkers. Healthcare is a team sport and the MVP is the patient. Provide full and accurate information so the patient is fully aware of the situation. Allow for the patient to ask questions and answer them to the best of your ability, if you are not able to provide them information or answer their questions then find them someone who can. Touch is a simple way to show the patient you care. Be sensitive to the patients concerns, fears, and differences. Respect what may be odd, weird or new to you and treat the patient as an individual. No two people are the same no matter how many similarities they have. Call your patient by name, ask them what they prefer to be called and use that name. In order to develop a trusting relationship, you must not treat your patient like a stranger but instead like a friend. The nature of a nurse-patient relationship is determined by the level of caring (Longo, 2011, p. 8). Another caring behavior that is not commonly thought of but is indeed extremely important is competency. The ability to complete a task correctly, efficiently, and confidently is the competence I am

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referring to (Longo, 2011). I often tell training phlebotomists, If you do not have confidence in your own abilities, how can you expect the patient to have confidence in you?

When I think of caring in nursing, I am reminded of one specific situation in which the nurse demonstrated an immense amount of care toward her patient. One afternoon while I was at work in the emergency department, we received a call in from Dixie Ambulance. The report from the paramedic detailed that they were bringing in a young female who was hit by a car while riding her bicycle with her cousin on Sunset Blvd. We eventually learned that the cousin to our patient was DOA (dead on arrival). The young girl presented to the ED with multiple injuries and was extremely frightened. As the story came to be, this young girl was in St. George visiting this cousin and had no immediate family in the area, her mother was closest and was four hours away in Salt Lake City. The young girl, being unaware of her cousins passing repeatedly asked how her cousin was doing and where she was. The nurse, a good friend of mine, was so attentive to this child. As the patient waited a long, four, sad hours for her mom, the nurse never left her side. I witnessed multiple times this nurse holding the girls hand, wiping her tears, and offering condolences. The extra care the nurse provided was shown truly when her shift had ended and instead of going home to hold her own daughters, she stayed with this patient and continued holding

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her small scrapped up hand. The nurse later told me that all she could think about is what she would do if that had been one of her two daughters and how she hopes that their nurse would do the same in that situation. I feel this nurse demonstrated what it means to go above and beyond for your patient. She not only took care of the girls physical discomforts but she helped with the emotional discomforts as well. She was able to empathize and truly make a difference for this little girl.

As stated before, caring is not only about treating the patients physical ailments but also the emotional aspect of the patients health. The nurse I spoke of not only addressed the patients physical injuries but also comforted her in a time when she had become overwhelmed with fear, sadness, and pain. It is because of these caring behaviors that I look to this nurse as a strong example of incredible caring in nursing. I hope to one day be a strong and steady example of what caring in nursing should be and truly is.

CARING References Longo, J. (2011). Acts of Caring. In (Ed.), Holistic Nursing Practice (pp. 8-16). http://dx.doi.org/DOI: 10.1097/HNP.0b013e3181fe2627 Vance, T. (2003). Caring and the Professional Practice of Nursing. Retrieved from http://rnjournal.com/journal-of-nursing/caring-and-the-professional-practice-of-nursing