Sorry, I can't resist getting into this.  I require that my nursing
students write a statement philosophy that will direct their practice.
It's only fair that I share mine with them.  It gets me into trouble
every time but also encourages healthy discussion with regard to values.
It is also interesting to note that nursing students always believe that
they have unlimited resources.  This is what I share with them.
 
"I believe that nursing is more art than science.  The degree to which
nursing is practiced, as an art, is reflective of the degree to which
an individual nurse is willing to tolerate the ambiguities of everyday
practice.  It is also reflective of the degree to which she is willing
to contribute her presence to healing processes.
 
Although I believe that all beings are deserving of nursing care some are
more deserving than others.  Beings are deserving of care according to
actual need and according to their own good character.  Good character is
evidenced by a willingness to be of service, and by an absence of evil
intent.  Given a choice between giving emergency care to a dog stuck by
a car or to the driver who deliberately hit him, I will give care to the
dog.  (I believe that all dogs are beings of good character unless some
human being has taken this from them.)
 
Finally I believe that it is my responsibility to empower people so that
they can ensure that their own health care needs are met.  I will do this
by means of education, social action, and the invocation of the Iron
Rule, e.g.  "Never do for someone something that they can do for
themselves."
 
As I look at this reflectively I detect a slightly harsh, perhaps bitter,
note.  Concepts that you may believe are missing are, frankly, the easy
ones, like care and compassion.  As I see it, care, compassion, empathy,
advocacy, and the like, are all part of my "willing presence".  I am not
a bitter person but I have come to believe that I have limited resources.
I will put my resources to best use."
 
Bobbi McC.
[Posted in FML issue 4994]