My name is Corey Hudson. I am twenty-six years old. I was born and raised in Tuba City, Arizona. I am of Navajo descent. I am an Army Veteran, four years active and two years in the reserves. I am a husband to a smart, beautiful woman that is also a student at NAU, criminal justice major. I am a father to a wonderful, goofy, loving, little girl. I did not what to do with my life after high school. I just floated and experimented with different classes and majors. I eventually ran out of funds and enlisted in the army. I choose to be a medic as I figured it would open the most opportunity in the civilian world. One of the best decisions I have ever made. It was not until my deployment to Afghanistan that I really found my passion for caring for people. It felt liberating on a whole different level. I thought my about my career options when I left the army. I was originally going to become a paramedic as a fall back before I would attempt to go into the nursing program. I had just finished my prerequisites to enter the paramedic program when my wife encouraged me to just go for nursing and avoid the middleman. I applied for the 2016 spring semester and I failed to get in. I was crushed but not defeated. I took some time off to find myself and re-center. Eight months later I got the letter I was hoping for. I then started to systematically prepare for the program. I actually returned from my soul surfing just four days before the program began. I want to become a nurse so I am not stopping until I do. I just hope that it’s a smooth transition to the next semester. Coming out of the military I wanted to become a physician’s assistant or a physician, but it did not feel like it was my calling. I wanted to feel the emotion in the people I cared for and see the appreciation in their faces. I wanted to see that same expression that the villagers in that remote afghan village gave me when I would give them a band aid.
Definition of Nursing
The definition of nursing to me is putting you in a position to care for strangers without regard to yourself. It’s like being the everyone’s best friend that they met in the nursery the day we were born, even if they were born eighty years ago or a few weeks ago. It is an unspoken contract between nurse and patient. I am here to make sure you get better or least feel like you’re getting better. a nurse to me is much more than a doctor or a paramedic. Each profession serves its purpose in the chain of health care but only the nurse I feel is the one that the patient remembers. They are what make or break the patient’s health care experience. They feel like they care more. Nursing in like health care meets, the hotel meets extended family or even immediate family. The actual definition of nursing is as follows, “ a person formally educated and trained in the care of the sick or the infirm.” (Nursing. (n.d)).
Assumptions
This is not enough of a proper description to cover all of a nurse is. When I read this it is was only a fraction of what a nurse is in my mind. My first impression of a nurse, when I was younger, was someone who came and helped the doctor take care of me. I am now aware of how wrong I was. My assumption of the nurse as a child was someone who just kind of checked in or made sure the doctor was on his way. The assumption I have now is much more worthy of a nurse. Nursing to me is a much more than numbers and medication. It’s interaction with the community. You take care of the patient, the patient’s family, the community, and even the doctors or fellow staff. We look for the patterns of people and we identify when someone is off or not functioning at their usual pace or mood. Nursing is a very noble profession and it takes a special person to do the job. I often wonder if I’ll be a great nurse and be able to put myself in the patient’s predicament or empathize with someone I barely met.
Definitions of the Examples of the Nursing Paradigm
“The nursing meta-paradigm allows a nurse to understand and explain what nursing is, what nursing does, and why nurses do what they do” (Potter, Perry, Stockert, Hall, 2017) The nursing paradigm includes four domains that help explain what a nurse is. They include the person, health, environment, and nursing. Each domain helps break down and explain what a nurse is and does and why.
“Person is the recipient of nursing care, including individual patients, groups, cultures, families, and communities” (Potter, Perry, Stockert, Hall, 2017). It is vital that the nurse identifies the individual that she or he is caring for, for who they are and what the expect for their care. Every patient is different and everyone has a different background and experiences that the nurse must be able to connect in order to provide the best care she or he can to the patient.
“Health has different meanings for each patient, the clinical setting, and the health care profession” (Potter, et al 2017). The patient has many levels of health besides the physical aspect of the health spectrum. Being a nurse demands that you look at the entire spectrum. For example, a patient may be recovering from pneumonia but feels morose because her daughter did not visit while she was in the hospital. That patient’s health could potentially decline. The patient must be cared for in all manners to make the best recovery possible.
“Environment includes all the possible conditions affecting patients and the settings where they go for their health care” (Potter, et al 2017). This is crucial in the healthcare system. I compare this to a gas station restroom on the highway. One does not stop at a dirty looking gas station, however, a clean looking truck stop is a safe bet. The presentation is an important deciding factor. It is the same with nursing but it’s more than an appearance in nursing. it is the feeling of comfort being there. Feeling safe and cared for in the way the patient expects from a professional facility with professional staff. The nurse is constantly watched and criticized by their patients but also highly admired if they are a great nurse.
“Nursing is the “ … protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of the human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.” (Potter, et al 2017). The nursing profession is no a specialty. A nurse to me in a health care setting is a jack-of-all-trades. They can do anything well and can help anywhere at a moments notice. The do not identify the specific ailment or injury but they help in recovery and sources of problems. These are called nursing diagnoses. They are the key to keeping the patient comfortable and keep the patient moving forward in their recovery.
All of these domains come together to provide the best treatment possible. They all entwine to and fall into each other. One cannot promote health in a contaminated environment. One cannot provide treatment to a patient that does not understand what you are doing or object to the treatment due to cultural reasons. they make the best possible combination to make the patient feel cared for and valued.
Conclusion
Being a nurse is my calling. I feel that I have the necessary qualities it takes to be that special someone that takes care of people. My philosophy is science is the easy part. one can learn to be a medically proficient, but you have to be willing to empathize with strangers and fee their pain or loss. Nursing is more than a job or profession. It’s a lifestyle.
References
- Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved October 24, 2016 from Dictionary.com websitehttp://www.dictionary.com/browse/nursing
- Potter, Perry, Stockert, Hall, P., Anne, Patricia, Amy (2017). Fundamental of Nursing (9th ed.). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier.
