cha theory 7, support the argument
I think it’s important for us as nurses to know ourselves. It’s important because by knowing ourselves it can help know how we provide care.
It’s not required to actually like your patient, but I think that helps to be able to really provide the highest level of care that I can. I get along with about everyone, but occasionally I end up taking care of someone who I just can’t stand. I do a great job at keeping things professional and I always provide a very high level of care, but when it comes to certain people it’s just hard to go above and beyond, like I usually do for my patients. In those situations, I just do my best to provide the care that I would provide anyone, and I look past the differences that we have or the things that are making that situation difficult.
When it comes to an unconscious or altered person, I think it is possible and expected to demonstrate caring. I like to treat everyone, whether awake or not, as if they know what’s going on. I talk to them, I explain what I’m doing, I tell them I will be back to check in on them, etc. To not do that would be disrespectful, and in my opinion, not what a nurse should do. My thought is that each person is different. Maybe that unconscious person is physically not responding but could be mentally awake and really knows what’s going on or can hear what is going on. I like to picture if it were me laying there how would I like to be treated. According to Cevik & Namik (2018) unconscious patients may understand speech and, in their study, talking to an unconscious patient even lead to a higher GCS score in some patients.
Providing care that is authentic and provided with intentionality means that the nurse provides that care because they are invested in the outcome and has the desire to do what it takes to help. They aren’t doing it out of obligation, they actually care and choose to do the things they do out of love and respect for their patient. Caring is what nurses focus on and is at the center of what they do, it’s the direct intention of what each nurse does on a daily basis (Smith & Parker, 2015). With the fast-paced setting of healthcare it can be a little challenging to provide the care that we should with all of the other tasks that nurses are responsible for. It seems like we are being taken away from the bedside more and more for things related to care, but not direct care. I think my perspective of care has changed since I first become a nurse. I seem to care more now than when I first started because I have seen how much of a difference it can make.
Nurses who are experiencing compassion fatigue can’t care for themselves and others effectively and on a consistent basis. According to Mattioli (2018) nurses who experience compassion fatigue can have a decreased quality of patient care and other factors that can impact who they are able to care for and treat their patients.
References
Çevik, K., & Namik, E. (2018). Effect of auditory stimulation on the level of consciousness in
comatose patients admitted to the intensive care unit: A randomized controlled
trial. Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, 50(6), 375–380. https://doi-org.prx-
keiser.lirn.net/10.1097/JNN.0000000000000407
Mattioli, D. (2018). Focusing on the caregiver: compassion fatigue awareness and
understanding. Medsurg Nursing, 27(5), 323–327. Retrieved from http://prx-
keiser.lirn.net/login?url=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ebscohost.com%2flogin.aspx%3fdirect%
3dtrue%26db%3dccm%26AN%3d132180605%26site%3dehost-live
Smith M. C., & Parker, M. E. (Eds.). (2015). Nursing theories and nursing practice (4th ed.).
Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis Company.
