Avery’s Harvest
In one village, there lived two neighbors, Avery and Zane. Their life was peaceful yet too quiet at times, so to get rid of boredom, the old men invented various contests. They tried to beat and outpace one another in whatever activity they settled to engage in: cooking the most delicious pie, building the prettiest birdhouse, and many more.
Once Avery and Zane decided to see who could grow the strongest apple tree and harvest the sweetest apples from it. The men started by planting two small sprouts; they both watered their trees regularly and made sure to protect them from all possible harm. However, their approaches differed in a peculiar way. Avery liked to spend time sitting by his tree and talking to it as to another human being and close friend, saying encouraging and tender words. Zane merely laughed at Avery’s whim, and whenever he felt that all the necessary protective measures were undertaken, he left his tree alone.
Time passed, years and seasons changed one another, and some changes started to happen. While the boughs of Avery’s apple tree spread wide and became covered in white flowers, attracting countless birds, butterflies, and pollinating insects, Zane’s tree remained small and almost bare. With apple blossoms, the whole garden became more beautiful, tranquil, and alive. As fruits began to grow in the summer, the surroundings were overflown with the delightful aroma. Seeing this, Zane felt frustrated at his own garden and progress. Trying to cheer his friend up, Avery smiled gently and offered him a ripe apple. He promised that they will work together to make Zane’s apple tree healthier so they could collect an even bigger harvest next year.
Main body
Nursing care can substantially determine both short-term and long-term patient outcomes. The quality of caring is traditionally measured by practitioners’ competence, application of relevant technologies, and relationship-building practices (Karaca & Durna, 2019). However, the overall attitude of nurses to caring is important as well, and this paper will discuss my definition of caring. It will also explain the short story that incorporates my view on caring.
Definition of Caring
My view on caring is in line with that proposed by Florence Nightingale, the creator of the holistic care concept. Her theory “emphasizes that for human beings the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” (Zamanzadeh, Jasemi, Valizadeh, Keogh, & Taleghani, 2015, p. 214). Therefore, it is not enough to address merely the physical aspects of patients’ health. Nurses must also attend to the emotional, psychological, spiritual, and social needs of individuals and empower patients to improve their health independently (Jasemi, Valizadeh, Zamanzadeh, & Keogh, 2017). Similarly, I am convinced that physical manifestations of illness often have deep roots in non-physical factors. Thus, I see caring as a way to restore a balance between different aspects of human lives through professional practice, bonding, empathy, and social assistance.
Expression of Caring
In “Avery’s Harvest,” I primarily aimed to demonstrate how the neglect of non-physical health factors may prevent a subject of care from attaining a state of full self-realization. In this piece, Avery is an ideal representation of a nurse who is emotionally invested in their work, whereas Zane is an image of a nurse who is focused only on technical aspects of nursing. The blossoming of Avery’s tree shows that with the right approach, the thriving of a patient can transgress to a new level and positively affect not only one individual or just a certain aspect of their being but also can make their whole life and surroundings evolve.
Conclusion
Overall, the present assignment let me think deeper about the concept of caring. With the completion of both the artistic and the theoretical parts of the task, I explored what it means for me to be a nurse and gained a clearer insight into different aspects of human health. Holistic care that considers diverse patient needs, including the spiritual and emotional ones, is a cornerstone of high-quality medical practice, and therefore every medical practitioner should strive to implement it.
References
Jasemi, M., Valizadeh, L., Zamanzadeh, V., & Keogh, B. (2017). A concept analysis of holistic care by hybrid model. Indian Journal of Palliative Care, 23(1), 71-80.
Karaca, A., & Durna, Z. (2019). Patient satisfaction with the quality of nursing care. Nursing Open, 6(2), 535-545.
Zamanzadeh, V., Jasemi, M., Valizadeh, L., Keogh, B., & Taleghani, F. (2015). Effective factors in providing holistic care: A qualitative study. Indian Journal of Palliative Care, 21(2), 214-224.