Introduction
The choice of medicine as a matter of life should be motivated by the reasons in which a person is confident. These may be personal reasons based on childhood impressions, but they may also be strong beliefs formed by the young person. The essence of nursing is reflected in the historical, ethical, and political aspects. Nurses always adhere to several values ​​and principles; only combining these values ​​can bring a healthy future for patients and a productive one for the nurses.
Choice of Nursing
I chose to nurse because I always wanted to support people in trouble. Illnesses and injuries often make people feel powerless. I have always been interested in working with people’s psychological and emotional aspects. People’s habitual rhythm of life can easily and at one moment be destroyed by illness. People often experience an existential crisis connected to this, and I would like to help them in such a difficult situation.
Nursing makes me think about the meaning of life above death. I often think about people’s emotional attachments and how hard it is to let go of loved ones who leave. This problem is especially relevant in working with terminal patients in resuscitation and intensive care. It is not for nothing that many teachers believe that the intensive care unit is a mandatory school for young nurses. It is possible to go further along the difficult medical path only by coming face to face with the trauma of loss.
In addition, I am interested in protecting affected patients from assault, beatings, and rape. Working as a nurse allows me to provide this support on an emotional, social and physical level. Affected people need someone from the outside to remind them of their rights and provide a place where they can feel safe; nurses should protect victims from victim-blaming. In cases of public outcry, it is also often the duty of nurses, it seems to me, to protect patients from intrusive questions.
Essence of Nursing
Throughout history, the core of nursing has been compassion and mercy. Women, therefore, were considered in society as the most suitable candidates for this work. Showing gentleness of character and care, they could support any patients, even those for whom the treatment would not bring results at the end (Jameton, 2017). Until now, compassion and mercy, in my opinion, have been considered essential categories in nursing. However, the work of nurses has become much more difficult due to technology and the commercialization of medicine, and sincere support alone is not enough.
Nevertheless, nursing continues to be regarded by society as one of the most ethically charged jobs. It applies to treating the elderly, child mortality, and working with babies in general (Woods et al., 2017). Midwifery and care for the mentally ill also motivate many people, especially young nurses, to raise ethical concerns. New ethics and multiculturalism have greatly influenced modern nursing; now, nurses must understand issues of equality, and fairness with patients.
The political factor in nursing practice is often taken into account in theory, but in practice, it lacks application. Nurses are often unaware of applying their knowledge in the political arena (Jameton, 2017). Even the most experienced are imprisoned, as if in a vacuum, in their limited knowledge; they can share them only with young workers and students. Nurses can advocate and protect against domestic violence, sexual harassment, and abuse victims. They can speak at meetings, participate in rallies, and express their professional opinions online.
Beliefs and Values
The attitude towards patients, in my opinion, should be based on equality and medical justice. At the same time, nurses must show compassion to patients. A particular situation is an example of a patient in the terminal stage. In these circumstances, the nurse’s work is directed to the patient himself and his family, which is also part of the treatment (Juujärvi et al., 2019). Patients are required to show respect for nurses in return.
Family support plays a vital role in the treatment of any patient. Sometimes nurses have to interact intensively with relatives to explain what kind of help the patient needs, what the forecasts are, and how the treatment is going now. Relatives are not required to have a medical education or specific knowledge, so nurses should bring them up to date in plain language (Jameton, 2017). After clear explanations from the nurse, relatives will prepare themselves for the possible consequences of their loved one’s illness.
Colleagues and the medical community as a whole must remain consolidated and solidarized. There is no place for the stigmatization of other doctors or nurses. Medicine teaches workers to be constantly in the process of learning, which means that making mistakes is inevitable (Juujärvi et al., 2019). Nurses are under near-constant stress, and this issue has become a topic of discussion amid COVID-19. The support of fellows is necessary for full-fledged work in a team.
Nurses often have to sacrifice their health to save other people. Constant monitoring in the intensive care unit can be very exhausting (Woods et al., 2017). My experience makes me think, first of all, about my mental health, not my physical, although this aspect is also essential. I am prone to anxiety and stress, so in the future, I will have to turn to the services of a psychotherapist to maintain my health.
Vision for the Future
In the next two years, I plan to develop theoretical knowledge in my specialty. I want to study more current nursing literature and discuss this literature with my friends. In my training, I would like to participate in the debate on ethical issues in medicine, as this topic can touch the hearts of many young people. Later, I will have to start actual work in the hospital with patients.
In the next five years, I will have my first full-fledged experience in medicine already as an independent worker. Although I am concerned that patients will not take me seriously, I am looking forward to this. I plan to follow first in the department of surgery or intensive care, and later, if I need it, I will work in other departments; I am also interested in pediatrics.
In 10 years, I will feel confident in my field of activity, and I would like, having gained experience, to try myself in politics. I want to represent the interests of my patients in public organizations. I plan to protect victims of domestic violence and give them a platform to express their feelings. I might advise people on how to provide themselves with first aid in domestic violence or sexual harassment situations.
Summary
My analytical thinking and reasoning skills allow me to make quick decisions even in difficult situations. I am deeply and sincerely interested in medical ethics topics: euthanasia, organ transplants, and abortion. It will help me remain a curious scientist for many years of work. Moreover, I am interested in new developments in medicine, information technology, and artificial intelligence. In addition, I can take part in experiments on my own.
I need to prolong exposure to stress and anxiety, and for this, I should consult a psychologist. I also still have fears of being misunderstood by patients and their families. Due to my age and unprofessionalism, I worry that patients will not take me seriously, and because of this, I will suffer and feel insecure. I want to find good mentors with whom I will get my first independent work experience.
References
Jameton, A. (2017). What moral distress in nursing history could suggest about the future of health care.AMA Journal of Ethics, 19(6), 617–628. Web.
Juujärvi, S., Ronkainen, K., & Silvennoinen, P. (2019). The ethics of care and justice in primary nursing of older patients. Clinical Ethics, 14(4), 187–194. Web.
Woods, M., Phibbs, S., & Severinsen, C. (2017). ‘When morals and markets collide’: Challenges to an ethic of care in aged residential care.Ethics and Social Welfare, 11(4), 365–381. Web.