My philosophy is that it is important to help people. That sums up my philosophy. HELP! Hippocrates said it right, “DO NO HARM”… it may have been a statement just for doctors yet it seems to sum up everything in three words. Everyone who comes in contact with people who are ill should follow that oath DO NO HARM! The end of Nightingale oath is “With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.” Combining these two promises is my ideology of nursing. Do no harm and devote myself to the welfare of those in my care. It is important for a nurse to continually fine tune their skills. Nurses are lifelong learners. The more you know the better you are. Learn from one another, share best practices, take a class and always be willing to absorb.
A nurse cannot mindlessly aid a physician in his work. I must disagree with this part of the oath. It is a nurse’s responsibility to care for their patient even if it means disagreeing with the physician. It is important for nurses to remember that their responsibility is their patient, not the doctor, not the patients family not any other external factor. Help your patient…Do No Harm. Sometimes this idea takes on a whole new meaning when it comes to end of life issues. Help your Patient. You are the patient advocate. You are the patient’s voice. Your empathy will help you to heal the patient.
