What is Nursing for You?

Before, the meaning of nursing for me is literally, "taking care of the sick". Well actually it's true. Nurse needs to take care of the sick until they get well. But do you think that's the only meaning behind the word "care"?

According to Virginia Henderson, "Nursing is to assist the client (sick or well) in the performance of activities contributing to health, it's recovery or peaceful death that clients will perform unaided." In short, whether it is sick or well, we need to assist them towards independence. We oath to God that it's our responsibility to take care of the people who need our help. Whether it is physical, mental, spiritual and social needs.

There are lot of definitions of nursing. And now that I am already a registered nurse and took care a lots of patients in the hospitals and in the community, I made my own definition of nursing. The word nursing for me is a service that even a person without license can take care of the sick but with the limitation (only the basic form or caring) and with full knowledge and is competent in rendering care to the patient, either sick or well. This is just my own point of view. I don't contradict the other meaning of nursing. Because I believe that everyone has the right to care for the sick but only for those who have knowledge and experience in nursing care, plus the passion to serve the people. If you only have the knowledge and you don't have the passion, well probably, it will be difficult for you to give your patient's need.

So, love your profession. Remember the saying, "many are called, but few are chosen". We are all free to choose the nursing course, but few will be a registered nurses. So, let us hear your thoughts about the word "nursing". Our colleagues and future nurses are longing to hear your stories.