a long while back ago, probably close to a year, I read this blog post written by a young lady who was a student nurse, and pregnant.
She opined, at that time, that being a mother made one a better nurse.
I am not going to link to that, or her, because, frankly, she wasn't open enough back then to acknowledge my comment on her blog that (gently) begged to differ. It could have been an opportunity for a very interesting conversation. Her loss.
But now, here I am, a year later. (ish). Pregnant.
Am I a better nurse because I am having a biological child?
No. Do I expect I will be after Mustang Boy is born?
No.
A good nurse is just that. A good nurse. Compassion doesn't suddenly become a part of your personality when you have a child. My compassion for my patients did not change when I began to co-habitate with MM, and MG, either.
I am readressing this now because for some reason I was thinking about this as I was (attempting) to fall asleep last night. It obviously still bothers me. For the first time in a long time I went and looked at the young lady's blog. She is a wife of a military man, and a mother (obviously). She still hasn't completed nursing school, or taken her boards. Life happens, I understand that.
I hope, if and when she begins her practice as a nurse, she realizes that childbearing does not beget good nursing or compassion...
In the meantime, I do, officially, call bullshit, in every capacity...
5 comments:
Clearly my post was misunderstood. I apologize if I have in some way offended you. If I didn't respond to the comment I likely did not see it. I was saying that for me, having to be vulnerable medically and to think more open minded was making me a better nurse. Perhaps this doesn't happen for everyone, and I have known some excellent nursing folks who are childless. But for me, it made a huge difference.
And you are correct, I haven't finished yet. After a life changing stint on bestest and a preterm delivery and a transfer overseas, I am now finally back and finishing.
I hope the rest of your pregnancy is blessed and that you find motherhood changes you in only the best ways.
Well - okay.
I will say that for me, personally, becoming a mom made me more compassionate all around. I'm not a nurse, though, and don't think I'd ever want to be, so I'm not *that* compassionate. Ha! :)
Tiffany
thank you for the kind wishes and thank you for responding. I do understand that its a personal thing, but, as you see, for some reason that really stuck in my brain. I like to think every nurse has the strength and compassion to treat their patients, and I am sure you will be an excellent nurse when your finished. And it seems your so close. I wish you a happy nursing career, it is a wonderful choice.
Syb- I think being a mother does change things, but for me, it didn't/hasn't? Changed my practice. Made me more cranky, maybe, but thats because I am tired and limping :)
Never been a nurse or a mother but I do think that one either has this 'gene' for empathy/compassion or they dont .. I do also think being a mother/having a baby does change a woman but I dont think it makes her suddenly develop empathy/compassion ... in the last 2+ months I have met a lot of nurses and for the most part they've been compassionate but detached ..
Interesting that I read this post after watching the Scrubs episode about how becoming a 'father' (JD) changes how the Dr. in them deals with their patients.. wondered if that was true..
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