A nurse is someone who professionally cares for individuals with health deficiencies.
As human beings, we are inherently finite beings destined to eventually die, and as such, we are designed to take care of ourselves. Additionally, as social beings, we may find ourselves in situations where we need to care for others because no one can live entirely alone.
Caring for oneself while caring for others requires a tremendous sense of balance.
For example, someone who only knows how to care for themselves should never become a nurse. If all attention and energy are directed solely towards personal well-being, one is not qualified to assume the responsibility of a nurse who cares for the health of others. This is, in fact, detrimental, as it deprives numerous patients of the opportunity to receive genuine care. It also harms fellow nurses, depriving them of the chance to provide proper care, ultimately leading to a crisis in the healthcare community.
On the other hand, someone who neglects self-care while caring for others is also unfit to be a nurse. A nurse must value and care for themselves. When a nurse esteems and cares for themselves, their internal and external selves align, enabling the formation of genuine therapeutic relationships with patients. However, if a nurse neglects self-care in favor of caring for others, they will eventually deplete themselves. While sacrificing oneself to care for others may seem noble, it is challenging to endorse because, in nursing, it is possible for both the nurse and the patient to thrive.
The essence of nursing is care. While care is a fundamental aspect of human existence, nursing specifically defines “care” as an essential duty agreed upon by society. Care is the obligation of a nurse.
Redirecting one’s instinctual desire for self-care and shifting focus towards the well-being of others is no ordinary task. Sacrificing one’s high standards for caring for others and creating space for self-care is also not an easy feat.
However, there may be no better profession than nursing for learning and growing in life, as it involves making the inherent characteristic of human existence, ‘care,’ a task of life and reflecting on it intensely.
Nurses must strive to find a balance between caring for themselves and caring for others.