I managed to dig up my first nursing philosophy from the bridge program.  I completed the RN bridge in 2010, this philosophy is dated 7/26/2009.

      Nursing, as it has been said, is both a science and an art. It is a defined knowledge base that incorporates a specialized set of skills wielded by a specially trained group of people. These people, known simply as “nurses” use these skills to care for human needs, which range from the most basic of needs, such as food and rest, to the loftiest needs of self-esteem and self-fulfillment.

      The task of a nurse is not an easy one, for she is duty bound to care for human beings who may be at their very worst. These human beings are very complex creatures, they are like well-oiled machines. When all the parts are in good repair and working properly together, the machine runs perfectly. However, if one of the parts breaks or becomes too weak, the whole machine may suffer, break down, and be unable to function as it once did.

      Every human has its own environment. Some elements of the environment are chosen, and some are not. Some humans have better environments; bigger houses, fancier cars, great health insurance, high-salaried careers, wonderful marriages, and “normal” families. Other humans may not appear so lucky to society. They may be poor, with a home in foreclosure and a pink slip in hand. They could be destitute drug addicts living on the streets. They might be very ill, and lack health insurance. The nurse has decided to treat all humans kindly and with compassion, regardless of their environment.

      The nurse may see these machines anywhere. They live next door to her, they wait in lines next to her, they block the aisle in Wal-Mart, and they call her late at night to ask her about certain aches and pains. In actuality, the nurse is fair game to any person needing help, whether in an acute care setting or not.

     Nurses have agreed to take on this physically and emotionally demanding task of caring for other human beings, and striving to meet those humans needs as best they can with what they have. Whether it’s lending a friendly ear to a clients complaint, medicating a client in severe pain, tending to a wound that needs dressing, or listening to a family member describe their bowel movements, nurses are there.