#(i have a problem recognizing what constitutes as harmful to myself due to growing up abused)
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the transmisogyny tag is just constantly full of transandrophobia
its so annoying
#i check it mainly to see what trans women/fems talk about cuz i never know which of my experiences are 'valid to discuss'#(i have a problem recognizing what constitutes as harmful to myself due to growing up abused)#but god just day after day i will see people just shitting on trans men/mascs and our experiences and our terms
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Values
Open-Mindedness
A value that I try to abide by every day is to be open-minded. I believe this is one of the most important attributes of any person, but especially that of a nurse. The idea that patients are partners in care has been a main focus of many lectures this semester. The reality of this concept is that patients come in all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, religions and genders. As a nurse, you must be able to work cooperatively with all types of patients. To be able to do this effectively, you must be able to stay open-minded in all situations. An open-minded approach to patient care will allow a therapeutic nurse-patient relationship to form, an essential part of the healing process. If patients feel judged or unaccepted, they are much less likely to be honest and may withhold important information from you. After a negative health care experience, patients are unlikely to return for further care. For example, a patient may neglect to inform you of his or her recreational drug use if they feel as though they would be judged. This decision could have a negative impact on his or her treatment plan because of adverse health effects of drug-drug interactions. In the photo above, you see me holding a young girl in a remote Ghanaian village that I visited during a medical outreach. Upon arrival, I noticed that all of the children were filthy, covered in scrapes, and running around on tough terrain in bare feet. My immediate thoughts were, “Where are these children’s parents?” and “How can they leave their children in these kinds of conditions?”. I quickly reminded myself that not everyone in the world is as fortunate as I am. Many of these children were orphans and had no parental influences in their lives. Many of these children came from families with absolutely zero income, who could not even imagine purchasing a pair of shoes. The children’s untreated wounds and high rates of Malaria were the results of unavailable health care and parents who were uneducated. As I began to treat my first patient, these thoughts and reminders flooded my mind. Reminding myself to remain open-minded in these situations allowed me to be better able to connect with and treat these young children who were living such desperate and disadvantaged lives. Being open-minded also results in learning. Society is diverse. By listening and learning from patients who have different beliefs and backgrounds from yourself, you can become a much more well-rounded nurse. The resulting natural learning allows me to follow my philosophy that nursing is a lifelong learning process. Open-mindedness is one of the traits that I will bring with me to my clinical practice and further health-care careers.
Accountability
Being accountable for your actions is another strong belief of mine. Without acknowledging your mistakes, it is unlikely that you will learn from them. It is human nature to make mistakes; and luckily, the field of health care is beginning to recognize this. The current focus is on preventing the same mistake from happening again, rather than punishment for the original mistake. Accountability is also based on doing what you know to be the right thing. My summer job for the past five years has been centered around positive ethical choices. I have worked at a dog boarding kennel for many years and have had the responsibility for caring for canines of all shapes and sizes. Many of our clients have dogs with life or death medications, like insulin. I have been administering insulin for many years now and recognize the importance of accuracy and attentiveness when carrying out this task; an insulin medication error can be fatal. Fortunately, I have never made a mistake with insulin. If I do, I know that being anything other than accountable will only worsen the situation. If an error was made, I would likely contact a veterinarian to find an immediate solution. As well as insulin, I have administered many other medications for thyroid issues, epilepsy, Cushing’s disease and much more. Dogs, unlike human patients, have no ability to recognize a medication error and will accept whatever you give to them without question. Their helplessness requires that an extra level of caution be adhered to. After administering any medication, whether basic or life-dependant, I must sign off on a pill chart to ensure that another staff member does not also give the medication. On a very busy weekend at the kennel, I could easily skip some of the less important medications, with zero repercussion. For example, Metacam, a liquid medication that helps to treat stiff joints and ease muscle pain in senior canines, is not essential to keeping a dog alive, but creates a night and day difference in a dog’s level of mobility and mood. I know that this is important to the dog, so I never skip these medications. I am accountable for their well-being while in my care. By signing medication charts, all staff members become accountable for the care they provided. Updating owners of any changes in behaviour or health at the end of a stay are also part of my duties. Being accountable for my actions is a moral/value that I will continue to carry with me throughout my life and career.
Empathy
In the field of nursing, having empathy for your patients can make all the difference. As we gain experiences as nurses, we will become desensitized to situations that are very sensitive for patients. Reminding one’s self that the patient’s feeling and comfort levels are a top priority is very important. The concept of patients being partners in care means that you must consider everything from the patients’ perspectives. When a person feels as though you care about his or her situation, the person is generally much more willing to be honest and cooperative with you. Empathy allows nurses to connect and engage with their patients, which in turn, makes patients feel valued and important. For nurses, every day is just another day at work, but for a patient, that day could quite possibly be the worst day of his life. For a patient, empathy from a nurse can have a significant impact on his or her mood and mindset that day. Positivity can lead to faster recoveries. Empathy is important in my life currently, not solely in my future career. By considering how those around me feel, I am better able to solve interpersonal conflicts with my friends and family, roommates and neighbours. By exhibiting empathy, I am able to help people with problems because they view me as approachable and supportive. Considering other’s emotions enables you to give more valuable advice. And, often, empathy means not giving any advice but just simply listening attentively with direct eye contact and an empathetic look on your face – just reassuring others that they are not alone, that there are many caring people in their lives who are there willing to listen and really hear what they are trying to say. I believe it comes naturally to me and I know that it is one of the most critical values I both hold and have.
Carefulness
Carefulness, attention to detail, and attentiveness are some of the attributes that constitute a successful human being, but also a successful nurse. The ability to read a situation and proceed with caution is a valuable trait, because many situations in life are highly sensitive. Choosing how to react and being careful with your word choice can be your saviour time and time again. In a hospital setting, highly sensitive situations occur on a daily basis. Births, deaths and diagnoses are all situations that must be approached with care and attentiveness. All occur on a regular basis in the health care field. Oftentimes, people do not communicate their thoughts and feelings with words, but instead express them with actions. Being attentive and alert to this can allow you to interpret things from people that they choose not to convey with words. Carefulness and attention to detail apply to other situations, too. In nursing, attention to detail regarding medications can mean avoiding a sentinel event. Using extra caution when working with high-risk medications is critical to providing safe care. Relentless attention to checking and double checking to match the patient with the health record and the drug to the patient and the correct does to the medication can help or harm a patient. Every hospital and medical professional needs to set a standard of zero harm. Carefulness and attention to detail are critical values all medical professionals need to have. However, while life and death remain the highest priority in the medical field, there are many other less critical situations that require carefulness and attention to detail as well. Due to society’s diversity, nurses are must understand patients’ differing values, beliefs and customs. Taking care not to offend patients, as well as being mindful of personal preferences contribute heavily to a patient’s experience. In elementary and secondary schools across Ontario, students like me are taught about other’s customs, beliefs and values. We are taught to pay attention to how we think, what we say and how we accommodate others’ needs. I was fortunate to grow up and a multi-cultural city, attend economically and multi-culturally diverse schools, and travel to many different countries all over the world. I know those experiences and the knowledge I have will help me to be careful and attentive to patients I hope to have the privilege to serve and help.
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