Answer

The profession of Nursing’s Strengths

I walk into the emergency department this cold winter morning. I notice this homeless guy about 30 years old right by the entrance. He is shivering in the flakes. He seems hesitant to come in. Reluctantly, after convincing him, we walk together to the triage. I have seen him before. His name is Joe, he lives downtown, has diabetes. The last time I saw him was six months back. With his condition, he needs constant follow-up, but has not been seen for a while.

            Joe knows the drill. He is unlikely to get care because he has no insurance and no money. He started feeling unwell a while back and has been crisscrossing the hospital avenue gathering courage to come in. I reassure him that we will take care of him. He insists he has only come for some insulin injections and a quick blood glucose check and he will be out. A lot of workers will dismiss him as junky. I have seen him severally and I suspect there is more to the visit than just a regular checkup. He keeps clutching his left limb. I have to do a full physical exam. Something tells me that he must be hiding something. A known complication of diabetics is diabetic ulcers. Every diabetic patient has a 34% risk of having them. On exposing Joe’s leg, glaring at me is an infected ulcer. It scares me a little. I have to keep myself from tearing. I link Joe up with our wound care team. It is a big save for him. If I had not noticed it, he would have probably have lost his foot.

            Joe’s story reminds me of the strengths of my profession. You have to have compassion. Just because he is homeless does not mean he does not require comprehensive care. You have to think critically. In noticing Joe’s discomfort, I must interpret it and act immediately. Despite how bad his ulcer is, I must maintain emotional stability and compose myself before my client. An unwilling desire to care for humanity reigns in my profession. It is all about Joe.   Every nurse perceives compassion to be part of their professional identity (Nijboer & Van der Cingel. 2018).