Open Journal Systems

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

How to cite this article:

Jardón-Hernández MC, Tovar-Hernández C. [The value of human and ethical recognition of being a nurse]. Rev Enferm Inst Mex Seguro Soc. 2016;24(3):163-4.

The value of human and ethical recognition of being a nurse

María Concepción Jardón-Hernández,¹ Cecilia Tovar-Hernández¹

¹Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Hospital de Cardiología, Dirección de Enfermería, Ciudad de México, México

Correspondence: María Concepción Jardón-Hernández

Email: jardonconifera@hotmail.com

Virginia Henderson’s model is found within the models of human needs, in the category of humanistic nursing, where the nurse stands in or assists in actions that the person cannot perform at a certain time of their life cycle, disease, childhood or old age. For Virginia Henderson:

the only job of the nurse is to assist the sick or healthy individual in carrying out activities that promote health or its recovery (or a peaceful death), the same activities that they would do if they had the strength, will, or the necessary knowledge so that they would regain their independence as soon as possible.¹

Ethics in nursing care have to do with the value of privacy of the person as a unique individual, who makes decisions based on their own ideals, their myths, their symbols and their own vision of reality. Value is a particular nexus of conduct or final state of existence and is influenced by: needs (scarcities); interests (satisfaction of needs); ends (how they are achieved); previous experiences and emotional relationships.^2,3

José Ramón Fabelo,⁴ states that each object, phenomenon, event, trend, behavior, idea or concept which results from human activity plays a certain role in society, favors and hinders the progressive development of it, and acquires one social meaning or another. In that sense it is a positive value or a negative value, and it has a positive value or a negative value.

Evaluating these is a subjective reflection of a person’s consciousness. This reflection has a meaning for the individual as an object or phenomenon, with properties and chacteristics, as part of an objective reality. Through knowledge, and according to these properties and characteristics, they are reflected in the consciousness. Each social subject forms their own system of values, depending on their particular interests and society as a whole, but also depending on the influence of education and culture and the norms and principals of the society in which they live.

One fundamental ethical principle is that of justice. Being just means giving to each his fair share, and the difficult part is knowing which share is fair for each person. Trying to reach equity is to always search, to travel a path that never ends. The way justice has been developed – or what is just – has varied depending on the ideological context:  a personal scale, towards achievement of equal and invidious treatment, relating to one another as equals, without preferences or coercion; in the social and political arena, where there are questions about how to allocate resources— an ongoing topic of debate, especially in the poorest countries.²

Humanity is now living in a time period, in which the nursing profession is involved, that warrants serious and profound reflection on the direction society is taking. As technical and scientific advances are spread with the quickness of this age, human, ethical and moral values ​​are being circumvented. It is therefore necessary to meditate to act with professional responsibility.

Love of the profession, responsibility, humanism and honesty are essential values, performance regulators of a competent professional. They are reflected in each person differently, depending on their individual history, interests and abilities. Among the qualities required of a nurse are: strength to face others’ pain; imagination critical to promoting a pro-care environment in the health care institution; and constructive, proactive creative abilities. Training and scientific, technical and human talent are required to teach and to help meet the care needs of each person as a unique individual and incorporate them into family and community environments.

The relationship between who is the caretaker and who is taken care of is based in the recognition of the humanity of the other person, because each person projects on the other their individual concerns. Beyond instrumental value in improving organizational performance, there is a basic reason to highlight the importance of professional recognition in its human dimension:  people need to be recognized. Performance recognition supports self-esteem and strength to cope with an enormously complex environment. It helps identify strengths and create a personal style. Employees clearly express the fact that work deserves recognition and it is one of the most important needs in the employment context.

In this context, upon the recognition of retirement which, like the word rejoice, comes from the Latin word Jubilare, meaning express with joy, or happiness. In the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, and particularly in the Hospital  de  Cardiología  del  Centro  Médico  Nacional,  Siglo  XXI, we celebrate the retirement of nurses who have reached the end of their working lives. In this ceremony, presided over by hospital authorities, the magnanimity and value of service to those who have lost their health stands out. With this ceremony, we do not only sing the praises of the recipients, but to all who have been called:  To you, nurse, who has been light and hope to the sick.⁵

Now, Mary Patricia Reyes Osorio’s words of appreciation to the Institute:

Thanks to the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, for receiving me with open arms and providing a secure job through 27 years of service, with a myriad of experiences, emotions and time spent together, through illnesses and death ... the only thing left to say is blessed is the medicine that helps the body and soul so that one can continue becoming a better human being. So that they can be a friendly person, who lives well, keeps an open mind and heart, with a hand to lend for those who need to regain their health and return to everyday life in society. It’s hard to leave what we love. We must continue the path.

For Florence Nightingale’s love of nursing, a commemorative medal in recognition of the career of retired nurses:  María Patricia Reyes Osorio, María del Pilar Sánchez Villamares, Guadalupe Juárez Romero, Martha Rodriguez Pastrana and Gloria López Flores.

To lead in the solemn act of the passage of the light, for the courage, love and care to the patient, Nurse Pediatrician Specialist Guadalupe Juárez Romero’s statement:

 I give you this light, may your light never go out and may you continue to serve the sick ... In response, General Nurse Koreicy Gabriela Reyes Barrientos: I receive it, for the love of humanity.

To finalize, María Concepción Jardón Hernández recognizes Florence Nightingale:⁶

In honor of those who mended, attended the wounded, educated, renewed the concept of nursing, giving the profession grace. For this and much more, she was given many honors. The Queen herself, Victoria, awarded her a St. George’s Cross in red enamel ringed with the phrase Blessed are the Merciful, with a diamond crown above and the word Crimea. The lady of the lamp has not only traveled six kilometers, she has incredibly transcended to our times, to continue transmitting light. God spoke to me and called me to serve, and I have faithfully fulfilled His mandate.

References

1. Bellido-Vallejo JC, Lendínez-Cobo JF. Proceso Enfermero desde el modelo de cuidados de Virginia Henderson y los lenguajes NNN. Ilustre Colegio Oficial de Enfermería de Jaén. España. Available from: www.index-f.com/lascasas/documentos/lc0714.pdf
2. Gasull-Vilella M. La ética del cuidar y la atención de enfermería. TFC Humanitast. 2005, Available from: línea: http://openaccess.uoc.edu/webapps/o2/bitstream/10609/1242/1/31802tfc.pdf
3. Urbina-Laza O, Pérez-Sánchez A, Delgado-Moreno JE, Martín-Linares X. El modelo de actuación de enfermería y su valor humanista. Educ Med Super 2003;17(3). Available from: línea: http://bvs.sld.cu/revistas/ems/vol17_3_03/ems02303.htm
4. Fabelo-Corzo JR. Los valores y sus desafíos actuales. Sobre la naturaleza de los valores humanos. Insumisos Latinoamericanos. Libros en Red. www.librosenred.com
5. Jardón-Hernández MC. A ti Enfermera. Máxima en honor a la enfermera auxiliar, por convicción propia, para entender y brindar cuidados a pacientes con otro dialecto, lo aprendio.1980
6. Zaghloid M. Thinkers on Education. UNESCO Publishing. Ginebra, Suiza 2008. Available from: www.ibe.unesco.org/es/documento/pensadores en educación.

Enlaces refback

• No hay ningún enlace refback.