Pillar 1: Altruism



Copyrighted by Mary Ann Siciliano McLaughlin Ed.D., RN, 2017

PILLAR I: ALTRUISM

1. Altruism is "a concern for the welfare and well-being of others."  This concern and advocacy includes not only patients, but also other nurses and health care providers (AACN, 2008).  Under altruism, the students need to understand that they need to be concerned with the welfare of others including their patients. I also view altruism, as a concept, where the students really learn to advocate for their patients needs and issues.  I feel this comprises a large part of their duties as a professional nurse.  However, this pillar of altruism also includes concern for the fellow nurses and health care providers working alongside them.

The most wonderful part of being a nurse, I feel, is how we get to care holistically for our patients and their families.  Nurses do not just take care of isolated problems for patients.  Rather, nurses look at the entire patient situation to develop the best plan of care.  Under the pillar of altruism, nurses demonstrate this level of care for the patient and family.  When attempting to accomplish this pillar the nurses must find a way to advocate for the patient as well.  Advocacy allows patient concerns to be voiced.  Nurses often provide this voice for the patient when the patient cannot make their voice heard for many reasons. 

One scenario that requires nurses to be altruistic is when caring for a dying patient.  Nurses must provide solid nursing care that is comforting to the patient and family.  Not only is the patient suffering, but also an entire family is experiencing forthcoming loss and grief.  Sometimes when facing death, nurses are there crying right alongside the patient’s family.  Because of this, it is sometimes hard to leave your work behind you at the end of the shift.  I tell my students that wearing our hearts on our sleeves is sometimes hard for us.  We need to be altruistic but also need to make sure we take care of ourselves and find some balance in our nursing careers.

In the quest for this balance, nurses, in following the concepts behind this pillar of altruism, must also support one another.  No one else, even our well-intended family members, understands the impact of our profession.  While it is a wonderful privilege to care for patients as they both enter and leave the world, it is sometimes emotionally draining.  Nurses must be able to support patients, families, and other health care workers in order to provide completely comprehensive, altruistic care.

Do you agree?  Would anyone like to share his or her thoughts or experiences from a nurse’s point of view, or from the point of view of a patient or family member? I would love to hear your thoughts.  As always, please feel free to share your thoughts or comments.  

If you are interested in learning more about my Pillars of Professionalism and ethics in nursing, please feel free to follow my blog. Thank you.

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