Family, Nursing, and Nursing Education

Ask any nurse to share an experience that included both patient and family, and given time to listen, you will be surprised with the number of stories a nurse will share with you. A 45-year veteran, I have many such stories but will share a brief experience dating back to my introduction to family. Enrolled in obstetrical nursing (a term seldom used these days), I assisted with the delivery of a newborn. Preparing to transport the baby to the nursery (a term replaced with mother –baby care), a senior nurse shouted to me loudly, “You never separate the baby from the mother.” Although I did not become a labor and delivery nurse, nor do I remember the actions that triggered the comment, what I do know is that many years later as a registered nurse, I have not lost sight of the value of family.
Source: Teaching and Learning in Nursing - Category: Nursing Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research