THE PARADOX OF NURSING PROFESSION - ANGELA CARMEN APPIAH

The Nursing profession has many challenges. Like the human being's, these challenges could be physical, emotional or social. Sometimes, the nature of these challenges being complex, seem insurmountable.

This write up features some excerpts from a little book entitled; "The Student Nurse", a part of the Nurse Plange-Rhule series, a reflective piece written especially for Student Nurses. The book seeks to serve as a companion to the student as he/she charts the vast straits of the sea of nursing education and clinical practice in the hope of landing safely at the shore.

Health care challenges of the 21st century have been noted as complex. These complexities include an aging population, chronic diseases and a high global disease burden. High demographic statistics and a dwindling health sector workforce in many developing nations have great implications for human resource interventions. Nurses who form the bulk of any health sector workforce have been seriously challenged; High Nurse- Patient ratios at many service delivery points have created fatigue, burn out and apathy not to mention the frustration with inadequate and obsolete equipment. These challenges have caused many a Nurses' love to wax cold.

Nursing as a caring profession is thus, greatly challenged and being redefined each day by the ever increasing patronage of clients to service delivery points especially following the introduction of the NHIS. Is the high patronage commensurate with human and material capacity drives of policy makers and administrators?, Are we making steps to put our feet in the shoes to feel the pinch since we hardly wear them? Is quality being assured at all?, Who is taking care of the Nurse as she takes care of the client?, Are we De-sensitizing Nurses? Can we rise above the tides? How do we do that?

It is my hope that as we ponder on these facts, we also remember that ours is a profession trusted to take care of the single most important commodity of the planet earth; the human specie, the apple of God's eye. An error committed could have very grave consequences. Remember, a life once lost cannot be restored.

God awaits our confessions; our works will be tried on that day of reckoning. He watches His word to perform. If we make His business our business, He will surely reward if only we believe. After all, did He not frame the entire universe and does He not uphold it with His mighty hands?. In appreciation of the fact that He is the master planner and architect, let us remember to commit our cares to Him for He does care and He has all answers.

May the reading of this piece invigorate you as it leaves within you springs of living water to quench every thirst, assuage every pain and assure every needed desire. Press on towards the goal of the higher calling as His grace abounds unto you.

ANGELA CARMEN APPIAH.  Assistant Registrar at Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana