All day, all night, every day, every night, many of us are actively practicing our profession. Nurses work within intimate range of vulnerable people at crucial times of their lives. We often take over vital physiologic functions, emotional roles, basic physical care, and timely response to skillfully determined needs. We are the only professionals who practice physiology with humans constantly, and carry knowledge about how to do this that is written in our expertise that we have developed through a complex integration of skills, learning, and an ever growing knowledge and research base. An alert practicing nurse learns something new and unique about human beings practically every day.
Nurses are consistently among the most trusted of professionals.
People trust us to administer complex care well. People believe us, because we are accustomed to being truthful and accurate in our communications. People know that our work is arduous, and often deeply appreciate our work. Nurses are responsible for knowing and respecting whole individuals within their lives, lifestyles, cultures, beliefs, hopes, and expectations of care. We must work in the arena of human relationships and draw our knowledge from sciences, arts, religions, and many disciplines.