Emerging technologies and enhanced therapeutics: the future is bright, the future is nursing

摘要

As part of the British Journal of Mental Health Nursing contribution to ‘2020 - the year of the nurse and midwife’ activities, I was asked to list the three best and three worst aspects of being a nurse. I reflected upon my almost four decades in the job and came up with the following lists. Best: (1) Every working day is different. In 38 years I have been frustrated, but I don’t think I have ever been bored (2) It is a very social job. I met my wife at work, and several life-long and loyal friends (3) The possibility and range of work opportunities are massive. If you are dedicated, committed and prepared to travel, you could work almost anywhere in the world. Worst: (1) Although the pay is better than it was when I first qualified it remains poor when compared to other health care professionals (many with less skill and responsibility) (2) Nurses are renowned for ‘eating their young’; we don’t value ourselves nor acknowledge our potential power (3) As a result of 1 and 2 above, we are exploited. In itself, the list is a reasonable summary and overall the three best things more than compensate for the three worst things. You might also notice that I have not mentioned the most important part of the job - the patients! I don’t apologise for this, and it goes without saying that our primary focus is, and always must be, the benefit and wellbeing of the patients in our care. However, as a nurse I feel that I am more than being just about patient care. The job, and it is a job, also feeds me and my family; provides a social standing and responsibility; has a sometimes mythical status; provides opportunities to work flexibly and over a wide geography; it also is very social; there are huge opportunities for developing the role and function of ‘nursing’.