Nursing' s Role

  The International Council of Nurses has stated that "the fundamental responsibility of the nurse is fourfold: to promote health, to prevent illness, to restore health, and to alleviate suffering" (ICN, 1975).

  In carrying out their responsibilities, nurses assist individuals, families and communities in the promotion of health and the prevention of illness; they minister to the needs of the sick, helping them to the fullest restoration of health compatible with their illness, or providing comfort and support in the event of incurable disease. In so doing, nurses work in close collaboration with patients and their families, with the members of other health disciplines and, increasingly, with people in the community other than health.

  In answer to the question "What is a nurse doing when she or he is caring?" Dr. Roach suggests that in caring, nurses use the "Five Cs" of professional caring: compassion, competence, confidence, conscience and commitment.

      Attributes of Professional Caring — The Five Cs

    ·Compassion -- a sensitivity to the pain and brokenness of the other, a quality of presence which allows one to share with and make room for the other

    ·Competence -- having the knowledge, judgment, skills, energy, experience and motivation required to respond adequately to the demand of one's professional responsibilities

    ·Confidence -- the quality which fosters trusting relationships

    ·Conscience -- a state of moral awareness which grows with experience

    ·Commitment -- a complex, affective response characterized by convergence between one's desires and one's obligations and by a deliberate choice to act in accordance with them

New words

role n.角色,任务,作用

council委员会,协会,理事会

fundamental adj.基本的

fourfold adj四倍的,有四个部分的

promote v.促进

restore v.恢复

alleviate v.使...减轻,使...易于忍受

suffering n.痛苦, 病痛

responsibility n.责任, 职责

individual n.个体

community n.社区, 社会

minister v.(to)服侍；尽力帮助

sick adj.有病的n.病人

compatible相容的,与...不矛盾的,一致的(with)

event n.事件

in the event of 万一；若

collaboration合作

in collaboration with与...合作［合著］

discipline学科

increasingly adv.不断增加地; 越来越..., 逐渐地

other than adv.不同于, 除了

compassion同情

competence n.能力,胜任

confidence 信心

conscience 良心

commitment 义务感

attribute n.属性

sensitivity敏感性,感受性

brokenness衰竭；虚弱

quality品质,个体的特点，尤指人物品质

share 分享

motivation动机

respond v.回答, 响应, 作出反应

adequately adv.充分地

demand n.要求, 需求(量), 需要

foster n.培养,养育

moral adj.道德的,精神上的

affective n.感情的,情感的

convergence妥协

obligation义务

deliberate 熟虑

in accordance with adv.与...一致, 依照