Maslow

When I read the portion in our text on humanism, I could not help but think about my career and experiences as a nurse.  Maslow believed that that all people have basic needs and that they are universal. I have seen this demonstrated time and time again.

I dealt with a lot of patients who have had strokes, brain injuries, and multi-traumas. Initially, when you first see one of these patients, many cannot verbalize. I believe nurses become in-tune with predicting what people need or want. Sometimes this is just learning non-verbal cues of people that are often universal, and sometimes it can be very person specific (if that makes sense). However, most predominantly the first basic needs that Maslow lists need to be addressed very soon after a traumatic event for a person. These are the Physiologic needs: food, water, warmth and air (Berger, 51). Like we are constantly taught in nursing school: airway first! This means, logically, if a person is not getting sufficient oxygen, provide it. We all need oxygen to survive. Obviously, we need nourishment, water, and warmth, as well. So, what Maslow was saying, is that we cannot progress to the next stage without completing the proceeding stage. Nurses provide both the basic needs, as well as the second stage, which is Safety and Security. A good nurse knows that he or she has a responsibility to the patient to provide a feeling of being safe and secure. Too often, I have seen nurses that exhibit anxiety in the presence of a patient. This has always been something I strive not to do as a nurse. Who wants an anxiety-ridden nurse taking care of them? As healthcare providers, we are often in situations that require us to critically think, and sometimes act quickly in the presence of the patient during an emergency situation. The trick is to convey to the person that everything is going to be ok because you are confident in yourself. That is the nurse I want taking care of me.