Pumpkin
Watercolor, Sillman & Birn Alpha-series Sketchbook
I've just completed my first 8-week module for my masters in nursing. It wasn't too bad. It was another exposure to all of the nursing theorists, a topic I have tackled multiple times in the past. I must admit that I did learn a few things. I never quite got the point that nursing theories come in "Grand Theories" (very broad, subjective) to "Middle Range Theories" (less broad and subjective, more objective) and "Practice Theories" (very specific and objective). My favorite nursing theorist has always been Jean Watson's Caring Theory, and for the first time, I had to truly describe what I liked about the theory, and why I found it suited me better than all of the other theories. I also feel that I have a better understanding of Caring Theory, and realize for the first time that it is unlike most of the other nursing theories because Caring Theory is not a skill or task, but rather a system of belief and values. I think that's why so many hospitals struggle to implement this theory. It sounds really good because it talks about all of the values nurses believe are important -- kindness, dignity, caring -- but are also so difficult to measure, and thus document or teach.
The next 8-week module will be on nursing research, which, to be honest, I should be able to handle with my eyes closed. We're going over the "Qualitative vs. Quantitative" thing right now, and I'm basically just beating the urge to go into my BSN files from a couple of years ago and re-use those. But I won't do that. I'll actually do the reading, and come up with new content.
I've been taking a break from work. We had originally planned to spend a few days visiting San Francisco, basically doing the tourist thing. But we had screwed up and scheduled doctors' appointments during the time, and we decided we wanted to save up for a trip to Northern Europe in 2018. Now that I've visited my native homeland, Brent wants to visit his mother's homeland of Denmark, so we're thinking of Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Stockholm. I think I like the planning as much as I like the travel. There are so many resources now to help plan for an affordable and inspiring trip.
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