Rote and Rhythm

Rote-mechanical
Rhythm-repeated pattern of movement; harmony

Nursing encompasses both.  Nurses are educated to be attuned to the whole person, not just the unique presenting health problem…seeing the WHOLE person, not the disease. The human response to a health problem may be much more FLUID AND VARIABLE and may have great affect on the individual's ability to overcome the initial medical problem. (From some other source which I know don't recall.)


Nurses build on their understanding of the disease and illness process (ROTE) to promote the restoration and maintenance of health in their clients (RHYTHM).
--What is Nursing?  ANA

I didn't make that italicized stuff up, that's the American Nurses Association speaking, but it's part of my m.o. these days.  To this point, it's been a lot of ROTE and man-o-man I'm looking forward to the RHYTHM.  The past 6 months have been memorization of drugs, learning and practicing new skills (Next quarter, our first week back we practice IVs-YIPEE!), watching and participating on the unit, but mostly memorization.  UGH.  It's been difficult, just to sit and stare at drug names, how they are metabolized, what the liver or kidneys do or don't do to them…difficult to go over flashcards repeatedly trying to make new pathways in the brain.  But, I know it's worth it.  Just last night my dad threw a pack of azitromicina (azithromycin) at me and asked, "How much can I take?"  The directions were in Spanish so I was able to use both newly acquired language and medicine skills.  We've also studied a large collection of pathophysiological from the brain and central nervous system, to the heart, to the kidneys and beyond.  I enjoy knowing and acquiring information and I can already see how this is going to be useful in the future.  I continue to be astonished and as if I wasn't convinced before, THE HUMAN BODY IS AMAZING.

So, this is it, rote and rhythm.  I believe strongly in the rote, it's the foundation to my practice, but the rhythm, well, that's where my heart gets to excel.  Lord, haste the day!