A little lady called Pandora: an exploration of philosophical traditions of humanism and existentialism in nursing ill children.
This article battles its way through the contemporary philosophical assumptions regarding interactions with traumatized young people. That is, interaction by nurses as they attempt to provide 'a shoulder to cry on', 'someone to trust' or just simply 'a hand to hold'. The young people that are nursed in the hospital setting have experienced illness, surgery and recovery to name just a few, but when confronted with being separated from their families, being frightened and needing a friend the role of nursing takes on many different facets. The child (Pandora) a traumatized child taken from home to a new strange place, is warmly accepted by carers who seem to share a set of beliefs and assumptions about relationships and interaction. This article aims to explore the effects humanist and existentialist philosophy has had in guiding current nursing practice using extracts from his own practice and observations.
Holyoake
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Irwin Unit, Parkview Clinic, Birmingham, UK.
D002648:Child; D005086:Existentialism; D005260:Female; D006808:Humanism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010371:Pediatric Nursing; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D012803:Sick Role