"What would Mandela do"

This question has been long known to nurses as the foundation of decision-making but stated as such: "What would Flo do", meaning Florence Nightingale. Now we are encouraged as a people to consider what would Mandela do? A now popular phrase in South Africa. This question is one of integrity, what is the right thing to do, what is the purest, unselfish action? Of course this application is different in the nursing profession, largely because it entails the nursing process of assessment, diagnosis, and implementation of actions best for patient care. However, when applied to everyday decision making about who you decide to be, how you decide to treat those around you and more importantly how you choose to live your life, Mandela and Flo had the same ideals in my book.

How, so one may ask? Florence Nightingale didn't face jail time for 27 years as a result of her beliefs, nor did she go on to unite a rainbow nation as Mr. Mandela did, but for the nursing profession her message was just as strong. (she did suffer the scorn of her family as she went against everything that a well-bred woman was supposed to be at the time) Always advocate for the patient, let in the sun light to aid healing, keep the patient clean, safe and warm, consider the patients emotional health, feed the patient good wholesome food. All these actions will lead to healing of the body and spirit. Nelson Mandela's quest for equality and democracy for all is based on the same precepts. Advocate for those who need support, let the sun light in, however you can accomplish this, a card, a phone call, a smile for a stranger on the street, letting someone go in front of you in line when you're not in a rush. Keep people clean, safe and warm. Just thinking about the informal housing a townships that I have been in makes me realize that Mandela was talking about the basic needs of any human. Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the very basic physiologic needs to maintain life that so many don't have. What about the emotional health of the individual - how did Mr. Mandela live in an 8X8 cell for years on end? Only to come out into the world not seeking revenge, but moving forward with a pure heart. We see every where that good wholesome food is expensive, fat laden, calorie deficient food is cheap and abundant. It is not so different here in the Cape Town area. The disparity between what some can afford in the grocery store is a plain as the reputation each grocery store carries. Woolworth's equivalent to Whole Foods, Checkers equivalent to Stop N Shop, Pic N Pay equivalent to Shoprite. One can't shop at either place and see the distinct profile of the average shopper.

This makes me ponder the even more complicated question of how we integrate the real world and the ideals of Flo and Mandela? Especially in our rapid, technologically advanced world, how do we "care for the patient", where does the science of evidence based practice come into this equation that we as nurses are taught and teach to consider. Is there a way to combine the two actions? How to fulfill Flo's ideals while dealing with the realities of the world we live in. I honestly don't have the answer, but since being in South Africa, especially now during a time of national mourning, I hope to come closer to the solution.

Another one of my favorite office spots, Cocoa Wah Wah, picture taken with Precious, one of the young ladies that fed me breakfast, dinner and sometimes lunch. Most definitely a large decaf cappuccino "take away" as they say in South Africa.

PS - I hit "publish" with a little hesitancy...so many private thoughts, yikes!