A nurse cares about patients, so it's difficult sometimes to recognize when we over function for patients and do not encourage them to be their best. Doing too much for patients is as damaging as doing too little. Nurses need to learn the subtle dance between empathy and advocacy for patients helping themselves. You want to encourage without being demeaning or too harsh, but also push them to do what they can for themselves in every situation possible. A weight lifter doesn't bench press 200 pounds over night but adds weight little by little. Each time a patient swings his own leg out of the bed, or shuffles to the bathroom with the assist of two, wonderful things are building incrementally in his or her body. Sometimes, nurses do things for patients because they are busy and don't have time for the slower patient to do it. Occasionally, on a booming floor this may be necessary, but should be the exception, not the rule.
