Art And Science Of Nursing

Nursing education is constantly evolving as new techniques are introduced within the medical profession. Thus, it is imperative nurses are kept updated, and continuously learning new methods to enhance and improve patient care. Over the last 150 years there has been a drastic change in nursing`s participation in research. Nursing research advanced initially from the investigations made by Nightingale in the nineteenth century of nursing education during the 1930`s. This further progressed to the research of nursing roles in 1950s following on to the 1990s where nurses began to focus on clinical problems and finding solutions to these problems which had a major impact within the nursing profession. As of today many health professionals are focusing on clinical research which in turn has helped to establish an evidence informed practice for nurses. (Burns and Grove 2003)

Regrettably, the existence of nursing depends on the medical inadequacy of others. Unfortunately, nursing exists because people get hurt, cannot care for themselves, or need assistance with daily activities. Carol Taylor (2011), author of Fundamentals of Nursing: The Art and Science of Nursing Care, writes, “Nursing care involves any number of activities, from carrying out complicated technical procedures to something as seemingly as holding a hand” (p. 5). Taylor explains it is the duty of a nurse not only to learn the pertinent skills but also to bond with and comfort others. Nurses have to do and become many things: They must be stern when necessary, compassionate when needed, open minded

Nursing is a unique profession which is built upon theories that guide everyday nursing practice. According to Taylor, Lillis, & Lynn (2015), “Nursing theory differentiates nursing from other disciplines and activities in that it serves the purposes of describing, explaining, predicting, and controlling desired outcomes of nursing care practices” (p. 27). Many nurses may unknowingly apply a theory or a combination thereof, along with critical thinking to get the best outcome for a patient. Theories are used in practice today because they have been supported by research and help the profession uphold its boundaries. Most nursing theories consist of four concepts which are the patient, the environment, health, and nursing. Each patient is at the center of focus and they have the right to determine what care will be given to them using informed

Registered Nurses are regulated across the United States by organizations such as the National League for Nursing and the American Nurses Association. In addition to these organizations, each state has their own Board of Nursing who regulates state requirements of nursing education programs. A nurse’s character can be defined within the provisions of the Code of Ethics created by the ANA. Inside the provisions from the Code of Ethics are professional traits that are needed to work together in an interdisciplinary team. The four traits I use the most in nursing are accountability, respect, integrity, and collaboration. Core values are not the only

The nursing profession has progressed greatly since it roots with Florence Nightingale, moving from reliance upon total medical direction for providing basic care and “the first duty of the nurse it that of obedience-absolute fidelity to his orders, even if the necessity of the prescribed measures is not apparent, you have no responsibility beyond that of faithfully carrying out the directions received” (Jennifer C. Telford), into an autonomous practice with its own nursing theory practices, models, and interventions.

Nursing is an ever-changing and growing profession. Tools such as, the scope and standards for nursing, state nursing legal regulations, code of ethics, and general principles of philosophy are used to set standards and promote growth within the profession. I use these principles and standards daily in my career as a registered nurse (RN). In this paper I will discuss the importance of these factors in my career, and how they all contribute to making outcomes successful for all involved.

Nursing was, for my sixteen year old self, taking care of the sick. Little did I know the complexities of that definition. Still, taking care of the sick was interesting enough to make nursing my major. I started practicing nursing years ago. However, I still struggle defining and explaining my profession to others. I usually start by differentiating nursing from medicine. Nurses see patients as humans rather than a disease that needs treatment (Zaccagnini & White, 2014, p. 15). However, as I advance my career, I must actively incorporate nursing theory into my practice. Nursing theory gives a foundation to understand patients and their health problems better. The use of nursing theory provides a framework to evaluate nurses’ interventions on a higher standard (Zaccagnini & White, 2014). Kenney described five steps to follow once the decision to include nursing theory has being made. This paper will explore the process of applying the Kenney’s five steps into my practice.

There is no doubt that nursing is an ever changing field. Although nursing always has been about caring for others, at the present time, this field is more sophisticated and respected than in the past. Currently, there are standards of nursing practice and professional performance developed by the American Nurses Association (ANA) for American nurses to follow. However, there is some controversy about whether nursing is a profession or not. Also, in order to learn these standards as well as other norms, values, and behaviors of nursing, nursing students and nurses follow a lifelong process called socialization which is affected by many factors. Moreover, a way to learn more about these topics is to compare real nurses’ thoughts and experiences with what literature suggests. Therefore, after interviewing an experienced nurse and report on her demographics, I have been able to contrast her perspectives on nursing being a profession, the ANA standards of practice, and the socialization process to literature as well as reflect on my own thoughts and values.

The nursing profession has evolved throughout the years, but more rapidly in most recent years. The educational roles and responsibilities, in particular, have transformed in alignment with hospital organizations, to provide a more patient-centered focus on the delivery of care. As a member of the largest healthcare profession, nurses work in diverse settings and are the main providers of healthcare services. “Nurses are well poised to meet these needs by virtue of their numbers, scientific knowledge, and adaptive capacity, and health care organizations would benefit from taking advantage of the contributions nurses can make” ("Institute of Medicine," 2010, p. 2).

Nursing theory is vital to the nursing profession because it provides a foundation and framework which is reflected in nurses’ caring ideals and practice (William, 2015). Theory provides an understanding of a nurse’s role within the healthcare system. The first nursing theory, formed by Nightingale, was observations of interventions that improved patient outcomes (Mackey & Bassendowski, 2016). Nurses can improve quality of care by implementing theory into their practice (Mackey & Bassendowski, 2016). This paper will discuss the importance of nursing theory, Florence Nightingale’s Notes on Nursing: What It Is and What It Is Not, and the application of this theory in the nurse

I believe that nursing should be based on a continuum which includes; research, practice, and theory. As the professional nurse role has evolved each of these concepts collectively define the profession. “New knowledge is generated and effective interventions are developed through nursing science, new avenues for implementation, dissemination, and sustainability must also be considered” (Grady & Gough, 2015, p.518). Theory provides the foundation on which nursing as a profession is built. The ability to generate and apply theory defines the legitimacy of the profession (McCrae, 2012, p.222). Practice provides specific examination and experience that is important to the role of the nurse. Research is imperative to the advancement of care and

Nursing is a calling for you to be compassionate, caring, culturally sensitive, and non-judgmental to care for your patients physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Synthesizing science and art in nursing is intertwining knowledge, observation, experience, and evidence-based research to meet an individual’s specific needs. As nurses we will interact with patients who have different conditions and critical thinking will be a must which is both art and science. Searching for evidence-based practices to help your patient does not mean anything if your patient does not trust your instincts. It is your actions and words that are your art but your science is being able to back it up to obtain patient outcomes and goals that you are seeking.

Nursing is a unique profession which is built upon theories that guide everyday nursing practice. According to Taylor, Lillis, & Lynn (2015), “Nursing theory differentiates nursing from other disciplines and activities in that it serves the purposes of describing, explaining, predicting, and controlling desired outcomes of nursing care practices” (p. 27). Many nurses may unknowingly apply a theory or a combination thereof, along with critical thinking to get the best outcome for a patient. Theories are used in practice today because they have been supported by research and help the profession uphold its boundaries. Most nursing theories consist of four concepts which are the patient, the environment, health, and nursing. Each patient is at the center of focus and they have the right to determine what care will be given to them using informed

Nursing has evolved over the years and it took many years for a nurse to be recognized as a profession. Since 1991, nursing is considered to be the most trusted profession in the United States. According to the American Nurses of Association (2005), "For the past 1 years, the public has voted nurses as the most honest and ethical profession in America." Not only has nursing become a trusted career, but the values and the way nurses care for their patients has helped people see them as family.

How nursing considered as a science and an art and discuss how the philosophy of nursing is applied to this definition.