Summary: Thinking As A Nurse

“Theory-based nursing practice has demonstrated a capacity to structure professional care, unify and simplify communication, save time, clarify decision-making, and reduce nurse staff turnover saving thousands of dollars” (Alligood, 2011, p. 982). Although theory is present in my workplace, it is rarely discussed. This is a shame because it is apparent that theory is essential to the nursing profession and should be at the forefront. Nursing theory helps define and verify

Nursing is defined in the lesson as the care provided to restore or maintain health is the function of nursing. Care is provided to aid the human response to health and illness (Chamberlain, 2013). I find this central concept of professional nursing to be one of the most important concepts in my practice as a nurse. In order to be a good nurse we have to first and foremost nurse. This is not an easy thing to accomplish at the high levels our patients deserve. I take great pride that I am a member of several professional organizations and hold certifications at the highest levels pertinent to my practice. I take the time outside of my job to maintain currency and educational sharpness above and beyond what is required of me at my job, because it matters to the people I take care of. Nurses today are required to take on an ever expansive role as a practitioner. In critical care nursing we are taking care of an ever increasing number of complex sick patients and are required to know far beyond the scope we all learned in nursing school originally. It goes back to our socialization with experienced nurses to help us transition in to the new roles

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.

The role of the nurse is something that cannot be replaced. They as nurses contribute and are a number one factor for the patient centred care (Fantahun, Demessie, Gebrekirstos, Zemene & Yetaye, 2012) they work around the patient and at the patient’s care and needs. If a patient is feeling unwell or needs treatment, the nurses are the number one person to cater for the needs of the patient and will continue to over years. In order for a nurse to continue to carry out their job, they must continue to enhance on their knowledge, thus being the key for the nurse to be a profession. Nurses’ progress through evidence, as they work on evidence based theory (Nursing Times , 2005 ), but are also influenced by the opportunities they are given in a hospital setting, the experience they have, the motivation, the environment they work in and also the knowledge they have gained through an educational

“Nursing is informed caring for the well-being of others” (Swanson, 1993, p. 352). Kristen Swanson’s relationship-based caring theory encompasses maintaining belief, knowing, being with, doing for, and enabling. Nursing is a profession with vast opportunities for growth and development. Each nurse has his or her individual passions; mine reside within obstetrics, women’s health, and nursing leadership. Nurse leaders play an integral role in the success of healthcare organizations. Nurse leaders shape the roles of nurses within their organizations. Nurse leaders seek methods to improve patient care. They also use innovation to gain efficiencies in care delivery and decrease healthcare cost. Many nurse leaders have an ultimate goal to aspire to be a chief nursing officer in a healthcare

My journey to nursing began with my personal healthcare experience, and has continued to evolve since entering the nursing program at State University. My personal philosophy of nursing is related my life experience and my personal philosophy of life. Using reflection-on-action, I have begun to understand the influences that have lead me to nursing. I discovered client and family centered care to be an important quality when I look at the influential nurses in my life. To develop a positive therapeutic nurse-client relationship, nurses must integrate all 5 dimensions of the therapeutic nurse-client relationship into their practice (CNO, 2006). When it comes to providing client-centered care, the dimensions of trust, empathy

I define my philosophy of nursing within the three nursing domains of person, health, and environment. My goal is to communicate the importance of nursing as a knowledge-based career, depending not only on the nurse fulfilling her role but also on the patient’s compliance. A patient must learn to provide self-care at home in the same capacity as the nurse would provide care in the clinical setting. I discuss various subjects within nursing. I explain why I want to be a nurse, what I believe a nurse’s role is, the different domains of nursing, and where I believe nursing will be in the future. My philosophy demonstrates the interdependence of the nursing domains. You cannot fully evaluate a person without evaluating their health,

As the nurses who participated in a study (Jones & Cheek, 2003) overwhelmingly advised, there is no such thing as a typical day for a nurse. Nurses face new situations everyday and it is important that they can adjust their knowledge and skills accordingly. Critical thinking and reflection are essential skills because they can enhance nurses’ ability to solve problems and make sound decisions. Critical thinking skills enable nurses to identify multiple possibilities in clinical situations and alternatives to interventions; weigh the consequences of alternate actions; and make sound judgement and decisions (Brunt, 2005). Through reflection, nurses can examine their practice, explore feelings and reactions and connect new meanings to past experience (Brunt). Reflection can enhance self-awareness, foster professional satisfaction and growth and increase the possibility for change and improvement in nursing practice and therapeutic relationships (Thorne & Hayes, 1997).

This essay takes into consideration my first placement in the first year on a neurological ward at the Colman Hospital (Caroline House) for nine weeks (7th March 2017 -7th May 2017). During my time on ward, I have been able to realise various skills and develop my knowledge around different professionals and patients. while on the ward, I have worked with a range of professionals and also, contributed in different activities aiming towards my professional development which helped me to gained an understanding into the role of a nurse. Throughout this essay, I would be referring to Rolfe et al (2001) reflective model to support my essay.

This essay will consider ethics in nursing, discuss values and morals and how dignity and respect in patient care is influenced; considering the importance of reflection and the implications it has on effective practice from the perspective of a student nurse. The scenario “Call Me Joe” provided by Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2010a) highlights concerning issues and bad practice that are happening in modern day nursing practice, and using the Driscoll and Teh (2001) reflective model: What, Now What and So What, to consider the care that Joe is receiving; considering how the nursing practice affects him directly and the implications of the nature of knowledge in nursing practice. Part of the way in which nursing practice is

Compassion, commitment, courage; three words that I would associate with the role of being a nurse. By going into nursing I believe that I will be able to make a difference, even changing one life for the better is far more rewarding than anything I could ever imagine. I have always admired the role nurses play in the lives of so many, not only patients, but also the families of those in their care. I believe that it is essential for a nurse to be able to listen and communicate with not only their patients but also those around them.

The profession of nursing has matured from the time of Florence Nightingale. Nursing has gone from just treating dying soldiers on the battlefield to helping guide people through their entire lives from birth to death. The maturation of nursing has led to changes in nursing philosophy and allowed for practitioners of Nursing to meld these philosophies together to form their own philosophy. In this paper I will explain my philosophy of nursing and compare it to Virginia Henderson 's definition of nursing along with discussing some of the changes to Nurse philosophy I will also discuss some of the difficulties to being a patient advocate.

Not all patients are capable of independently identifying and articulate their care needs, so the nurse also adapts the role as an advocate. Clarity and continuity in a trusting environment enables good communication. Progressive identification of needs takes place as nurse and patient communicate with one another in the interpersonal relationship (Peplau 1988, p. 84). Being considerate to the needs and vulnerability of patients is a moral attribute, as nurses are accountable for the care they deliver.

Any nurse would admit that preparation to becoming a nurse is a difficult task. Mostly because the practice of nursing consists of many things to follow in order be a great nurse for the patient. To make the preparation less difficult for nurses or nurse to be, Ida Jean Orlando contributed to the Discipline of the Nursing Process to further prepare those in nursing. The Discipline of Nursing Process is a theoretical approach to nursing that follows a nurse-to-patient relationship that would improve the patient’s behavior to seek beneficence and autonomy of the patient (Orlando, 1972). This provides nurses or upcoming nurse the strategies to deal with real life circumstances in nursing and improves the skills of the nurse to improve a patient care. This piece will focus on the theorist, Ida Jean Orlando, the meaning of the nursing process and the reason for the nursing process, any discrepancies that may be associated with nursing such as medical procedures and professional nurses, studies associated with the use of the nursing process and how the nursing process influence personally.

When I first began the program I believed that the role of the registered nurse was to care for the patient’s grievances, which was limited to the physical aspect of patient care. I thought that nurses would simply be following orders based on the doctor’s orders. I quickly learned throughout the semester this was a great misrepresentation of the roles of the registered nurse. Throughout this semester, I learned that registered nurses work based off of their own assessment and diagnosis, and they work to improve all aspects of patient care. I learned that the registered nurse was not limited to one role, and that the registered nurse would be working to improve herself in all aspects of practice.