...communication skills are a basic foundation for any career. But for nurses, it’s one of the most important aspects of the job. A great nurse has excellent communication skills, especially when it comes to speaking and listening. Based on team and patient feedback, they are able to problem-solve and effectively communicate with patients and families. Nurses always need to be on top of their game and make sure that their patients are clearly understood by everyone else. A truly stellar nurse is able to advocate for her patients and anticipate their needs. 2. Emotional Stability Nursing is a stressful job where traumatic situations are common. The ability to accept suffering and death without letting it get personal is crucial. Some days can seem like non-stop gloom and doom. That’s not to say that there aren’t heartwarming moments in nursing. Helping a patient recover, reuniting families, or bonding with fellow nurses are special benefits of the job. A great nurse is able to manage the stress of sad situations, but also draws strength from the wonderful outcomes that can and do happen. 3. Empathy Great nurses have empathy for the pain and suffering of patients. They are able to feel compassion and provide comfort. But be prepared for the occasional bout of compassion fatigue; it happens to the greatest of nurses. Learn how to recognize the symptoms and deal with it efficiently. Patients look to nurses as their advocates — the softer side of hospital bureaucracy. Being...
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...college first, some options that there is are; University of Pennsylvania, Columbia U; and many other universities. The classes you must take are associates degree in nursing, nutrition in chemistry, microbiology and chemistry. There are several types of nurses you may not know, the registered nurse is the most common all people know, but there are more than that: ●Licensed practical nurse: Licensed practical nurses perform...
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...TITLE: NURSE STAFFING AND QUALITY SERVICE NAME: COURSE: INSTITUTION: DATE: INTRODUCTION Nurse staffing is the placement of qualified nurses in health facilities so that they can work together with doctors to deliver quality health services to the community. Hospitals with high nurse staffing levels are much likely to have good patient outcomes and satisfaction no matter the patient turn out. Nurse staffing focuses on recruiting and keeping qualified nurses in a hospital so that handling of patients becomes easy and focused on quality service to the public. It enhances the identification of individuals that are most likely to work in certain areas of the health sector and also helps to enhance the diversity of nurses by matching candidates and the communities they will provide health services to. Salary and benefits are the factors that motivate qualified nurses to work consistently in a health facility because with good remuneration, nurses are able to further their education which further improves their profession and level of knowledge in their field of operation (Sales, A. 2015). Low nurse staffing results in higher risks of disease infections particularly the transmittable diseases due to lack of the urgency of treatment because the health facility has less nurses with a high number of patients. Nurse shortage is caused by the lack of enough registered nurses that are allowed to practice, low salary offers, poor training that leads to low confidence of practice, lack of...
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...Nurse Management and Leadership Case Study Nurse Management and Leadership Case Study Introduction Good leadership is necessary in every business organization. When it comes to nursing, every health center must have a good leadership that supports the nurses so that they can maximize their performance. However, for leadership to be of good quality there needs to be a good working environment in all aspects (Pinelli et al., 2004). The following is a case study illustrating an ideal working environment that supports good nurse leadership in health institutions. Type of Organization The organization that I would like to work in is a medium sized health care center. The facility is equipped with all the necessary gear needed to deliver quality healthcare services. There are over fifty doctors and seventy qualified nurses in the organization. The healthcare center serves over five hundred outpatient patients daily. It has enough facilities to cater for approximately 250 in-patients at any particular point. This health facility has taken into consideration the guidelines that make it professionally fit for an advanced nursing role. The development and implementation of good governance in this facility has been taken seriously in order to promote the nursing role. The following are some of the principles that have been implemented in order to promote good governance in this health facility. The organization looks at all the aspects of service delivery to promote good decision...
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...Difference Between Associate- Degree Level Nurses and Bachelor- Degree Nurses There is always a question about which program is better; Is it the associate’s degree in nursing program provided by community colleges or the baccalaureate of science in nursing program provided by colleges and universities? One similarity is for sure that nurses from both programs can take the NCLEX-RN exam. Before I started college I was debating whether I should go to school for an Associate Degree in Nursing or a Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing, but because I just had a baby and the university is one hour away from our home, I decided to go ahead and enter the registered nursing program in our community college. I know that there is a lot of differences between nurses that are prepared at the associate-degree level versus the baccalaureate degree level in nursing that is why I set a goal that someday I will go back to school for my Bachelor’s degree. This paper will be explaining the difference in competencies between nurses prepared at the associate degree level versus the baccalaureate degree level in nursing by comparing their education, patient care and opportunities. This paper will also give some examples about a patient care situation in which how nursing care approaches to decision making may differ based upon the educational preparation of a BSN versus ADN. Associate Degree Nurses and Baccalaureate Nurses Differences with Education An associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) program...
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...E. The Nurse Practice Act (NPA) in Maryland guides and governs the nursing practice within the state of Maryland. The NPA establishes the board of nursing, it sets standards for nursing education, requirements for licensing, sets standards and scope of nursing practice, the code of ethics, and grounds for disciplinary action. 1. Per the Maryland Nurse Practice Act nurses scope of practice consists of Assessment, Analysis and Nursing Diagnosis, Outcome Identification, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation. The Assessment includes collection of heath data, physical and psychosocial assessments, priority of data collection, and document of the findings. The nurse is to analyze the data collected, consider options and make appropriate nursing...
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...quality and attainable care good facilities and qualified and experienced staff is very necessary. This coupled with good management defines the success of a good health facility. Staff not only need to be enough, but also motivated, for that’s what ensures that they enjoy working in a place for a significant period of time (Heathfield, 2005). Proper staffing benefits the clients and the employer since the facility enjoys uninterrupted services. The situation in Ashford General Hospital is now getting out of hand and slowly undermining the status and the hard earned reputation. This hospital has a capacity of 263 beds, 24 hour emergency department and an extended hour’s urgent clinic. This hospital despite being in practice for 50 years has its nurse retention rate below that of the nation by 4%, meaning that its staff turnover is very high. We must remember that 68% of nurses in this hospital are almost retiring. This is a hospital is understaffed in the first place, has overworked nurses who are fatigued an aspect that has caused the hospital many problems including; patient dissatisfaction, huge losses in terms of clients and money for as we speak cases of patient suing the hospital due to neglect are increasing. Working with poorly motivated and inadequate staff is only detrimental to this facility and has led to outsourcing replacement of nurses and this is proving to be very expensive (Tillott, Walsh, & Moxham, 2013). The outsourced nurses are so green and occasionally...
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...Delivery Nurse) Instructor Miller RN (Labor and Delivery Nurse) When I finish school I would like to become a Labor and Delivery Nurse. The reason why I choose to become a Labor and Delivery Nurse is because I get excitement out of women baring children. Working in obstetrics is a rewarding field that allows you to work with new families and newborn babies. Being a labor and delivery nurse is a well-paying job with excellent benefits and rewarding job satisfaction. It requires several years of education and training, but it provides you with expertise in an area that won’t fluctuate with changes in the economy. EDUCATION There are a number of different paths through which to gain a nursing education. You can obtain a bachelor’s of science degree in nursing, an associate’s degree or a diploma. Programs prerequisite mostly is including math, science, and health sciences. Additional languages and computer skills will help you obtain a position later [source: Discover Nursing]. If you are wondering how to be a labor and delivery nurse, there are a few steps you’ll need to take. As with many nursing professions, it’s usually a good idea to start off as an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse). This entails a one-year program assisting RNs (Registered Nurses) for the purpose of on-the-job training. After working as an LPN you will likely want to become an RN with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This is a four-year program. To become a labor and delivery nurse, you need...
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...five concepts. 1. Professional Nursing Function is the organizing principle- The patient is the focal point in nursing. The nurse must find out and meet the immediate need the patient. 2. Patient's presenting behavior- problematic situation. When the patient's equilibrium is offset he/she exhibits behaviors that draw the nurses' attention. 3. Immediate reaction- Internal Response is a proactive response that causes the nurse to have an automatic response that is cognitive and affective (Alligood, 2010). According to the nurse’s interpretation of the patient's behavior, therefore, the nurse need to assess the situation first to gain an understanding of the problem. 4. Deliberative Nursing Process-Reflective Inquiry views the patient and nurse as a functional unit that draws from each other. The nurse’s behavior affects the patient, and the patient's behavior affects the nurse. To better understand the patient the nurse must focus on the actuality of the problem instead of assuming what the problem may be. This part of the theory is deliberate because the nurse must separate their immediate observation, thoughts, and feelings from each other (Alligood, 2010). Orlando (Alligood, 2010) brings to our attention as nurses that we should not assume that we have corrected the patient’s problem without the patient verbalizing so. She challenges nurses to avoid thinking that their thoughts are correct, “Actions based on the nurse’s conclusion, without the patient participation,...
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...Nurse to Patient Ratios in Acute Care Hospitals Chamberlain College of Nursing NR 504: Leadership and Nursing Practice: Role Development Spring B 2011 My vision for nursing is a simple one. It is not grand or extravagant and therefore, should be easily attainable. The problem is, is that as with any vision, there will be obstacles along the way. I hope to be able to overcome these obstacles and make my vision become a reality. My vision is to establish a guideline to lower the nurse to patient ratios in acute care hospitals, so that the quality of care given to patients as well as employee satisfaction can be significantly raised. Key Concepts of Vision The current nurse to patient ratio at my hospital is 1 nurse to 7 patients. I do not feel that this ratio is appropriate. My vision is to implement a new ratio guideline, lowering the ratio to 1 nurse per 5 patients with the exception being made for high acuity patients. I would then like the ratio to be 1 nurse to every 4 patients. A high acuity patient with a major trauma would be harder to care for than someone admitted for dehydration. The charge nurse would be in charge of designating which type of acuity patients and how many are assigned to each nurse. This procedure is currently in place, but with the new guideline, there would be less patients assigned to each nurse. This would result in a safer work environment, better patient care, and a great recruitment incentive for nurses (Gonzalez...
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...usually starts with a section that sets the purpose, aspirations, and goals of the organization. [ (Smith, 2010) ] American Nurses Association Code of Ethics The American Nurses Association was started in 1896. The American Nurses Association’s mission was to establish certain standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, advancing the economic and general welfare of nurses. The American Nurses Association is responsible for developing the Code of Ethics for nurses. The goals of the American Nurses Association is to protect the nurses and to teach nurses how to be a professional nurse and to respect the patients regardless of race, color, smell, or looks. The code of ethics says that a nurse should be professional in all relationships, should practice as a nurse using compassion and respect for each and every individual, regardless of social or economic status, personal attributes or the nature of health problems. A nurse’s commitment is to the patient, whether it be an individual, family, group or community. A nurse should promote and protect the health, safety and the rights of their patients. A nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, such as: safety, maintain competence, and personal and professional growth. Nurses participate in establishing, maintaining, and improving healthcare environments. The nurse works with other members...
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...paper identifies the ethical and legal issues that results from the actions of the nurses, and the doctor with regard to Jazi condition. Legal issues Legal Issues | Facts supporting / refuting | Further information which needs consideration | * NFR directive | * Nurses should have worked on the verbal order | * Why did the nurses not follow up with the doctor on the NFR directive? | * Decision making process involvement | * The nurses did not involve the patient in decision making process (Matt, 2012). | * Why did the nurses continued with their duty despite their knowledge of the mistake? | * Negligence | * The nurses owed the Jazi duty of care, | * Why did the nurses not follow up with the doctor on the NFR directive and provide the required care? | Ethical issues Principle | Explanation | Independence | The scenario reveals Jazi's autonomy breached since he was not involved in the decision making process regarding his treatment options (Ghaye, Gillespie & Lillyman, 2000). | Moral duty | The nurses have the moral duty to ensure the well being of the patient, and so they should have acted on the NFR directive | utilitarianism | It would have been for the greater good if the nurses involved the Jazi in the decision making with regard to treatment process. The action would have influenced happiness on Jazi (Matt, 2012). | Deontological | If the nurses acted just because they were pushed by Pat, then their action would be regarded...
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...ASSIGNMENT: An assessment on the role of an adult nurse The aim of this essay is to demonstrate an understanding of the professional attributes that are required in nursing practice. These are recognised as been appropriate for the nurses to practice and for the nurse’s role to be fulfilled. It is important for nurses to show basic knowledge of the health system and understand how it works to be able to give a reasonable explanation to the patient. To show the importance of good which includes writing legal documents and communicating verbally to other professionals in healthcare as well as patient of all different categories. Nurses are now doing roles and functions which were once doctor’s responsibilities, for example, to promote health and prevent illness, to restore health and offer support to the patient, and so on. According to (prospects at prospects.ac.uk) adult nurses care for adult patients who are suffering from acute and long-term illnesses and diseases. They support recovery from illness or operation by using care plans, carrying out care procedures and assessments and by focusing on the needs of the patient rather than the illness or condition. They also promote good health and wellbeing through education. Nurses usually work within a multidisciplinary team but are the main point of contact for patients, often providing the most continuity of care. Adult nurses are registered nurses who look after the sick and injured adults...
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...essential that we know the key components of the communication process, how to improve our skills, and the potential problems that exist with errors in communication. Good communication skills should be considered a basic requirement for any person irrespective of the profession the person is engaged in. Communication helps a person to relate well with the people he is interacting with. The nursing profession is not an exception since a nurse should use good communication skills to be able to relate well with the patients. A nurse deals with different kinds of patients each suffering from different types of ailments. As a result, the nurse should be able to approach each of the patients differently. This means that, a nurse should have great communication skills. I believe good communication when I become a Medical Assistant, will help me relate well with my patients. Bearing in mind that I deal with different patients suffering from different ailments, some more serious than others, I have to use my great communication to know how to pass whichever information I have across. Sick people need encouragement in life and for this reason, I use my good conversationalist aspect to show my politeness and that I care about them (Nursing Times.Net, 2011). I meet with new people every day and as a result, I use my good conversationalist aspect to avoid some casual conversation since I do not know them. I have to engage the patients in a variety of topics because I am well...
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...about is the shortage of nurses. This has been a long standing problem, even in the days of Ms. Florence Nightingale, when she and her nurses "used limited resources to address unlimited wants for healthcare (Cherry & Jacob, 2014)". They did the best they could and were able to improve the soldiers' condition dramatically. Agreeably, the situation is far better today. This topic is of great importance because, a shortage of nurses means that the ratio of patient to nurse increases and this can result in nurses being overwhelmed. It also affects the every aspect of patients’ care and it increases the risk of negative patients’ outcomes. It makes nurses apprehensive when they are going to work and that is not a good way to feel on a regular basis. Some of the reasons listed as causes of shortage of nurses include lack of good role models and early professional socialization, unrealistic workload, an aging workforce, negative work environment, retention problem, and insufficient nursing faculty staff. I chose the first article "Becoming a nurse: a meta-study of early professional socialization and career choice in nursing," because it attempts to deal with the issue of nursing shortage by investigating what motivates young people to choose nursing as a career and early professional socialization (Price, 2009). It highlighted the need to have good mentors, peers and role models, especially as new nurses are transitioning into the profession. A lot of new nurses report having negative...
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