...What is nursing? ‘What is nursing? It has been called an art, a science, a profession, a vocation, a heaven-born gift, a laboriously acquired task’ (The Nursing Record 1889 p.131). This definition is one of many ways to describe nursing. It was written over one hundred years ago which shows that even at this earlier period, nursing was recognised as a hardworking, privileged and intelligent career. Nursing is a very comprehensive subject where a lot of topics could be discussed. The areas that will be focussed on are the history of nursing, encompassing nursing education, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the nursing process and the portrayal of the nursing profession. Nursing began in the medieval times and Sundstorm (1998) explains that a nurse was likely to be a woman in extreme poverty. Nurses were perceived to be one of the lowest members of society as they were often branded as a drunk or prostitute. It took almost three centuries later before nursing started to be recognised as a more admirable profession. Florence Nightingale was a woman that started the change of nursing to become a scientific and researched practice. Despite her parents being against the idea of her career path, she ignored them and went on to become a legacy as she helped create the first program for nurses as well as pioneering infection control and health promotion. During her time as a nurse in the 1854 Crimean war, she managed to prevent deaths by 41%.This was because of her idea of...
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...The nursing shortage is an inevitable process that will only increase as millions of baby boomers exit the workforce and enjoy retirement. Nurses have become both vocal and proactive as it relates to the current need for skilled nurses within organizations across the nation. Nurses have continued to advocate for staff staffing in order to improve patient outcomes and promote a safe working environment. Patient safety and nurse safety go hand in hand, as nursing responsibility increases the risk to patient safety increases. Decreased staffing levels are not the only threats to nurse safety, but preventable exposure and workplace injuries are as well. Nurses are at increased risk for on the job violence, needle stick exposure, risk for disease...
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...What nursing means to me My philosophy of nursing comes directly from my desire to help people. I want to be a nurse because I enjoy being around people in their times of need and I get internal satisfaction by serving those that need help. I remember when I did some volunteer work for a hospital and that is when I realized my passion for nursing. I believe that the cure for many of the people's ailments is not just in medicine, it is in the care that they receive as patients in hospitals and their homes. This is where I believe that I can make a great difference in people's lives by helping them recover from their ailments. One of the philosophies that are very close to my heart is that I believe that the health of a person is all in the mind. A person is only sick if he/she thinks they are sick. This is kind of a caring theory that I believe in, which is that there would be no patients if everyone around them would just understand what they are going through and what is needed to help them. I believe in caring for the patients in a way so as to bring about a transpersonal caring relationship between the patient and the nurse/caretaker and the caring occasion/caring moment. I believe in this philosophy since it describes the various health and caring related issues and problems in a very different light. I believe that it is important to provide a patient with the right kind of atmosphere and environment that is conducive to his/her recovery. It is important to keep the...
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...Discussing the future of nursing theory can bring up a wide outlook of the direction of nursing. Everyone has different views and interests concerning nursing’s future. In this discussion, we will cover some of the opinions of what has driven nursing theory development, what will drive future development in nursing theory, and how might nursing practice change as a result of evolving nursing theory. According to "Nursing Theory" (2011), “The nursing profession has evolved greatly over time, moving from dependence upon total medical direction providing basic care into an independent practice modality with its own nursing theory practice, nursing models, and distinct nursing interventions” (Nursing Theory).The requirements of nursing education have grown greatly. Nurses used to only take care of basic ADL’s of patients. Today, many nurses have more knowledge than the physicians working with these nurses. It is only logical that nurses have their own set of theories and models that guide their nursing practice. Nursing theories increase the general knowledge within nursing through research implementation. Theories provide the basis for nursing practice, helps to generate future knowledge, and indicates in which direction nursing should develop. Nursing theories are an attempt by the nursing profession to continue within the professional boundaries of nursing (Nursing Theory, 2011). Nursing theory has also been driven by the advanced educations available to nurses. Advanced education...
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...Mishel’s Uncertainty in Illness Theory Mark A. Seymour, II Millersville University How has nursing evolved? What are the components that have turned nursing into what it is today? We all ask these questions at some point in our career of nursing. The history of nursing can all be traced back to the very first theorist, Florence Nightingale. She helped begin to formulate the nursing practice describing, predicting and formulating the basis of what nursing would become. Several others have researched and developed their own theories of nursing, some which lead us to question even further thoughts, provoking new ideas or even developing better understandings as to why nursing is what it is today. But there are some things that still provoke uncertainty, which was described by Mishel, as the inability to determine the meaning of illness related events, occurring when the decision maker is unable to assign definite value to objects or events, or is unable to predict outcomes accurately (Mishel, 1988). This is what sparked the concepts of Mishel’s uncertainty in illness theory, which could...
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...n: Philosophy and Psychology What Has Driven Nursing Theory Discussing the future of nursing theory can bring up a wide outlook of the direction of nursing. Everyone has different views and interests concerning nursing’s future. In this discussion, we will cover some of the opinions of what has driven nursing theory development, what will drive future development in nursing theory, and how might nursing practice change as a result of evolving nursing theory. According to "Nursing Theory" (2011), “The nursing profession has evolved greatly over time, moving from dependence upon total medical direction providing basic care into an independent practice modality with its own nursing theory practice, nursing models, and distinct nursing interventions” (Nursing Theory).The requirements of nursing education have grown greatly. Nurses used to only take care of basic ADL’s of patients. Today, many nurses have more knowledge than the physicians working with these nurses. It is only logical that nurses have their own set of theories and models that guide their nursing practice. Nursing theories increase the general knowledge within nursing through research implementation. Theories provide the basis for nursing practice, helps to generate future knowledge, and indicates in which direction nursing should develop. Nursing theories are an attempt by the nursing profession to continue within the professional boundaries of nursing (Nursing Theory, 2011). Nursing theory has also been driven by...
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...How might nursing practice change as a result of evolving nursing theory? The evolution of nursing theory has begun to revolutionize how nurses train, apply, and practice their profession. The nursing profession has moved from dependence upon total medical direction providing basic care into an independent practice modality with its own nursing theory practice, nursing models, and distinct nursing interventions. If nurses are to be as effective as possible in helping to provide high quality patient care, they will need to be better prepared as care becomes more complex. There is a need for more nurses with advanced degrees to provide primary care. Continuing education to help nurses retain clinical skills and develop leadership skills is critical to this change. Studies support a significant association between educational level and patient outcomes (Reinhard & Hassmiller, 2012). Evolving and emerging nursing roles for the new millennium is evitable. (Burggraf, 2012). Developing new and more advanced roles for nurses will improve access to care and help contain costs. It will also better prepare nurses to care for people and deliver care to the fullest extent of their education and training. Nursing is at the heart of patient care and is therefore crucial to changing the way health care is delivered. Nurses are the linchpin for health care reform and will be vital to implementing systematic changes in the delivery of care (Reinhard & Hassmiller...
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...procedure handbook on your job. These actions are usually within the scope of the “nurse practice act” and “board of nursing”. Most questions are focused on safety. Safety depends on the nurse’s knowledge, training, and skills. A nurse has a duty of obligation to her patients and to herself. She has to protect her license and integrity as a nurse and deliver competent and knowledgeable services to her clients. One rule of the RN is to delegate duties to other registered nurses and licensed practical nurses and nursing assistants. Many times the nurse questions if the assignment is within the scope of practice, especially delegating activities to the nursing assistant. (Kathleen R. Weinberg, n.d.) According to (DL, 1994), the purpose of nursing center influenced the scope of practice in nursing in different areas. These areas are, how nursing affects the faculty, the community, or specialty in nursing practice. The nurse managed center “requires high quality nursing services, public and community support, healthy relationships with other health care providers, and documentation of patient’s outcome through the nursing managed center based on nursing research”. (DL, 1994) The American nursing association describes how nurses should think when deciding what factors are within the scope of practice. Questions to be asked are “who”, “where”, “why”, “what” and “how” of nursing. The guidelines are embodied in the nurse practice acts, rules and regulations, guidelines of the state and in...
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...becomes familiar with the role of nurses. How do the media positively or negatively influence the public’s image of nursing? What other avenues may better educate the general public on the role and scope of nursing as well as the changing health care system? The media is known to have immense influences on the public perception from body images to what kind of car people should buy. And the nursing image is not immune to these influences. What Hollywood transmits to the public about nurse’s works much like an advertising industry. Television has represented nurses in varying degrees and not all of them are flattering. We have been portrayed as handmaidens, angels to naughty nurses, crusty battle-axes, incompetent nurses, or drug addicted nurses. Television shows such as House, Nurse Jackie, Hawthorne, Gray’s Anatomy, and Scrubs frequently draw on nursing stereotypes that have the potential to damage the professional nursing image. Just as people are influenced by commercial or political ads, they will be influenced by these shows as well. These images of nursing on medical shows can affect roles in recruitment and retention for the profession. In a survey of student perceptions of nursing image on television, one student noted, “the public could be influenced by nursing on television and draw attention to the consequences of negative depictions of nursing because the public can develop a false view of the profession, where people may believe nurses are simply the doctor’s...
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...School of Nursing Visionary learning for a lifetime of influence N-460 Leadership for Change in Healthcare Philosophy of Nursing Introduction: The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) embodied the view that values “are beliefs or ideals to which an individual is committed and which are reflected in patterns of behavior. Professional values are the foundation for practice; they guide interactions with patients, colleagues, other professionals, and the public. Values provide the framework for commitment to patient welfare, fundamental to professional nursing practice” (AACN, 1998, p. 8). Through your previous coursework, you have explored various concepts, frameworks, and theories in previous courses; liberal studies and nursing courses. In this senior course, you will continue to explore these concepts by focusing on the course outcomes that involve integration of disciplinary frameworks to communicate effectively with individuals and aggregates in diverse settings, apply ethical frameworks, principles, codes and professional standards of practice in clinical decision-making and professional conduct, and conduct a reflective self-assessment to demonstrate attitudes and behaviors of responsible membership in the profession and community. This exploration will continue throughout your senior year of study, which will affirm, alter and/or expand the philosophy you develop this semester. Outcome: You will succinctly articulate a personal philosophy of nursing, clearly...
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...Historical Development of Nursing Timeline Development of the nursing practice has e started as early as the 1850’s with Florence Nightingale. She was the founder of the first nursing theory. From her foundation over the years nursing has blossomed into a great career and practice to where nurses and patients both benefit from the advances in theories and practice. Theory is an essential part of the past, present and future of nursing. Timeline: (1860) Florence Nightingale: - Florence Nightingale was the founder of nursing theory (George, 2011). She described nursing as both an art and a science. She recommended adjusting the environment to improve the person’s health. She believed that nursing was a calling and that it is different from medicine and the goal for nursing was to place the patient in the best possible condition for nature to act. She was able to construct this theory through her experiences in the Crimean war. Theory development began with Nightingale and was revived in the 1950s. Her foundational work is what nursing theorists expanded upon that started in the 1950’s until the present time. (1952) Hildegard Paplau: Interpersonal Relations Theory -Paplau, a psychiatric nurse instructor, described the nurse-client relationship, and stated that nursing is therapeutic interpersonal process (George, 2011). The 1950’s populated theoretical conceptualization of nursing science by Columbia University Teaching College graduates (George, 2011). Paplau...
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...areas of nursing practice, which evidence-based practice has improved patient outcomes. State the study and its impact on patient care. How have these findings changed your nursing practice? Please support your response with a minimum of two supporting peer reviewed articles. NRS-433V Module 1 DQ 2 What similarities and differences can you identify between the nursing process and the research process? NRS-433V Module 2 DQ 1 The theoretical foundations of qualitative and quantitative methods are very different, but many researchers believe both methods should be used in the research study to increase validity and reliability. What advantages or disadvantages do you see in using both types of methods in a nursing study? Support your answer with current evidence-based literature. NRS-433V Module 2 DQ 2 Nursing research is used to study a dilemma or a problem in nursing. Examine a problem you have seen in nursing. Why should it be studied? Justify your rationale. NRS-433V Module 3 DQ 1 The three types of qualitative research are phenomenological, grounded theory, and ethnographic research. What are the differences and similarities between two of the three types of studies? NRS-433V Module 3 DQ 2 Qualitative data has been described as voluminous and sometimes overwhelming to the researcher. In what ways could a researcher manage and organize the data? NRS-433V Module 4 DQ 1 Extraneous variables may have an influence on the dependent variable. In what ways do researchers...
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...word theory the next thought should be nursing because the foundations of nursing are built from nursing theories. The history of nursing holds a significance to theory in that theories help establish nursing as a profession (Smith & Liehr, 2014). Theories from the past in the Nightingale era and new theories today in the 21st century aid in the guidance of nursing practice and research (Smith & Liehr, 2014). In the twentieth century, nursing was not recognized as an academic discipline or a profession (Alligood, 2013). As theories such as the middle range and grand theories are being brought to the forefront of nursing education, nursing is being viewed now more than ever as a profession. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the middle range and grand theories and discuss how they are relevant to nursing practice. A relevant and important concept for nurses to understand is that theory informs practice and research in the everyday world of nursing and that the existence of nursing is founded on theories (Smith & Liehr, 2014 ). Every procedure, assessment, and nursing intervention is related to and guided by nursing theory and it is every nurses obligation and responsibility to utilize theory into their practice. Theory is a key component in the history of nursing as an academic discipline and it is vital to the practice of professional nursing (Alligood, 2013). Two major theories that are useful to nursing practice but provide different types...
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...Philosophy of Professional Nursing Kim Lopez American Sentinel University Philosophy of Professional Nursing The profession of nursing is sculpted by philosophies, theories and science. Theses components connect on another through the nursing process. The professional nurse’s philosophies shape practices, beliefs and nursing. Butts and Rich (2015) describe philosophy as a search for meaning and a set of beliefs. Nurses encounter many situations where their philosophies and beliefs guide their nursing judgment and decisions. As the nursing profession has evolved from a profession of skills to one of knowledge it is important to understand the overall discipline and the knowledge that motivates the thought and actions of the nurse (Butts & Rich, 2015). The development of theoretical formulations by nurse scholars has guided efforts to identifying what the core beliefs of nursing are. Theory development can be traced back to the writings of Florence Nightingale’s notes on nursing which altered the status of nursing from that of a domestic service to that of a profession (Selanders & Crane, 2012). When reflecting on my personal and profession philosophy, I found that looking at the traditional metaparadigm of nursing that includes person, environment, nursing and health (Butts & Rich, 2015) aided me in connecting my personal reflections, values, and beliefs with my professional outlook on my nursing practices. Personal Philosophy Nursing, for me, is more than a profession...
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...head: PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING Assignment #2 Philosophy of Nursing Nursing 324 Athabasca University Submitted to: Karen Polowick Submitted by:kelly gagnon Student #: Date: September 7, 2010 Good title page in APA format with running head and complete information Philosophy of Nursing For centuries the development of nursing knowledge has been influenced by numerous theorists and their respective theories. These theories have influenced, and continue to influence, nursing education, practice and research. (Johnson & Webber, 2005) Although theorists have been the essence of sense-making in nursing, I believe all of us as nurses can, and should, be actively involved in the sense-making process. It is reasonable to think that each of us chose nursing because of some key beliefs or values that we possessed. These values and beliefs ultimately guide us in formulating our own definition of nursing and what we believe to be its primary goal. Many of the beliefs and values that we embrace are notably evident throughout the many nursing theories presented in the literature. That does not mean that we as nurses today cannot think outside of the boundaries of these theories. As Johnson & Webber (2005) writes, ‘…you may discover that you have a unique view of nursing…then perhaps you are being called to contribute…to the profession.’ (Johnson & Webber, 2005, pg. x) This paper will focus on my own personal view of nursing and the associated queries...
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