What does it mean to become a nurse - Essay Example

What Does It Mean To Become a Nurse The goal of this essay is to clearly define what a "nurse" really means literally along with his responsibilities and duties. Also, there will be a brief definition on the meaning of a "nurse" to people according to the common grounds of experience. Outline of the Essay: I. What is a nurse A. What do people think when they see a nurse B. What is the common reaction of people on nurses' functions C. What is at stake if one chooses to become a nurse D. Why choose to become a nurse II. What are the responsibilities of a nurse A. The basic responsibilities of a nurse in the general sense B. Responsibilities of a nurse in Australia C. The National Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse (brief) D. Becoming More than a Nurse One can just think of the benefits of having a private nurse inside his home. It is a combination of a mother and a care giver at the same time. It can't be denied that the certainty of one getting well especially for a person who is sick not only relies on the doctor who gives prescriptions but also to the one who counts the time and gives him the medicine with care and with a longing of him getting, that is none other than a nurse. (AOS, pp 1) But more than the idea or the image of a woman wearing plain white suit who is always beside a doctor or beside a dying person at the hospital, a nurse is also a symbol of charity and true care for more than the issue on salary, the time that they devote into helping patients is more than the time ordinary employees spend in their offices. (AOS, pp. 2) I asked many people (nurses) why they devote time taking care of those who are sick and why can't they just take care of themselves. The common answer was, "It feels good to be part of one person's life in a way that you help them survive from a medical problem." The vagueness of this answer can of course be told by a nurse and nobody else for the experience is unique and the risks encountered are for the ones who really risk their lives to help others, our nurses. That is just one good reason why anyone would choose to become a nurse. What then are the responsibilities of these nurses in the first place To start with the basic, they do the caring and advising for the sick person. They, just like the doctors maintain the health of their patients so that as much as possible, no further complications will arise. Then, with the prescription given by the physician or the doctor, the nurse takes charge and initiates the continuance of the patient's wellness and examples of this can be through giving the right dosage of medicine to the sick person based on the doctor's advice. The nurse also is the one who takes note or jots down the changes and or result of the drugs that were taken and through this, the doctor can make or can arrive on a decision on the condition of the patient. This isn't easy at all for sometimes, if the condition is critical, the nurse needs to be on call and should be ready anytime to write these changes. That leaves them with no idle time for themselves, although this factor should really be considered before entering the said profession. (AOS, pp. 2) In addition to this, the delegation of task is also in the name of a nurse where she can also assign to others the duties that she may not be able to accomplish. In order for the needs to be answered, he also tries to check every single bit of information that may be of use to the patient along with the kinds of resolution being made. If there is a hard condition such as being assigned to a special or intensive care, it is also possible that a nurse may not have enough knowledge on the condition but this is where the nurse's instinct comes in and with the help of her trainings and knowledge learned from experience, she survives along with her flexibility. (AOS, pp. 2) On the other hand, based on the Code of Professional Conduct for Nurses in Australia which contains the standards that are expected to be met by the nurses in the said place, the main idea for a nurse to become who she really should be, the presence of professionalism and responsibility not just in an individual sense but also in the society. The same code aims to set a specific standard to be followed by nurses in Australia and provide a professional and practical basis for the making of decisions in the case of the patients. Examples of these "a-must" duties are to practice safe and reliable attitude which means that there should be a continuance in the case of learning so as proper ways of caring for the patient can be better and be improved further. Also, a nurse must follow the medical rules and not impose personal judgments and her own animal instincts on the care of the patient. Nurses sometimes get affected by emotions which may affect her performance basically through the personal decisions. In the same code for Nurse in Australia, they are also instructed to respect the beliefs of the patients and not their own belief on what is good and what is not. If this is followed, a better relationship is expected from the nurse and the patient. With regard to handling the care of the patient, the nurse also must inform the patient what are the reason behind each process of health maintenance like in one way, a transparency in the medical method being done. It should also not be forgotten that every information that a nurse knows about the patient should be kept for confidentiality and this is the common risk that a nurse experiences. Finally, the codes states that a nurse should not be misinforming the patient with the case of the products or medicines that he should be taking for the purpose of personal benefit. There is also another council in Australia called Australian Nursing & Midwifery Council which sets the Nationel Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse with the aim to better the service being given to Australian communities. This provides several domains such as professional practice, critical thinking and analysis, provision and coordination of care, and collaborative and therapeutic practice. All these still reside on the ground of professionalism and improved service of care and assistance to patients in Australia. However, though nurses have duties and responsibilities to care and maintain the wellness of their patients, they are also privileged to handle certain number of patients in accordance with medical rules. An example of this is the one stated below (Based on the Kentucky Board of Nursing): "Health care facilities are responsible for maintaining adequate staff. The nurse administrator(s) who determines staffing patterns and/or appropriate assignments shares in the responsibility for assuring that staff are available to provide safe and effective nursing care, and that staff are appropriately distributed, utilized, oriented, and have available resources necessary to provide care. Nurses should work in a collaborative, cooperative, responsible relationship to assure these outcomes. The Kentucky Board of Nursing does not establish a ratio for the given number of patients for which a nurse may be assigned. Pursuant to the KRS Chapter 216B, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services promulgated administrative regulations requiring that health care facilities employ a sufficient number of qualified personnel to meet the needs of the patients [902 KAR 20:16; 026; 048; 051]. A patient/nurse ratio should be minimally based upon the qualifications of each nursing staff member, nursing care needs of the patient, and the patient's prescribed medical and nursing care requirements set forth in a plan of care. When patients do not receive necessary care because of understaffing, then the specific facts of the given situations should be documented and reported to the nurses's chain of command as well to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of the Inspector General, Division of Health Care Facilities and Services, (502-564-7963), and to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations." (AOS, pp 3) These are the basic in a nurse's life when it comes to duties and responsibilities and with their privileges as well. But looking at nurses in white suit acting as the major character who gives the patient medicine is just the outer core of what they really are for the patients. There is a deeper sense in being a nurse. Although being a nurse is already considered tiring, what is not seen by the naked eye is the emotional pressure that serves as a heavy load for some nurses. For one, they get attached to some patients (which is just normal for human beings as they are too are living creatures). Second is that emotional attachment according to some helps them perform well because good relationship and or getting along well with the patient serves as an inspiration to perform better and keep on going with the task given to them. Now the consequence is when nature calls for its balance like when the issue of death and failure arrives. Who can say and dictate that nurses should not be emotionally attached to their patients when in the first place, they have to live with a caring emotion, lest serving for the call of duty alone will not help things work especially for the patient. Real care for the patient is like miracle that works in an unexplainable scenario. In short, more than just answering to what the patient wants and what the patient needs, there is the bond that works better than a medicine. It is being held by the harmonious relationship that nurses initiate in order for the patient to feel important, feel that they are being cared for, and that fighting for survival in whatever sickness or disease is actually worth it. (TriCentral) It can be recalled that in the "American Journal of Nursing" it was mentioned that nurses are taught to have a heart better than to have a brain. Just like what was mentioned a while ago, the miracle is with the emotion, a far better cure to any illness. More than just the tolls that they bring and the time that they keep, nurses are a work of art that somehow lengthens the lives of the sick people, a work that may be better than any job (if you will ask me.) (Medscape) Now, perhaps there is no need to explain why one would want to become a nurse. But for the sake of clarification, I wanted to become a nurse because I want to see and feel miracles through my patients. The joy is different when it comes from the effort that one has spared. More than just being a nurse is being a human with a heart and a mind that cares. And these are the reasons why working and striving to learn techniques and new ways to better the service as a nurse are worth it, a dream come true for a human wanting to work and live the real life of a human. Sources 1. American Journal of Writing 2. Arrangements for Registration of Victorian Staff in NSW." April 24, 2007. 3. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council. "National Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse." April 25, 2007. 4. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council. "Code of Professional Conduct for Nurses in Australia." April 2, 2007. 5. Google, "NSW/Victorian Cross Border Mental Health Services 6. Kentucky Board of Nursing. "AOS #19 Patient Care Assignments." April 25, 2007. Read More