Providing Quality Care by a Professional Nurse - Essay Example

Providing Quality Care Providing Quality Care In today’s world, nursing is considered as one of the most crucial fields in the healthcare sector. The knowledge, competence, and even ability to perform nursing duties may be daunting to even the most committed of individuals. However, the growth and development of this field is proof that nursing has come a long way in trying to cater to individuals in need of health care. The expansion of the healthcare sector has seen the programmes in nursing institutions assist students accumulate and assimilate knowledge, practice, and experience to cater to the ever growing health needs of society. In countless regions in the world, nursing programmes are aimed at increasing proficiencies that assist nurses in handling particular nursing/care needs (Fitzpatrick Kazer 2012, p. 54). This paper will examine some of the behaviours, attitudes, and abilities necessary to become a professional nurse, and some of the elements that are crucial in the nursing field. . The progress witnessed in different regions in terms of healthcare has seen the role of the nurses become a major game changer in the medical field. The nursing fraternity has a framework in which all the actions and duties are reflected that aid in the protection and assistance of all individuals in need of medical care. The ethical and professional behaviours that nursing personnel are meant to exhibit should also reflect the attitude and organizational culture of their respective organizations (Fry & Johstone 2008, p. 37). This is done to make sure that the nursing profession maintains the professionalism and attitude that is needed in catering to the needs of people in society, and the overall good of the medical practice. Behaviour, abilities and characteristics required to be a professional nurse Nursing requires an individual to have what may be considered the 6Cs, which are; compassion, care, courage, commitment, competence, and communication. They assist nurses to engage positively and professionally with all those meant to be in their care. All these behaviours are crucial in nursing because they assist nurses in understanding their patients and treating them professionally (Goodman & Clenmow 2010, p. 57). Care defines how nurses are meant to carry out their duties. It needs to be constantly and consistently provided at every stage. Compassion is paramount when it comes to understanding the predicament in which their patients are in, and what may be done to assist them. Compassion looks into how care is delivered to those in need. Competence comes into play when a nurse understands and comprehends the nature of the individual in need. This may be in terms of their social and health needs, which may require patience and empathy to allow patients to be comfortable with their caregivers. Courage works in the favour of both the patient and the nurse. It is imperative to have courage in the nursing field as it allows the nurse to do what is considered right for their clients. Whenever concerns arise about the care of patients, it is the nurse’s obligation and responsibility to speak up and allow their fears to be heard (McCormack & McCance 2010, p. 67). This may, in some cases, be the difference between life and death. This personal strength should be exhibited by nurses regularly to allow their patients to have the necessary attention they need. It is also through courage that nurses can create innovative ways in which they can work together with colleagues as well as patients. Through communication, successful relationships are created between everyone present in the healthcare facility. Teamwork is also a major factor to consider and communication makes this possible. Impeccable communication skills allow nurses to listen to their patients, hence; make clinical decisions that may positively affect their patients. It is through communication that nurses also find the commitment and passion to work for their patients, and not their own interests (Meerabeau & Wright 2011, p. 72). Commitment is an essential component in the life of a nurse as they work toward bringing their patients the attention and love they need. This fundamental characteristic is influential because it endears nurses to their patients, which becomes a lasting relationship that enables the patient to attain their health and social needs. Nurses are considered managers in their respective positions. It is, therefore; their duty to manage their patients’ health and social needs. The power of observation, impeccable communication skills, and excellent people skills are fundamental in creating rapport for all nurses. Nurses, in this case, must ensure that they have the right attitude to handle their patients at all times. In the nursing profession, there are bound to be emotionally charged situations. Nurses should be trained and well equipped to deal with such situations. This is for the sake of other patients as well as their colleagues (Peate 2010, p. 87). Experience in such situations may come into play, which may assist older nurses in protecting the younger ones when faced with such predicaments. Elements of nursing Collaboration and compassion are elements that should stand out among all nursing personnel. These characteristics among nurses may bring out the social and health aspects in the healthcare sector. It is possible for all people in the organization to benefit from these characteristics, which in turn assists the overall health sector in having an impeccable repertoire. These elements are crucial in the sense that they provide an avenue for both the caregiver and the patient to create a relationship that is based on trust, understanding, and love that guarantees the safety and well-being of the individuals in need of medical assistance (Hindle, Coates & Kingston 2011, p. 69). As the demand for nurses grows, it is imperative that programmes in medical and training institutions to have an urgent strategy to allow nurses in training to graduate and fill positions that are left vacant after the retirement of older nurses. However, there should be no failure to have the graduating nurses perform the fundamental tasks of the nursing profession in a bid to fill empty positions in medical institutions. Elements in the nursing field have to be observed in an effort to allow patients and anyone in need of health services to receive the necessary and adequate attention. Compassion and collaboration work toward ensuring that all people present in the hospital or health facility are handled and treated as the most important people in the world. Moreover, nurses should see to it that the right attitude is spread throughout the organization. There are advantages that come with such elements in the hospital environment, which allow every party present to learn, grow, and experience the benefits of a healthy society (McSherry, McSherry & Watson 2012, p. 63). One of the main significance behind collaboration is that nurses may gain the proficiency of being able to work together in a bid to assist people who require medical and social help. This teamwork helps build the confidence of any working nurse, and in turn, may boost their self-confidence when it comes to handling different cases on their own. Collaboration between nurses may also increase the voice of the personnel in charge of caring for the sick. This means that, all nurses are faced with the duty of pointing out issues they feel need urgent and immediate attention. By coming together, a larger impact is always felt than when one individual feels the need to be heard. The team spirit exhibited in the hospital or health facility brings about a positive attitude that assists in building the patients’ spirit (Brooker & Waugh 2013, p. 43). This means that; both their health and social needs are being met at the healthcare facility. Compassion brings about a feeling of self-fulfilment. Nurses are meant to be compassionate people even in the presence of difficult situations. Emotionally charged situations are ever-present in the hospital environment. Nurses are obligated by their ethical framework to handle such a situation by placing their own feelings into the whole situation. In doing so, they are exercising compassion and a need to feel what the other person may be going through, in order to help them get through their pain (Brooker & Waugh 2013, p. 51). Compassion works toward gaining the trust and understanding of the person in need. This therapeutic relationship is provided professionally and ethically in order to assist the patient attain the best health results at the end of the treatment period. Compassion also brings awareness of one’s personal behaviour or characteristics. It is compassion that calls for the need to have respect for human dignity. This means that there may be no personal gratification present at a patient’s expense, and there can only be feelings of care and understanding when it comes to their pain. This is even if a person may not be easy to deal with as the treatment process continues. Compassion aims at elevating the standards of professional ethics and competence. The responsibilities that arise when it comes to healthcare need to be addressed so that all parties are privy to their duties. This creates a tranquil and serene environment where all parties feel connected under one cause, which is to promote the health and social needs of society (Brooker & Waugh 2013, p. 58). In conclusion, the behaviours and skills needed in the nursing field can be gained through training. This is so as to uphold a working environment that is positive, which may be of benefit to both healthcare givers and patients. The right judgment calls can also be made with such behaviours, thus; increasing the chances of refining the lives, both socially and health wise, of all parties involved (Brooker & Waugh 2013, p. 63). By advocating for the respect and high opinion of people in their care, it is only an issue of time before the nursing fraternity gets the recognition and acknowledgement it truly deserves. References Brooker, C & Waugh, A 2013, Foundations of nursing practice: fundamentals of holistic care, Macmillan Publishers, London. Fitzpatrick, JJ & Kazer, WM 2012, Encyclopedia of nursing research, Hart Publishing, London. Fry, S& Johnstone, MJ 2008, Ethics in nursing practice: a guide to ethical decision making (3rd ed.), Blackwell Publishing, West Sussex, UK. Goodman, B& Clenmow, R 2010,Nursing and collaborative practice: a guide to interprofessional learning and working (2nd ed.), Learning Matters, Essex, UK. Hindle, A, Coates, A & Kingston, P 2011, Nursing care of older people, Hart Publishing, London. McCormack, B & McCance, T 2010,Person-centred nursing: theory and practice, Wiley-Blackwell, West Sussex, UK. McSherry, W, McSherry R & Watson, R 2012, Care in nursing: principles, values, and skills, SAGE, London. Meerabeau, L & Wright, K 2011, Long-term conditions: nursing care and management, Oxford University Press, New York. Peate, I 2010, Nursing care and the activities of living, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Read More