Role of the Professional Nurse Questions and Answers

Role of the Professional Nurse Questions and Answers 1. Discuss the meaning of "profession" and the implications of "being professional." 1. Profession • Unique & specialized body of knowledge & skills • Conformity to standards of profession • Autonomy in decision-making & practice - requires knowledgeable, conscientious, & responsible actions. • Being "professional" makes us "ACCOUNTABLE" to that profession. 2. Define nursing as described by the American Nurses' Association (ANA), 1980. 2. American Nurses Association (ANA) Nursing: A Social Policy Statement • Definition of nursing in 1980: "the diagnosis and treatment of human responses and potential health problems" • Second edition (2003): "Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of the health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families and populations" 3. Discuss components of the nursing role. 3. SBC Nursing Program Philosophy & Definition (2012) • Nursing is an art and a science, integrating the biological and behavioral sciences, as well as the humanities. • Nursing encompasses caring practices, ethical principles, and advocacy, within the framework of the nursing process. • Nursing utilizes theoretical concepts to apply principals of critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and clinical judgment to apply the nursing process to promote quality patient centered care. C. Role of the Professional Nurse 1. Caregiver or Practitioner a. Achieved through utilizing the "Nursing Process." b. Caregiver role includes: i. Collaborative functions ii. Independent functions 2. Patient Advocate a. Advocacy means: • Protecting the rights of the individual. • Safeguarding the client's interest; assuring that he/she receives appropriate care. • Helping to interpret information from physician & health care team so that patient/family is able to make informed decisions. • Assisting patient/family to maximize control over illness. b. Examples: c. Being an advocate does not mean "rescuing." 3. Educator - a. Nurse works with client & family /significant others. b. Assesses learning needs & willingness & ability to learn. c. Provides information on health promotion, illness prevention, complications of disease, & the treatment plan. 4. Discharge Planner / Continuing Care Planner / Case Manager Discharge planning begins on admission! Example: 5. Care Coordinator/ Manager -- Leadership Role a. In this role the RN directs & coordinates the actions of other health care team members in determining & achieving patient goals. b. Examples: c. Head of the health care team is the Physician 6. Change Agent -- Creating CHANGE in nursing profession. a. Implies readiness— i. Implies individual change & community change- ii 4. Discuss the meaning of the statement: "The nurse acts as the patient's advocate." 2. Patient Advocate a. Advocacy means: • Protecting the rights of the individual. • Safeguarding the client's interest; assuring that he/she receives appropriate care. • Helping to interpret information from physician & health care team so that patient/family is able to make informed decisions. • Assisting patient/family to maximize control over illness. b. Examples: c. Being an advocate does not mean "rescuing." 5. Discuss the definition & process of "evidence-based practice." i. Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) - Using the results of research to guide clinical practice ii. Steps: 1. Ask the burning clinical question. 2. Collect the best evidence available. 3. Critically appraise the evidence. 4. Integrate the available evidence (with clinical expertise, client preference, and values in developing a practice decision or change.) 5. Evaluate the EBN decision or change. Define "Nurse Practice Act" and discuss its importance to nursing practice. D. Legal Definition of Nursing -- "How Nurses Practice" a. Varies from state to state: dependent upon the state's Nurse Practice Act (NPA) 1. The Nurse Practice Act: 2. Collection of laws that defines how we must practice nursing. • Administer medications per MD order • Observe medication responses &/or side effects • Observe general physical & mental conditions of individual patients • Document nursing care • Supervise allied nursing personnel • Coordinate members of the health care team 7. Discuss what is meant by "collaborative practice." 1. Caregiver or Practitioner a. Achieved through utilizing the "Nursing Process." b. Caregiver role includes: i. Collaborative functions ii. Independent functions 8. Differentiate between independent & dependent nursing practice. b. Common practice -- 1. Independent functions- • Patient assessment • Practices that ensure patient safety, comfort, hygiene, protection, disease prevention, & restorative care. • Initiation of emergency procedures • Delegation & supervision of subordinates 2. Dependent functions- Those that require an MD order to perform. 9. List some "expanded" roles of the nurse. 3. Expansive or "overlapping" Practice- those functions that have traditionally been within the realm of medicine, but are practiced by nurses with special training in accordance with standardized procedures. • Those standardized procedures are written & approved by nursing, medicine and agency administration. • Legal mechanism which allows the nurse to practice in areas traditionally considered to be within the realm of practice • Usually performed by advanced practice nurses • Examples: c. The professional nurse is held accountable for the activities as defined in his/her state's Nurse Practice Act. 10. Describe the concept of "accountability" in nursing practice. Accountability means Responsibility for the moral & legal requirements of providing proper patient/client care. • Answering to the client, family, physician, colleagues, supervisor, and administrator. • Accepting responsibility for the outcomes of nursing care rendered. • Includes personal conduct as well as care rendered. • Includes judgment, action, and communication 11. Define "critical thinking" and discuss its relevance to nursing practice. "A dynamic, purposeful, analytic process that results in reasoned decisions and judgments. This process incorporates the following competencies: interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and self-regulation. The critical thinker is characterized by open-mindedness, flexibility, rationality, inquisitiveness, intuitiveness, and reflection." (ATI, 2001)