Dorothea E. Orem established the Self-Care Deficit Theory, which envisioned health as encompassing a person's mental state, body, and alertness (American Nurses Association, 2005). According to this view, treatment is improved and becomes effective only when the patient understands her illness or the causes that contribute to it. It is therefore critical that an individual be aware of preventive measures and works closely with healthcare providers to improve their health (American Nurses Association, 2005). People must take responsibility for their own health as well as the health of others around them. Nurses according to the self-care theory are only helping agents meaning that there must be a strong relationship between the two for treatment to be effective (Russell, 2012). The theory is a good determinant of good nursing practices because it allows the nurse to assess the understanding of the patient’s condition and also educate him or her on the necessary measures that they can take to get better.
How it fits my practice
The self-care deficit theory fits my nursing profession because I understand my role in offering health solutions. Nurses act as a close link to the doctor and the patient (Russell, 2012). It is important for a patient to understand the condition that they are in because this encourages them to take their medications and eventually get better. Further, knowing the preventive measures will also ensure that the patient is more alert to the causing factors to avoid reinfection or recurrence of the disease. Through this theory, I can well assess the self-care deficits that may be in the health care system. Most of the patients tend to be ignorant and also lack the desire to understand their health at a deeper angle, and this means that they are likely to miss out on medication or return to the old habits that caused their illness in the first place. As a nurse, I have the responsibility to offer public education to the people and also sensitize them on the need for self-care and observing proper hygiene measures.
B
Discuss contributions of two nurses
Margaret Sanger, born on September 14, 1879, made a great contribution to the health sector. Sanger’s works greatly impacts my profession as a health care professional who deal with women on a constant basis. Sanger fought for the birth control plan since she discovered that women were indeed suffering from unplanned pregnancies (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). Besides, getting a child soon after one had delivered also has devastating effects either mentally, financially or even psychologically. Sanger therefore felt that women should be given the right to get a birth control program that gives them control over their lives and also enables them to choose when to deliver and how many children to get.
Jeanne prentices, a certified midwife believe that childbirth should be a natural process with little medical interventions (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). At this age where most women in the hospitals are opting for a caesarian section, understanding her work enables me to educate women on the need to have a natural birth and the effects of a caesarian section on a woman’s body and its implication on future births. Jane has combined traditional nursing with technical nursing in that while she was professional in her work, she was human and was also attentive to the client’s needs. Jeanne also advocated for home birth and she believed that women are likely to have a smooth birthing process is they were allowed to choose a place they would deliver at and the people around her. The hospital setting is likely to bring tension, fear and uncertainty as compared to a home birth because the familiarity tends to ease the whole process.
Differences
Jeanie prentice has focused on her PUSH initiative which allows women to have a natural birth without any medical interventions (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). In fact, the midwife is pushing for a referendum to ensure that the nurses are allowed to attend to home births without a physician. Jeannie also advocates for a natural family planning and she also contends that women can be able to time and study their cycle instead of taking drugs to influence their hormones.
Margaret Sanger on the other had believed that women should take charge of their lives even if it entails seeking for medical interventions (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). According to Sanger, women should have access to family planning so that they can take control over their lives. According to Sanger, natural family planning may not always be effective and women suffer a lot when they do not take preventive measures and end up getting unplanned pregnancies.
How they have influenced my work
Following through the nurses’ work has really changed my perception of pregnancy and birthing. As a nurse, understand the huge responsibility that I have of ensuring that women understand the choices that they have and the implications of their actions. For instance, often, I engage women in birth control education where I educate them on the different birth control programs and their effects. I also teach on natural family planning and offer personalized classes to people who would love to master their cycle and effectively use this method.
C
Functional differences between the State board if nursing and ANA
The state board of nursing oversees the nursing career and ensures that the public has competent nurses to serve them (American Nurses Association, 2005) . The nursing board recognizes that that nursing career is indeed risky and it can even get worse when the public is served by a person who is not qualified for the job (American Nurses Association, 2005). The nursing board sets the requirements that nurses should have before practicing and the rules and ethics that governs the profession (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). The nursing board also sets the requirements for a nursing license and the ground for discipline and termination from work.
The American nurses association on the other had is a board that oversees the needs of the nurses and ensures that the nurses work within the right atmosphere (American Nurses Association, 2005). The American nurses association hence champions for the rights of the nurse which also includes against intimidation and a good collective bargaining power (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). The American nursing association understands that contented nurses are likely to offer good medical services thus strongly championing for their rights.
2. How they influence my nursing role.
As a nurse, I am rest assured that the American nursing association has my back and this gives me the confidence to carry out my task knowing that I will be well compensated and also protected from unlawful sacking. The nursing council board, however, keeps me grounded and disciplined in my work knowing that I should always put the patients first despite their backgrounds, political affiliations and even, status.
3. A nurse is held with high regard and is also expected to be accountable to the rules set by the nursing board. Licensed nurses hence need to be keen in their work and also ensure that they are always upholding their professional values, work ethics and principles (American Nurses Association, 2005). Failure to maintain the standards can attract fines and in some cases a legal action. For instance, a nurse who fails to help an ailing patient resulting to her death can be sued, and this may also affect her license since she has ignored the principle of nonmaleficence. The nurses who fail to maintain the standards may also be required to take a refresher course if the challenge is with understanding the principles in place (Cherry & Jacob, 2017).
Licensing requirements in a compact and a non-compact state
In a compact state, nurses ought to declare that they are residents in an individual state. The compact state nurses are allowed to practice mobile nursing and serve patients in other compact states (American Nurses Association, 2005). The nurses in a compact state get licensing based on their training requirements. The nurses also ought to pass the relevant tests to get the license for practicing in that state (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). The nurses, however, are not allowed to practice multidisciplinary nursing and they, are also required to live in the state where they are practicing. The nurses also ought to pass the relevant nursing tests in the non-compact states.
D
Discuss how regulatory agencies define your nursing practice in the role of patient advocacy and safety.
The regulatory agencies set the rules and guidelines that nurses ought to follow while practicing their career. Patient advocacy entails engaging in activities that will improve the health outcome of the patient and protects their legal and civil rights when necessary (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). As a registered nurse, I, therefore, have the right to advocate for the right treatment for the patient's and even a hospital transfer when the current facility becomes ineffective. As a patient advocate, I am not required to oblige to family requests regarding the patient’s knowledge of their condition but meet the desire for the patient to obtain the information. As a nurse, I am required to uphold all safety measures that would enhance patient’s security and also minimize the chance of reinfection. The nursing licensing board, for instance, keeps nurses on toes and this, hence enables them to be professional in their work and follow the right policies in place to ensure that they treat the patients well. The regulatory bodies also keep the nurses updated on the trends and the changes in treatment and compliance to maximize the patient’s safety.
The food and drug administration (FDA) and the CMS (Centre for medic aid and Medicare services) ensure that patients the right treatment that will not harm them and instead heal their diseases (American Nurses Association, 2005). FDAT examines all the medicines to ensure that they are the right fit for the patients and the conditions that are suffering from (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). A patient who asks for an alternative therapy indicates that she is discontent with the services currently being offered and hence would look for other channels. The two bodies ought to evaluate the gap that is currently being faced and the factors that would prompt the patient to seek for alternative services. The two organizations established the rules and mandate of a doctor in regards to dispensing medicines specified to every condition. The medics should hence advise the patient on the suitability of the alternative therapy and the effects that it would have on the body if they reacted with the current medication that he is taking.
E. Nursing practice act function
The nursing practices act sets the guidelines that nurses follow in their practice with the objective of enhancing quality health care for people.
1. Discuss similarities and differences
The nursing practices act in New York sets the guidelines hat nurses must follow before they get a license. The act serves the same function in Florida as it also sets the requirements for the nurse’s training and licensing. The nurses are required to renew their license after every two years in Florida while in New York, they only renew after three years (Cherry & Jacob, 2017).
Nurses in New York are only allowed to practice within the scope where they are qualified in. Extending beyond one’s capabilities may potentially harm patients and also risk their lives and hence be guilty of professional misconduct (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). In Florida, a registered nurse, practical nurse is qualified to assess the patients and offer relevant treatment from their diagnosis. A nursing assistant however is limited in her work and can only work under a supervised physician.
3. Rules for effective delegation
Nurses in Florida should not delegate their work if it will interfere with treatment or violate the organization’s policy (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). The nurse must explain the scope of work to the new care giver and the progress that has been made so far. In New York State, a nurse can only delegate her work to a licensed professional and not a unlicensed person.
4. The nurses in New York and Florida ought to pass the minimal requirements for safe practice (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). A nurse who violates the standards can be revoked of her licensed and banned from serving in the states. The nurse must adhere to basic hygiene standards, etiquette and be alert of the infections that are likely to recur in the hospital setting this arresting.
F Distinguish Advocacy
Nurses and assistant nurses in the role of advocacy.
Scientists
The nurse professional engage in personalized research to help pharmacists create medicines that would have a high impact on the patients. In this case, he nurses evaluates what have worked over time and assess it to the new developments in place.
Detective
The nurses serve as a detective because they have the ability to evaluate the patent’s conditions and hence examine activities that would worsen or improve the situation (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). A nurse ought to have an eye for detail which also enables her to treat hide ailments and manage medication for the patient. The nurses must also have the ability to interrogate and ask questions related to the health of the patients.
A Healing Environmental Manager
As a nurse assistant, one has the right to champion for the hospital and the patient’s rights and suggesting policies that would enhance healing at the workplace (Russell, 2012). The nurses also ought to ensure that the environment that the patient is in is calming and less stressing thus encouraging healing. In this case, the manager can manipulate the ward for instance to calm the patient and also enable them to be positive about the healing process.
G. Identify Provisions
Provisions in the American nursing association
Provision one: The nurse ought to have compassion and respect while paying attention to the uniqueness, worth and dignity of every individual (Russell, 2012).
Provision two. The nurse should focus on the patient regardless of his affiliation (Russell, 2012).
1. How they influence my nursing practice
The American Nursing Association provision enables me to respect the autonomy of people and preserve their honor and integrity. Furthermore, I am committed to my patients regardless of where they come from and the connections they come in the society. I understand that every patient is a client whose needs should be immediately met with no discrimination.
2. Nursing error
As a new nurse, I had to navigate through the murky waters of being in a new environment. Was working on a night shift this particular day and I was exhausted since I had also covered up for a sick nurse during the morning hours. At this point, everything would upset me, and I realized that I was slowly getting impatient. I remember a particular patient who I had to assist nurse her child as she had just given birth. The mother seemed to be in distress, and she was reluctant to breastfeed her child. I remember getting irritated by the mother’s indifference, and I walked away and told her that she could call me when she is ready to be a mother to her child. At this point, I was so mad, and I knew spending one more minute with the mother would be disastrous.
How the provision can be applied to the error
The nursing provision five states that the nurse owes a duty to herself and others. In this case, I should have taken some time off after the morning shift to have some rest so that I start on a smooth slate later on in the evening. Provision eight also recommends that nurses collaborate with other health professionals to enhance the welfare of the patients. In this case, I ought to have requested another nurse to come in and offer to counsel to the mother and educate her on the need to breastfeed her infant.
H. Four leadership qualities that represent excellence in nursing
Time management
An effective nurse ought to master their time management skill due to the workload t avoid stress (Russell, 2012). In this case, it is important for the nurses to learn how to prioritize, organize planning and even scheduling different activities.
Self-awareness
An efficient nurse is aware of her personal views and bias which may potentially affect her job and hence deals with the issues promptly. It is important for a nursing leader to regularly examine her thoughts, opinion and stress factors to be a good leader (Russell, 2012) effectively. A nurse ought to always read her emotions and understand when to release them to the patient.
Team building skills
An effective nurse leader ought to collaborate with others and build great teams that will potentially improve the health sector (Russell, 2012). The nurse should understand the professional values of her coworkers and ensure there is minimal conflict while working with other nurses.
Social awareness
An effective nurse ought to know what other people are going through and be attentive to their needs (Russell, 2012). It is hence important that a nurse practices apathy because this ensures that he is objective when treating the patients and is also aligns their treatment to their values.
Significance of the leadership qualities
A leader on the bed side
Nurses should be apathetic to the patients’ needs and feelings. The nurse ought to be a counselor at the time of need and also offer reassurance to the patient that their treatment is indeed working well (Russell, 2012).
Within the nursing team
Nurse leaders deal with various personalities across the organization. Furthermore, the nurse should be a good team player and ensure that she is self-aware of her feelings and anger hence choosing when and if to direct the same to their patients (Russell, 2012).
Within the interdisciplinary team
A nurse ought to smoothly work with other professionals in a hospital setting (Russell, 2012). It is hence important to understand the diversity and also help to minimize conflicts at the workplace.
How organization structure affects nursing leadership, decision making, and professional development
Our organization recognizes the great milestones that the nurses have made to maintain the standards within the hospitals. Decision making is autonomous in the organization, and every nurse is trusted with the responsibility of acting in the best interest of the hospital. The organization also supports the nurses who want to further their education through moral and financial assistance.
References
American Nurses Association. (2005). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. Silver Spring, MD: Nursesbooks.org/American Nurses Association.
Cherry, B., & Jacob, S. R. (2017). Contemporary nursing: Issues, trends, & management. St. Louis, Missouri : Elsevier.
Russell, K. A. (2012). Nurse practice acts guide and govern nursing practice. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 3(3), 36-42.
