Professionalism in Nursing (Essay Sample)

NURSING
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Date: NURSING
Nursing is a complex profession that requires one to work in a health care organization or as an independent care provider in diagnosing and treating diseases. The profession requires that one should have the necessary skills, standards and ethics in order to meet the expectations of the nursing practice. These skills are offered in many higher level learning institutions as short term or long term courses with the aim of responding to the daily changes in health care needs. The institutions also provide adequate knowledge that is required for leadership roles in the field of nursing.
The course follows a specific outline that combines readings, discussions and assignments that are conducted theoretically in class and also practically in the field. The effects of the course contents are evident in the manner in which nurses change their personal views and nature of practice in the nursing discipline. In the first and the second topic on professional practice and ethics, nurses are first introduced to reflection. This is the process by which nurses should be able to examine their environment and take the necessary actions. It is about analyzing of one’s behaviors and that of others in relation to a certain situation and building on one’s strengths in order to act more effectively in the future. This changes the way a practitioner views things. It prompts them to always act in a manner that ignores their personal assumptions about other people. This changed view has an effect on nursing practice. It makes them feel more committed to their responsibility of providing care to their patients. The practice also helps them to update their skills in this profession CITATION Bow03 \l 1033 (Bowden, 2003).
The part of the code of ethics clearly states the provisions that guide nursing practices. They are obligations that must be followed by anyone who wills to be a nurse. The rules largely affect the way nurses view things. Since they are nonnegotiable, they make the nurses to improve on their relations and their commitment in providing care to all patients, whether they are related to them or not. This also adds to their responsibilities to strive and promote the health of their patients in a manner that upholds integrity and safety. The overall effect of these guidelines is improved healthcare, advancement in nursing skills and maintenance of competence in the profession CITATION Ame01 \l 1033 (Association, 2001).
The other important reading in the profession is the patient safety and nursing quality. In this topic, practitioners are introduced to the evident link that connects patient safety with the quality of the health care provided. Again, nurses are the main players in this area and the skills they obtain changes not only their personal view of things but also the manner in which they practice nursing. They learn on how to use computers, simulators, bar coding and the best way to manage resources, among other practices that have been proved to improve patient safety. Through this knowledge, nurses are able to monitor their actions since enhancing patient safety becomes their full responsibility. Their focus in reducing mortality and morbidity increases.
When it comes to delegation, nurses learn the principles that guide on sharing of tasks and decision making. They are also educated on the rights of delegation and this enables them to put away their personal interests and dedicate their efforts in the roles that they are assigned. This is especially so if the responsibilities are task based. When delegation is done on the basis of the practitioner’s expertise, it leads to improved skills and better results CITATION Wey10 \l 1033 (Weydt, 2010).
There is however some factors that affect the efficiency of nursing practice mainly in the workplace. These factors make it difficult for nurses to feel safe and protected. Such factors are catered for in the reading about nursing rights. The Bill of Rights offers protection to nurses, outlines the resources that nurses need to perform effectively and states all the rights that nurses are entitled to. This increases the sense of confidence in the way nurses carry out their practices. The topic on nursing languages equips the practitioners with adequate knowledge on the recognized terminologies and the sets of data that support nursing practice. Effective practice requires the nurse to have a good understanding of each of the te...