The bedside nurse is a respected member of the interdisciplinary team. Together with the care team, the ability of building a comprehensive care plan is undeniable. The nurse functions as a liaison between families and physicians, as a teacher for families who are required to care for their child at home, and as a social worker, the nurse, by always being present at the bedside, develops and gains the trust of the patients and their families that may otherwise be lacking with other medical professionals. Therefore bridging the gap overall to allow for effective communication and planning. As part of a nursing leadership team, we have been required to elevate our roles to accommodate the needs of the patients and help with admission and discharge planning.
Nursing Times Daly (2004) suggest that “effective communication between professional groups is the linchpin of successful collaboration” Ellingson (2002) supports that comprehensive and effective patient treatment would be impossible without communication between all professionals. Collaborative team work can have a beneficial result in patient outcomes. The multidisciplinary team working together as a group will benefit from other members individual skills and talents to achieve the optimum delivery of care to the patient. Collaboration is also about relationships between all parties and not just working alongside one another. All professionals involved in delivering collaborative care must have sufficient knowledge of their environment, other professionals roles and responsibilities and most importantly about the delivery of care, needs and wishes of the patient.
Thereby patients’ lives are guarded from stake of harm. Advantages of nursing theories are, they provide standardization of nursing whilst the nursing processeses are recognised as a problem solving approach. These theories also signify the individual as a whole hence personalised care is rendered. Other advantages would include expansion and development of nursing, positive effect on nursing students, professional and increased quality of care which is contributed by systematic approach. Rationale of work and having analytical knowledge on patients’ care are undeniable strenghths of nursing theories.
In this way, the patient-centred care can be ensured, and in doing so, the nurse would derive satisfaction in meeting the patient’s needs. As nurses have the unique privilege to be there for patients at their time of need, by using effective listening skills, the nurse is able to demonstrate understanding and acceptance: this intimate experience enables them to build up mutual trust, which is a prerequisite to a therapeutic relationship. The real interpersonal level of connection is only deemed to commence when the patient feels understood by their carers. Although listening has a passive or an active form, it makes a fundamental difference to the interpersonal relationship. A passive listener doesn’t offer their full attention to the speaker, and often shows little interest in what is being said, which can result in the speaker feeling less connected (Appendix 2).
The definition of Evidence Based Practice (EBP) is “professional understanding and action that is based on the thoughtful use of knowledge and information from available, reliable, and dependent sources” (Brown, 2002). The definition also includes the balance of clinical experience, proven evidence from scientific studies with patient input. This input from patients will incorporate their culture, values and other preferences.. Evidence Based Practice is a fluent process that requires nurses to be current and correct on information as it pertains to their daily practice. The intent of EBP is to improve the quality of the care that is delivered to the client.
True to the nurse I am, I possess the knowledge and skill to be an effective, self-confident mentor. Acting as a guide and facilitator of learning. My self-confidence allows for strong communication exemplifying the hard earned experience I have acquired. It also helps to avoid power struggles and dependent relationships, I can provide an empowering relationship, nurturing the mentor to a performance and level of accountability to support their confidence. I can further bring my values, talent and spirit to help shape the leaders of tomorrow.
The presence of effective leaders is both important and beneficial to create and enhance a productive work environment in which the employees are able to develop skills and enhance their own nursing practice. Primary Concepts In the democratic style of nurse the nurse leader attempts to incorporate all staff members in goal-setting and decision making (Northouse, 2014). However, the leader still has the final say. This style of nursing leadership encourages the professional development of nurses and gives them an opportunity to flourish and show self-independence in their own practice The authoritative style of nurse leader ship is a stricter approach to nursing leadership. This style of leadership style is not as flexible and uses little employee feedback for decision making.
Discuss your personal philosophy as a practicing nurse? Provide examples(s) from your experience that demonstrates your use of your philosophy as you care for patients. I will be discussing my own personal nursing philosophy, which is what I believe to be the core characteristics of nursing. My philosophy of nursing focuses on holistic, patient-centered care, compassionate patient relationship, the use of evidence based practice, and community/environment. First, according to McEwen and Willis, holistic nursing is not only concerned with a patient’s physical well being, it is also concerned with a patient’s emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being.
Jean Watson is recognized for her theories on human caring and the way nurses give care. Her theories are used to educate nurses on the integration of care and compassion within the discipline and technology of today’s healthcare organizations to better serve patients. Watson believed that human caring is “not just an emotion, concern, attitude, or benevolent desire. Caring is the moral ideal of nursing whereby the end is protection, enhancement, and preservation of human dignity” (George, 2011, p. 29). With this idea in mind, assessment tools are used by the nurse and physician to protect, enhance, and preserve human dignity (George, 2011).
The nurses and physicians acknowledged the fact that there are substantial advantages for physicians and nurse practitioners to work together. Since the primary health care setting is such a complex commodity it requires individual, personal and collaborative interactions between physicians, nurse practitioners and patients. In order to provide quality care, communication between the physicians and nurse practitioners is of utmost importance (Fairman,