Introduction
Nursing takes one of the leading places in the medical service and is very important and essential in the whole process. Florence Nightingale describes nursing as being in charge of personal health of another individual where nurses need to put the patient in best conditions allowing nature to take its course. American nurses Association came up with a definition that is more indicative of today’s reality and standards. Nursing is described as the process of constant promotion and increasing of the health abilities; finding all the possible ways of decreasing the existent and future health problems and different types of disabilities and taking particular care of the patients helping not only them but families of sick people as well.
The distinguishing factor between nursing and other practitioners including physicians is that a nurse is supposed to look at the patient within the context of different variables and not the medical problem on its own. Physicians play an important role in the diagnosis of illness and giving of prognosis, while nurses research and present a fully functioning and effective healthcare system. This fact is contrary to the misconception of seniority between physicians and nurses
Care Delivery
Vision and mission statements act as aids to nurse and their work. These guidelines are inline whit what a particular organization intends to achieve both in short and long tern. The mission statement intends to guide Nurses and outline what need to be done in the present in order to achieve the organizations vision. For example, free condoms for adults. The vision statement would be on a broader scale as it outlines what one would want to achieve in the future.
For example, nurses would want to look forward to working in an environment free from HIV/AIDS hence inculcating this in their vision statement. Nevertheless, they are the only people who can handle such an atmosphere. Both the missions and vision statements help the nurses to have certain goals and objectives as they carry out their research and provision of healthcare. According to N. Hoffart, a professional practice model in nursing is a system that supports “registered nurse control over the delivery of nursing care and the environment in which care is delivered, i.e.
- values,
- professional relationships,
- a patient care delivery model,
- a management approach,
- compensation and rewards mechanisms” (1996).
According to G.L. Hasenry (1998), these nursing professional practice models have basis on components of a care delivery method. For example, the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) has a professional practice model that is drawn from relationship care delivery model. Therefore, nurses are to pay more attention to taking care of and for the patients and the process of their healing, thus they are also to maintain the relationships with patients and their family. Another example is the Main Line Health. Main Line Health describes professional practice model as a system of structure that upholds nurses in their everyday performances. Virginia Henderson a well-known nurse practitioner and theorist valued the existence of unique relationship between nurses and patients. Modern nursing honors Virginia referring her as Florence Nightingale of the modern nursing, she defines the works of nurses as unique in character. She continues to say that nurses make it possible for the patient to be fully independent. Virginia’s theory is uncomplicated and easy to implement, giving a good basis for the formulation of the professional practice model. This theory consists of four major components, which include:
- an individual,
- environment,
- health,
- nursing.
The individual is looked as one who should have easy access to basic needs. He/she requires constant attention and assistance in order to attain good health. However, nurses should assess patients from multiple angles considering that the mind of the individual and his body are inseparable. The component of environment needs to be looked both external and internal conditions and influences that would affect life and development of the patient and their family. Therefore, the nurse should observe the patient in relation to the family setup. Here, the nurse is encouraged to provide the right environment under which the patient can perform independent practices for example breathing on his own. Here it goes as a collaboration of the patients and nurses.
The component of health, which behooves the nurse to understand that the achievement of health for the patient, may be a problem due to other factors. Nurses need to categorize patients differently as different factors may affect them. These factors are not limited to the following items, but may include:
- age,
- cultural background,
- mental stability,
- immediate emotional state.
These factors may have different impacts on the patients and their ability to achieve their needs without assistance D. S. Paulson (2004).
Lastly, the component of nursing. Nurses should carry out her duties with the highest level of standards. The assistance to the patient should be temporary with the view that the patients need to be able to take care of themselves. Nurses should be able to carry out physicians therapeutic care by coming up with creative ways of handling different patients as per their needs. According to B.H. Banathy (1996), nurses should uphold emphasis on research since nurses solve their problems scientifically. Research is a component that would be of necessity in the modern nursing age as technologies shift and change at a whim according to M. Lenninger (1981). Therefore, the modern nurse needs to keep abreast with the most recent happenings and carry out regular consultations with those in the same field. Nurses need to maintain excellence in service of caring for the patients. They need to be above average in the treatment of the patient maintaining good records and carrying out research. Medicine is a developing process and each passing day it has corresponding changes followed by the ones that have been built on the previous ones.
Associations are part of every profession including nursing where nurses can articulate problems faced and share with peers on how to better themselves their welfare whilst maintaining integrity and providing required health care. Professional nurse needs to be aware of his or her environment and take up partnerships in the society that would improve the environment G.L. Hasenry (1998).
In conclusion, it is necessary to note the importance of a nursing professional practice model as it gives significance to the work carried out by the nurses. Actually, in every type of work, the preparation is a very important and significant aspect of the beginning of the corresponding career. Medical centers must be equipped with all needed stuff as it makes up an essential part of the medical service. Nursing professional practice model encourages any nursing center to create the model in order to guide our nurses to greater heights.
References
Banathy, B. H. (1996). Designing Social Systems In A Changing World. New York: Plenum Press.
Hasenry, G. L. (1998). Greek English Lexicon on Perseus. Digital Library.
Lenninger, M. (1981). The phenomenon of caring: Importance, research questions and theoretical considerations. In M. Lenninger (Ed.), Caring: An essential human need (p. 9). Thorofare, NJ: Charles B Slack.
Hoffart, N., & Woods, C. Q. (1996). Elements of a Nursing Professional Practice Model. Kansas City: University of Kansas, School of Nursing.
Paulson, D. S. (2004). Taking care of patients and caring for patients are not the same. AORN Online, 79(2), 359-360.