Introduction
Among other medical staff, nurses possess a unique role in promoting and protecting the community’s health. They are present throughout the entire continuum of care, from prenatal to end-of-life care (Sekse et al., 2018). Spending time with patients, community health nurses often obtain a particular connection with people they care about, which only increases their significance. This essay will examine some of the primary nurses functions and responsibilities and provide examples of actions in the health care area taken by me.
Nurses Functions and Responsibilities
It is difficult to count all the functions nurses fulfill daily because of their patients’ variety of needs, which must be met. Sekse et al. (2018) state that nurses play a key role as coordinators of care in the communication process between patients and other medical staff. It is essential to ensure that the patient understands the doctor’s information and feedback, as it is vital for recovering (Sekse et al., 2018). Community health nurses are responsible for promoting a healthy lifestyle and improving their patients’ physical and mental state based on ethical decision-making and moral rules (Stanhope and Lancaster, 2015). This week I learned the significance of the nurses role and additional functions and responsibilities in the community health care area regarding communication and ethical decision-making process.
My Actions to Improve Health Area
Despite comparatively little experience in the community health area, I determined the potential efforts I may take in the future to promote and protect it. Previously, I attended a community clinical at the Children’s Home of Cincinnati. On this experience base, through the communication process and observations, I recognized that nutritional area in low-income communities requires improvements. I have faced a phenomenon when people have low access to nutritious food called “food desert” (Lewis et al., 2018). The concept of food deserts is a difficulty that I intend to help solve through food culture education. I am confident that my actions will increase people’s knowledge about nutritious food and help them choose products more rationally.
Conclusion
To conclude, nurses play a crucial role in promoting and protecting community health due to being coordinators of the communication process and assisting patients in fulfilling their daily needs. I learned that nurses should take actions on an ethical decision-making base and search for approaches to developing patients’ overall physical and mental state. I chose the area where I feel the necessity of enhancements and will make efforts to conduct them.
References
Lewis, F. W., Mandal, A., Stevens, A., & Jones, C. (2018). Food deserts and food insecurity: A case study in Jacksonville, Florida. Journal of Behavioral & Social Sciences, 5(1), 41-49.
Sekse, R. J. T., Hunskår, I., & Ellingsen, S. (2018). The nurse’s role in palliative care: A qualitative meta‐synthesis. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 27(1-2), 21-38. Web.
Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2015). Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community. Elsevier Health Sciences.