WHO IS A NURSE?
According to International Council of Nurses (ICN), a Nurse is a person who has completed a program of basic, generalized nursing education and is authorized by the appropriate regulatory authority to practice nursing in his/her country. This individual must be prepared and licensed; to practice the general scope of nursing which includes promotion of health, prevention of illness, and care of physically ill, mentally ill and disabled of all ages in all settings; to carry out health care teaching; to actively participate in the health care team; and to be involved in research (ICN, 1987).
As opposed to the general idea that the nurse is just that individual that checks vital signs, update medical records and does other biddings of the physician, the nurse plays so many roles across different settings. Nursing has been described as “The Heartbeat of Health Care” by Registered Nurse and Author, Shantay Carter. This can be seen in the nurses’ role as the Coordinator of health care processes. Every activity that involves the patient is usually planned and carried out with the nurses’ involvement.
NURSE AS AN EDUCATOR
From training to practice, health education is an important aspect of nursing care. According to the nursing definition by Virginia Henderson, the nurse is to deliver care in a way that the patient gains independence as rapidly as possible, so if they are to gain independence, they must be taught. Who best to teach than the very person that has been assisting with the performance of those activities? The nurse educates individuals on how to manage their symptoms, measures needed to maintain optimal health status and so on. The recipient of their health teachings can be individuals, families and communities in different settings, with the over goal of promoting health and preventing illness.
NURSE AS A COUNSELLOR
By the therapeutic relationship established with the clients during the delivering of care, to express their concerns to the nurse and receive clarifications that will assist in making informed decisions. The nurse counsels the client on different treatment plans, the pros and cons attached to any of the plans, while still allowing the patient to go with their preferred course of action. Also, the nurse counsels on adaptive behaviours the client can adapt to cope with the different life stressors.
The nurse is bound by the ethics of the profession to maintain confidentiality. She is to protect the privacy of her client in exception of a situation of an imminent risk of harm to the client or others. The awareness that information shared with the nurse remains private and safe encourages the client to confide and entrust with the nurse, information about them. Having a listening ear to share with, helps promote the client psychological status, thereby promoting health.
NURSE AS AN ADVOCATE
Advocacy is a key aspect of what nurses do across different specialities and health care settings. A nurse is better equipped to initiate and influence policies on behalf of his or her client to achieve the best result within the shortest time. Being privy to information about the client that is not known to other members of the health care team, the nurse recommends care plans on behalf of the patient to the physician.
NURSE AS A RESEARCHER
The nurse is responsible to carry out research individually or with a team of researchers with the sole purpose of generating a result that will influence nursing and the health care system. They participate in research as respondents as well as assisting in administering the research instrument to patients in their care. With the increased focus on Evidence-based practice, there has been a higher demand for nurses’ involvement in research.
In conclusion, Nursing as a profession is unique and broad, essential in every place where human exists. Nursing, when effectively carried out, leads to positive health outcomes with patient satisfaction at the core. Nursing roles, though unnoticed by most people, are very pivotal in achieving the best results.
Kudos to the Heroes and Heroines rarely recognized and appreciated!
HAPPY NURSES’ WEEK 2020
REFERENCES
Flavin, B (2019) Who Is a Nurse? A Closer Look at These Superheroes in Scrubs. Available from: https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/nursing/blog/not-just-a-nurse/ [Accessed 16 July 2020].
ICN (1987) International Council of Nurses: Nursing Definitions. Available from: https://www.icn.ch/nursing-policy/nursing-definitions [Accessed 15 July 2020].