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| Advanced Nursing 2021, Tokyo, Japan |
Beyond
the time-honored reputation for compassion and dedication lies a highly
specialized profession, which is constantly evolving to address the needs of
society. From ensuring the most accurate diagnoses to the ongoing education of
the public about critical health
issues; nurses
are indispensable in safeguarding public health.
Nursing can be
described as both an art and a science; a heart and a mind. At its heart, lies
a fundamental respect for human dignity and an intuition for a patient’s needs.
This is supported by the mind, in the form of rigorous core learning. Due to
the vast range of specialisms and complex skills in the nursing profession, each nurse
will have specific strengths, passions, and expertise.
However, nursing
has a unifying ethos: In assessing a
patient, nurses
do not just consider test results. Through the critical thinking exemplified in
the nursing
process (see below), nurses
use their judgment to integrate objective data with subjective experience of a
patient’s biological, physical and behavioral needs. This ensures that every
patient, from city hospital to community health
center; state prison to summer camp, receives the best possible care regardless
of who they are, or where they may be.
What exactly do nurses do?
In a
field as varied as nursing,
there is no typical answer. Responsibilities can range from making acute
treatment decisions to providing inoculations in schools. The key unifying
characteristic in every role is the skill and drive that it takes to be a nurse.
Through long-term monitoring of patients’ behavior and knowledge-based
expertise, nurses
are best placed to take an all-encompassing view of a patient’s wellbeing.
What types of nurses
are there?
All nurses
complete a rigorous program of extensive education and study, and work directly
with patients, families, and communities using the core values of the nursing process. In
the United States today, nursing
roles can be divided into three categories by the specific responsibilities
they undertake.
Registered Nurses
Registered
nurses (RN) form the backbone of health care
provision in the United States. RNs provide critical health
care to the public wherever it is needed.
Key
Responsibilities
·
Perform
physical exams and health
histories before making critical decisions
·
Provide
health promotion, counseling
and education
·
Administer
medications and other personalized interventions
·
Coordinate
care, in collaboration with a wide array of health care
professionals
·
Advanced
Practice Registered
Nurses
Advance
Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) hold at least a Master’s degree, in
addition to the initial nursing education
and licensing required for all RNs. The responsibilities of an APRN include,
but are not limited to, providing invaluable primary and preventative health care to the public.
APRNs treat and diagnose illnesses, advise the public on health issues, manage chronic
disease and engage in continuous education to remain at the very forefront of
any technological, methodological, or other developments in the field.
APRNs Practice
Specialist Roles
·
Nurse
Practitioners prescribe medication, diagnose and treat minor illnesses and
injuries
·
Certified
Nurse-Midwives
provide gynecological and low-risk obstetrical care
·
Clinical
Nurse
Specialists handle a wide range of physical and mental health
problems
·
Certified
Registered Nurse Anesthetists administer more than 65 percent of all
anesthetics
Licensed Practical
Nurses (LPN), also known as Licensed Vocational Nurses
(LVNs), support the core health care
team and work under the supervision of an RN, APRN or MD. By providing basic
and routine care, they ensure the wellbeing of patients throughout the whole of
the health
care journey
Key
Responsibilities
·
Check
vital signs and look for signs that health is
deteriorating or improving
·
Perform
basic nursing functions such
as changing bandages and wound dressings
·
Ensure
patients are comfortable, well-fed and hydrated
·
May
administer medications in some settings
What is the nursing process?
No
matter what their field or specialty, all nurses
utilize the same nursing
process; a scientific method designed to deliver the very best in patient care,
through five simple steps.
Assessment – Nurses
assess patients on an in-depth physiological, economic, social and lifestyle
basis.
Diagnosis – Through careful consideration
of both physical symptoms and patient behavior, the nurse
forms a diagnosis.
Outcomes / Planning – The nurse uses their
expertise to set realistic goals for the patient’s recovery. These objectives
are then closely monitored.
Implementation – By accurately implementing the
care plan, nurses
guarantee consistency of care for the patient whilst meticulously documenting
their progress.
Evaluation – By closely analyzing the
effectiveness of the care plan and studying patient response, the nurse
hones the plan to achieve the very best patient outcomes.
Nurses are
Key to the Health
of the Nation
There are over 4 million registered nurses in the
United States today. That means that one in every 100 people is a registered nurse. Nurses are
in every community – large and small – providing expert care from birth to the
end of life.
According
to the January 2012 “United States Registered Nurse
Workforce Report Card and Shortage Forecast” in the American Journal of Medical
Quality, a shortage of registered nurses is
projected to spread across the country between 2009 and 2030. In this state-by-state
analysis, the authors forecast the RN shortage to be most intense in the South
and the West
Nurses'
roles range from direct patient care and case management to establishing nursing practice
standards, developing quality assurance procedures, and directing complex nursing care systems.
For more about Advanced Nursing 2021, Visit: https://nursing.nursingmeetings.com/
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