NURSING AN ART AND SCIENCE

NURSING
- a caring profession, a unique profession, practiced with an earnest concern for the art of care and the science of health. Involve a humanistic blend of scientific knowledge, and holistic nursing practice.
- today nursing is the result of changes in the scientific, technological, political, social and economic climate.

CONCEPTS OF NURSING AND CARING

*FOUR MAJOR CONCEPTS IN NURSING THEORIES: PERSON, ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH, AND NURSING

*NIGHTINGALE-the act of utilizing the environment of the patient to assists him in his recovery.

*HENDERSON-the unique function of the nurse is to assists the individuals, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to the health or its recovery that he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will, or knowledge, to do this in such a way as to help him gain independence as rapidly as possible.

*ROGERS-a humanistic science dedicated to compassionate concern with maintaining and promoting health and preventing illness and caring for and rehabilitating the sick and disabled.

*ROY-a theoretical system of knowledge that prescribes a process of analysis and action related to the care of the ill person.

*OREM-a helping or assisting service to persons who are wholly or partly dependent, when other persons responsible for their care are no longer able to give or supervise their care.

*KING-a helping profession that assists individuals and groups in society to attain, maintain and restore health.If this is not possible, nurses help individual die with dignity.

*NEUMAN-a unique profession in that it is concerned with all of the variables affecting an individual's response to stressors, which are intra-,inter-, and extra personal in nature.

*JOHNSON- an external regulatory force that acts to preserve the organization and integration of the client's behavior at an optimal level under those conditions in which the behavior constitute a threat to physical or social health or in which illness is found.

*BENNER-caring means that persons,events, projects, and things matter to people."Caring creates possibility"

*LEININGER-caring is the essence and central unifying, and dominant domain that distinguishes nursing from the other health disciplines.

*WATSON-Caring-healing is communicated through the consciousness of the nurse to the individual being cared for. Transpersonal caring expands the limits of openness and allows access to higher human spirit thus expanding human consciousness.

5 PROCESSES OF CARING:

1. KNOWING-striving to understand an event as it has meaning in the life of the other.
2. BEING WITH-is being emotionally present to the other.
3. DOING FOR-is doing for the other as he or she would do for the self if it were at all possible.
4. MAINTAINING BELIEF-is sustaining faith in the other's capacity to get through an event or transition and face the future with meaning.

CARING in nursing practice involves:

1. Providing presence
2. Comforting
3. Listening
4. Knowing the client
5. Spiritual caring
6. Family care

Nursing as a Profession

Nursing is a profession possessing the following primary characteristics:

1. Education. A profession requires an extended education of its members, as well as basic liberal foundation.
2. Theory. A profession has a theoretical body of knowledge leading to defined skills, abilities and norms.
3. Service. A profession provides basic service.
4. Autonomy. Members of a profession have autonomy in decision making and in practice.
5. Code of Ethics. The profession as a whole has a code of ethics for practice. A profession has sufficient self-impelling power to retain its members throughout life. It must not be a mere stepping stone to other occupations.
6. Caring. The most unique characteristic of nursing as a profession is that, it is a caring profession.

QUALIFICATIONS AND ABILITIES OF A PROFESSIONAL NURSE:

1. Has faith in the fundamental values that underlie the democratic way of life, example: Respect for human dignity,Self-sacrifice for the common good.
2. Has a sense of responsibility for understanding those with whom he/she works or associates with through the use of the following skills: Utilizing relevant basic concepts of psychology, Working effectively through therapeutic relationship.
3. Has faith in the reality of spiritual and aesthetic values and awareness of the value and the pleasure of self-development through the pursuit of some aesthetic interests.
4. Has the basic knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to address present-day social problems, realistic, incisive and well organized thoughts through the use of critical thinking.Critical thinking is securing, appraising and organizing evidence.
5. Has skill in using written and spoken language and both to develop own thoughts and to communicate them to others.
6. Appreciates and understands the importance of good health.
7. Has emotional balance. Is able to maintain poise and composure in trying situations.
8. Likes hard work and possesses a capacity for it.
9. Appreciates high standards of workmanship.
10. Accepts and tries to understand people of all sorts regardless of race religion and color.
11. Knows nursing so thoroughly that every client will receive excellent care.

COMPONENTS OF A GOOD PERSONALITY:
*Personal appearance- your appearance often reveals more about the real you than any words you may say.

COMPONENTS OF PERSONAL APPEARANCE:

1. posture
2. grooming
3. dress and uniform

*Character- refers to the moral values and beliefs that are used as guides to personal behavior and actions. Charity is the greatest virtue and serves as the foundation for a sense of values and the development of human character.

4 VIRTUES EMANATING FROM THE PRACTICE OF CHARITY:

1. justice
2. prudence
3. fortitude
4. temperance

ATTRIBUTES OF CHARACTER:

1. honesty
2. loyalty
3. tolerance
4. judgment
5. reliability
6. motivation
7. resourcefulness
8. moderation

*Attitude-a manner of acting, thinking or feeling that is indicated by ones response toward another person,situation or experience.

EIGHT BE-ATTITUDE OF A NURSE:

1. acceptance
2. helpfulness
3. friendliness
4. firmness
5. permissiveness
6. limit setting
7. sincerity
8. competence

*Charm-to influence the senses or the mind by some quality or attraction;delight.

TO ACQUIRE CHARM ONE NEEDS TO CULTIVATE THE FOLLOWING:

1. voice
2. manner
3. heart
4. intelligence
5. poise

ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF A PROFESSIONAL NURSE:

1. Care Provider-the nurse supports the client by attitudes and actions that show concern for client welfare and acceptance of the client as a person.
2. Communicator/Helper-the nurse communicates with clients,support persons and colleagues to facilitate all nursing actions.
3. Teacher-the nurse provides health teaching to effect behavior change which focuses on acquiring new knowledge or technical skills.
4. Counselor-the nurse helps the client to recognize and cope with stressful psychologic or social problems ,to develop improved personal relationships and to promote personal growth.
5. Client advocate-the nurse promotes what is best for the client that the client's needs are met,and protects the client's rights.
6. Change agent-the nurse initiates changes and assists the client make modifications in the lifestyle to promote health.
7. Leader-the nurse through the process of interpersonal influence helps the client make decisions in establishing and achieving goals to improve his well-being.
8. Manager- the nurse plans, gives direction, develops staff, monitors operations, gives rewards fairly, and represents both staff members and administration as needed.
9. Researcher-the nurse participates in scientific investigation and uses research findings in practice.
10. Case Manager-the nurse coordinates the activities of other members of the health care team,such as nutritionists and physical therapists, when managing a group of clients care.
11. Collaborator-the nurse works in a combined effort with all those involved in care delivery, for a mutually acceptable plan to be obtained that will achieve common goals.The nurse initiates nursing actions within the health team.