MY PERsonal Beliefs regarding nursing as a profession
To me, a nurse is someone who sets their personal beliefs aside and makes a commitment to put their patient’s needs first. You may come into a shift right after an argument with a significant other, but you sidetrack those feelings until the end of your shift. When you walk into a room to care for a patient, they are all that matters for the time being. Whether that includes performing care, listening to their complaints and concerns, or even keeping the family happy. Being a nurse means letting go of your personal biases, beliefs, or judgements and giving the best possible care. Whether a patient is a priest or charged with murder, a nurse cares for them equally because it is their right legally and as a human being. I believe everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their current consciousness or mood. Nursing isn’t just about the big things such as successes and lives saved, but also about the little things such as being there for someone when they learn they are going to die. It is about connecting with someone in a way that makes them feel safe and comfortable. A nurse cares for people at the hardest times in their lives, they are vulnerable and as a nurse you do not take advantage of that. However, nursing is not just about caring for others. It involves knowledge and hard-work. It is about questioning something if it doesn’t make sense or you disagree. For example, a doctor could order a medication and you might catch that the particular medication could interfere with another medication a patient may be taking. As a nurse, you question that. You bring it to the doctor’s attention. A nurse is an advocate for their patient; they speak when the patient cannot. Being a nurse takes extreme strength. Nurses are faced with emotional and physical strains every day of their career, but they push through for the better of the patients. To me, a nurse is a hero.
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HOW my beliefs have changed During nurs 1020 |
Throughout this clinical placement I have come to realize the tremendous significance of nurse-resident therapeutic relationship. A therapeutic relationship is basically a professional relationship between a nurse and patient/resident/client reliant on trust, mutual interest, and effective communication. In order to establish a therapeutic relationship, the nurse needs:
1. The Knowledge: -a basic background knowledge on the resident -knowledge of interpersonal, caring, and development theory -knowledge of culture and diversity influences and determinants of health -knowledge of oneself -knowledge of both health and illness -knowledge of the many influences on health care and the associated health care policy -knowledge of associated systems in regards to health care 2. The Capacities -self-awareness -self-knowledge -empathy -awareness of ethics, professional boundaries and the limits of a nurse role (RNAO, 2006). There are 3 phases of a therapeutic relationships which include: the beginning or orientation phase, the middle or working phase, and the ending resolution phase (RNAO, 2006). Throughout this placement I learned a therapeutic relationship takes time, energy, and patience. However, it is worth it in the end. I began to work on this relationship with my resident through the gathering of information through the care plan and asking questions in relation to my resident's care. This allowed me to consider the specific needs of my resident and what I could do to ensure trust. I believe trust is of dire importance when establishing a therapeutic relationship because the resident must trust you in order for you to provide care. If a resident does not trust you they may not tell you things, fear you, and just be generally uncomfortable. I then worked on the therapeutic relationship through being aware of personal biases and learning to forget about my opinions and focus only on the best interest of the resident. This is when I really began to understand client-centered care. Anything that happened to me has no importance when caring for someone else. All that matters is the resident, their preferences, choices, and what is overall best for them on all aspects of health and wellness. I also began to understand ethics and boundaries. There really is a fine line on what is professional and what is not. It is great to be close to your residents, but there is a line between what is too close and not close enough both on a physical and psychological spectrum. I learned the rights of the resident's and began to make ethical decisions that sometimes went against my own personal beliefs. For example, a resident did not want to get out of bed and shower. However, they have a right to good personal care. In contrast, they have a right to personal choice. It went against my own personal beliefs not to get them out of bed, but I had to weigh what was best for the resident. Yes, it is good for them to get up and move around psychologically, physically, and even socially. But, allowing them to make choices provides dignity and independence. I am currently reaching the resolution phase with my resident's. Since I will soon be finished my placement, I am building up to ending the relationship between myself and my residents. I still have work to do in learning to establish therapeutic relationships, but it really is a life-long learning experience; learning something new everyday. Overall, I believe a therapeutic relationship is absolutely necessary when caring for residents in order to provide client centered care. References Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (2006). Establishing Therapeutic Relationships. (rev. suppl.) Toronto, Canada: Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario. Retrieved from: http://rnao.ca/sites/rnao-ca/files/storage/related/943_BPG_ TR_Supplement.pdf |