...Vulnerable Population and Self-Awareness Paper NUR/440 – Health Assessment and Promotion For Vulnerable Population 12 December 2011 Vulnerable Populations and Self Awareness Introduction This paper is a study of the vulnerable population of the elderly in the United States and will discuss the mindfulness of this author’s personal biases, attitudes, and conceived stereotypes regarding this population. The patient chosen as an example for this paper is Norma James from the University of Phoenix “neighborhood”. Mrs James is a widow who’s vulnerability relating to health care will be compared with information gathered through research and applied to the elderly population and those with chronic illness. The vulnerabilities faced by Norma will be a realistic representation of the challenges associated with this population. Elderly Patients with Chronic Illness Despite the efforts of healthcare providers and various organizations across the United States to reduce or eliminate disparities within vulnerable healthcare populations, significant disparities continue to cause limited access to healthcare. This limitation poses risk to populations such as elderly and those living in poverty. The health domains of vulnerable populations can be divided into 3 categories: physical, psychological, and social. Those with physical needs include the elderly, chronically ill and disabled, chronic medical conditions include respiratory diseases, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia...
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...left calf the previous evening and notified Nurse Karing. Nurse Karing proceeded to order a STAT venous Doppler X-ray to rule out thrombosis. She paged Dr. Cural to notify him that Mrs. Bee was having symptoms of thrombosis. Dr. Cural was upset that he was being bothered after a long day of work and shouted at the nurse, telling her he had evaluated Mrs. Bee that morning and to cancel the test. When Nurse Karing returned to the hospital the next day, Mrs. Bee’s symptoms were worse. She ordered the test. After complications, Dr. Krisis from the ER, came immediately to help stabilize Mrs. Bee. Unaware of Nurse Karing’s call to Dr. Cural, Dr. Krisis assumed the nursing staff was at fault for neglecting to notify Dr. Cural of Mrs. Bee’s status change the previous evening. Denying responsibility, Dr. Cural also blames the nursing staff for not contacting him. Not being informed of Mrs. Bee’s status change, her social worker, Mr. Friendly, arrives with the news that her insurance will cover physical therapy for one week at a rehabilitation facility and they will be there in one hour to pick her up. An angry Nurse Karing decides administration should be notified. 2. Identify your role For my role, I am going to be a Chief Administrator in the case. This case clearly presents an internal lack of respect and breakdown in communication between the health care team members, which should be addressed by the administration of the hospital, rather than an Outside Consultant. In this situation...
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...Nursing Process and Clinical Decision Making Janet NUR/300 Kimberly Tomsai October 12, 2011 Nursing Process and Clinical Decision Making Not all nurses have the same knowledge and experience therefore nurses need to understand clinical judgment, decision making, and the nursing process to administer the best nursing care regardless of personal skill level. Nurses make clinical decisions based on knowledge and experience. A variety of theories and conceptual frameworks have developed to explain the science of nursing and clinical judgment, one of the most notable is that of Patricia Benner. Benner’s theory presents that nurses operate in five stages of clinical judgment from novice to expert (Bias, Hayes, Kozier, & Erb, 2011). The novice is the student nurse who has very little or no knowledge whose main concern is with rules and guidelines to complete tasks. Next is the advanced beginner or the graduate nurse who understands the concepts of nursing but sees difficult situations as more difficult tasks to complete and more rules to learn and often feels overwhelmed frequently consulting with more experienced nurses. For example a new patient arrives to the unit the nurse has not completed the tasks for the patients she already has becomes overwhelmed with how to prioritize and meet each patient’s needs. At the competent stage the nurse no longer functions entirely within a set of rules. Organizational and technical skills have improved the nurse is...
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...Personal Nursing Ethics Grand Canyon University NRS-437V Personal Nursing Ethics The American Nurses Association relates as part of its Code of Ethics that “The nurse, in all professional relationships, practices with compassion and respect for the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of health problems” (ANA, 2010). Given this, all nurses should be practicing their profession equally regardless of their own beliefs, values, or morals. As nurses come from many backgrounds and view each situation differently, that is not always a possibility. Such things as gender, religion, culture, traditions, and family are integral in shaping a system of beliefs or values that influence morality (Navran, 2010) and thus influences how nurses practice their profession. In accepting nursing as a profession, nurses vow to make the patient their chief commitment and must honor that commitment by giving unbiased care that is not influenced by personal values, morals, or beliefs. Personal Moral Compass There are many variables guiding a nurse in his or her everyday practice. Whether one is aware of the constant weighing of values and beliefs through critical thinking as they complete each shift or not, those intrinsic basics for their morality are what is guiding them to make these ethical decisions. The groundwork for the standards of professional behavior were laid in nursing...
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...ISSUES IN NURSING HOW PERSONAL & SOCIETY VALUES CAN INFLUENCE ETHICAL DECISION MAKING… In my opinion, personal and society values are learned through observation and experience which are influenced by culture, race, religion, and family. Values involve thought, knowledge, and emotion; and vary between one another. With this in mind, it can be difficult to when making an ethical decision. Everyone’s values differ, therefore the nurse needs to be open-minded and not base their decision on their own beliefs and values. In the case study for the six caps, personal values do interfere with ethical decision making. Marian, a 79 year old with a hemorrhagic stroke who needs to have surgery knowing she may not recover function and both the husband and the children have different values of what should be done in this situation (Black & Chitty, 2011). Does the husband go along with the surgery and hope that things turn out the way he wants it to, or do the children get involved and help the father to recognize what would be best for their mother and doing what they believe is right for her? Both the husband and the children think they know what’s best for their wife/mother, but what is the ethical thing to do? In the critical thinking exercise, I believe personal and society values are influenced. Three years ago, when the nurse was acting negligent and being the nurse to witness it brings in my own values in play. First of all that nurse was violating standards of nursing care, but...
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...Family Nursing Diagnoses NUR/405 Family Nursing Diagnoses Community Nursing The community health nurse has a primary role to assess the relationship of variables in the community with how they relate to patients and health. Cultural, religious, ethnic, and personal upbringings are variables that are considered to gain a basic understanding of the community framework. The purpose of this paper is to discuss three nursing diagnoses related to AL and his family living in a suburban community in Staten Island, New York. Interventions and outcomes will be expected for each diagnosis and will be integrated into the care plan and educational program specially designed for the chosen family. Family Assessment AL is a 65 year old man with an Italian ethnic background. He is a smoker who has been recently diagnosed with Type II Diabetes Mellitus, mild obesity, and a history of coronary artery disease with one stent last year. His physician stated he is borderline diabetic that could be managed through diet and lifestyle modifications, and could not advance if he is compliant with suggested regimens. He lives in a two-family residence with his wife, and his father who lives in the side apartment downstairs. He has two adult children who live within close range and visit several times a week. Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring When caring for a special population group within a community, the nurse must integrate clinical thought to assimilate specifically designed...
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...Personal Philosophy of Nursing “Philosophy is an attitude toward life and reality that evolves from each nurse’s beliefs” (Marriner-Tomey, 1994, p. 89). I became a nursing graduate in 1993 and I had no idea what I was able to do. The vast responsibilities nurses are accountable for in maintaining the integrity and safety of our patients are impressive. One must, indeed, have the innate desire to care genuinely for the sick and injured to fully understand the philosophy of nursing. Teaching and helping others is satisfying to me knowing I have made a small difference in their lives, even for a short time. This is why I became a nurse. I believe, philosophically that nursing requires dedication, extensive technical and medical knowledge, compassion, empathy, and communication. I am committed to care for patients regardless of their socio-economic status, personal beliefs, cultural differences, or criminal background. People are unique, and their upbringing, beliefs, and personal choices are none of my business; their health and well-being are. The following discusses my philosophy of the nursing process. I teach patients and their families about the disease process, treatment, medications, tests, rehabilitation, and disease prevention. I am their resource person and counsel when I deem appropriate, as in death and dying situations. For families to understand why their loved ones are deteriorating is a comfort, as it gives them closure. I collaborate with other...
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...Evaluation of Websites Credibility The Alzheimer's Association Gwendolyn M. Spong Chamberlain College of Nursing NUR 500 The website I decided to investigate and assess on its credibility is the Alzheimer's Association site (http://www.alz.org). The Alz.org is a site which offers valuable information to those affected and their loved ones as well as extensive research in the hopes of eliminating this disease. I have taken care of many patients that suffer from dementia and they as well as their families have a special place in my heart; therefore I decided to take a closer look at the Alzheimer's Association website. I used Google search engine to find a government or organization website related to Alzheimer's and the number two result in my search was Alz.org. The domain of the website for Alz.org is the ending .org which indicates that the website is operated by an organization and more specifically the Alzheimer's Association is a non-profit organization (Roberts, 2010). This paper will evaluate the Alzheimer's Association websites credibility including the sites authority, information, objectivity, ease of navigation, privacy and security policies; in addition, it will cover reasons for professional nurses to assess information on the internet and how the information from the website can be helpful to them. Today anybody has the ability to create a website and have their thoughts and opinions displayed to the public, however, we have to ask ourselves is the information...
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...homogenous objective, and that is to serve the patient to the best of their ability. Unfortunately, the politics between doctors and nurses interferes with patient care. It is a constant struggle of power within the walls of the hospital. Both with the idea that they are all knowledgeable; both with the belief that if in a hostile situation they are the victim, and both losing sight of the main goal: to treat the patient. Physician Executive Carrie Johnson writes, “the reduction of behavioral problems can only be corrected through early education for both physicians and nurses. This needs to be thoroughly ingrained during medical school. Bad behavior needs only intervention” (Johnson 2009, November). In order to better serve the public, personal matters must be put aside. The hierarchy of the hospital often causes rifts between doctors and nurses. The idea that any one person is more important in a hospital is far from true. It is a common misconception that nurses work “for” doctors,...
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...Culture and Diversity in Nursing Amanda M. Jones Trinity Valley Community College Associate Degree Nursing Level II January 16, 2015 Culture and Diversity in Nursing Cultural Assessment With there being such a plethora of cultures in the world, there are so many different beliefs and practices involving health and wellness, that almost everyone has a different definition of health, and different views on disease and illness in general. My definition of health involves many different aspects, but most importantly living a healthy lifestyle overall; being free from illness, and doing everything possible to stay that way. Eating a well-balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of sleep along with protecting your body from the harsh outside world, and maintaining proper hygiene are the most beneficial in being healthy. In fact, I believe that the main cause of illness aside from harmful pathogens and stress is lack of proper diet, exercise, sleep, and basic hygiene. Those things are essential to maintaining health. Anytime I start to get symptoms of a cold or illness, I immediately start taking vitamin C and drinking plenty of water. I usually do not seek medical care unless I am certain that I need antibiotics, as I like to take more of a holistic approach before using medicines any time possible. The same can be said about my pain management. I have a fairly high pain tolerance, and try to avoid using pain medications. When I am in pain I usually try to...
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...Running Head: ADVANCED PRACTICE ROLE INDEPENDENT STUDY NU 499: Nursing Capstone Carmen Ragusa February 4, 2010 The Nurse as Educator Abstract This paper explores the nurse educator as a profession. It delineates the responsibilities of the educator as a gatekeeper for the nursing profession and emphasizes its paramount role in the academic world of nursing education and health care delivery. There is an exciting perspective to the educator’s role in nursing and the opportunity to mentor the next generation of nurses. Teaching the novice clinician about the profession and the dedication to serving people is self fulfilling and vital to the preparation of future nurses. This paper examines the diversified roles of the educator as well as the challenges and ethical dilemmas that are congruent to the profession. The articles and nursing journals depict how the role of the educator substantially affects the health care delivery system and how the philosophy of nursing practice is implemented to promote holistic client centered care. The Clinical Nurse Educator The history of nursing education is tied to nursing's quest for a professional identity. Nursing is serious about education, placing major emphasis on lifelong learning as well as initial preparation. Nurse educators are critical players in assuring quality educational experiences that prepare novice nursing students for a diverse health care environment. They are responsible for designing, implementing...
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...understanding of the research process and its components this assignment will use a study conducted by Wills et al. (2005) to critique. Within the assignment there will be a description of the qualitative methodology used, followed by a discussion of the strengths and weakness and its appropriateness and relevance of the design for the study. It will then go on to critique the title of the study, the abstract, the literature review, the method and design and the data collection section of the study. To conclude this assignment there will a brief summary. A qualitative research approach seeks to understand humans by exploring their experiences, attitudes and behaviour (Dawson, 2009). It relies on methods that allow the researcher into the personal, intimate and private world of the participants (Polgar and Thomas, 2008). Qualitative research designs allow for in-depth assessments and the opportunity to put participant’s responses in context (Parahoo, 2006). Data collection methods include in-depth interviews, observations, recordings and other documentation (Parahoo, 2006). In qualitative research the hypotheses are generated during data collection and analysis, and measurement tends to be subjective (Parahoo, 2006). The flexibility in the nature of qualitative exploration also applies to the size of the samples and the sampling techniques (Parahoo, 2006). According to Polit (2010) qualitative research is based on the quality of data collected rather than quantity of participants...
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...Industry Division and Teaching Team | Community Services and Health Nursing | Student Name | Binta Bah | Student No. | 4101568315 | Teacher | Amanda Holborow | Semester/Year | | Program Name and Code | HLT51612 Diploma of Nursing | Unit Name and Code | HLTHIR403C / HLTHIR404D ATSI & Cultural Diversity | Assessment (AS) No. Description and Version | One | INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES: Short and Long Answer Questions Please type your responses to the following questions into a word document and upload via the Assessment Task 1 folder located under ASSESS in the online HLTHIR403C / HLTHIR404D unit on my.tafe A minimum of 150 words is required for each response Please note: this word minimum also applies if there is more than one answer required for the question. For example, Question 1: a. minimum 100 words b. minimum 100 words Please use APA referencing to acknowledge your sources of information: APA Referencing Guide (located under ‘Tools’ in the HLTHIR403C_HLTHIR404D unit on my.tafe). Question 1 Using the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data answer the following questions: a. Using current statistical information, discuss the inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous mortality rates in Australia b. Discuss the factors that influence Indigenous mortality. Include the following in your discussion: * social determinants that impact on Indigenous health * historical and cultural influences such as...
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...Ethical and Legal Issues in Nursing Team C NUR/391 Ethical and Legal Issues in Nursing Nurses face various ethical and legal issues in the medical setting. As professionals, nurses must be aware of these legal and ethical issues when they occur. Nurses have a legal and ethical obligation to respond to these issues. Being a professional nurse requires a nurse to assess the pros and cons of different situations, but also to withhold their personal beliefs and listen and respect the beliefs and traditions of others. Legally Nursing implications require nurses to maintain licensure, obey state and federal laws and to remain within their scope of practice. Within these legal and ethical issues the American Association Code of Nursing ethics, personal and societal values, legal aspects and legal responsibilities all affect decisions. Two different cases will be discussed and explored; an advance directive case involving a woman by the name of Marianne, and a malpractice case involving a nurse and the involved healthcare organization. The American Nurses Association Code of Nursing Ethics can influence the final decision made in the case study involving Marianne’s family by designating a surrogate. According to "American Nurses Association" (2011), “The nurse supports patients self-determination by participating in discussions with surrogates, providing guidance, referral to other resources as necessary, and identifying and addressing problems in the decision-making...
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...Research Critique: Continuing Education for Nurses Research Critique: Continuing Education for Nurses There are many degree levels of practicing nurses such as diploma, associates, and baccalaureates. According to Altmann nursing field should engage in lifelong learning process and be primarily composed of baccalaureate degree (2012). Currently only half of the nursing field have a baccalaureate degree or higher. The research article “Nurses’ attitudes toward continuing formal education: A comparison by level of education and geography” (Altmann,2012) takes a close look into nurses reasons for continuing or not continuing education and why it’s important for nurses to continue their education. The concepts of the study are nurses that continue their education level improve patient outcomes but it looks deeper into what drives the nurse to engage in education. The factors that contribute like cost, not encouraged and needed by employers, or things like career advancement, better patient care, and personal goals. The theoretical framework for this research is the theory of planned behavior. This theory looks at the bridge between a person’s attitude and behavior. Understanding a person’s attitude can predict their behavior. Planned behavior can be described as “behavior is determined by the intentions of individuals--their explicit plans or motivations to commit a specific act” (Moss, 2008). Nurses who have positive attitudes toward furthering education will purse it and...
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