You are a Registered Nurse who is being interviewed for a new magazine highlighting the roles and responsibilities of nurses. They have sent you a list of questions from readers that they want you to answer in detail. Following each question is a list of items that they want you to include in your discussion of the question. References: Cite all references using strict APA format.
Question:What does it mean to be a Professional Nurse?
Discuss:
What is the definition of nursing
What does this definition mean to you?
What does it mean to be a professional nurse?
What specific characteristics do you consider to be essential for a professional nurse?
Question:What stereotypes do you believe the public has about nursing and roles nurses play?
Discuss:
What are common stereotypes of nursing/ nurses and how does it differ from the reality of nursing
Name 2 roles that nurses have that the public might not be aware of and give examples of each (Name specific behaviors or actions that the nurse does in these roles)
Name a nursing theorist who is one of your role models and briefly discuss why you chose them
Question:I heard being a nurse is easy; all you have to do is follow the doctors orders. Is this true?
Discuss:
In your opinion do nurses have it easy? Can they just follow doctors orders? Briefly explain your viewpoint.
Name 2 responsibilities that nurses have that the public might not be aware of (include at least 1 of the QSEN competencies) and give examples of each (i.e. Name specific behaviors or actions that the nurse does to demonstrate that responsibility).
Question:What core values or standards are at the foundation of your nursing practice?
Discuss:
Describe the 3 most important core values that you pledge to keep during your nursing career. (Scan the Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice document for ideas)
Give a specific example of how you as a nurse would demonstrate at least one of these values in your day-to-day practice.
Question: What is your overall impression of nursing as a career?
Discuss:
Summarize- the essentials of a professional nurse the roles and responsibilities of a nurse and how this differs from stereotypes and the values that form the foundation of practice.
What lasting impression do you want your audience to have regarding a career in nursing?
Meaning of Professional Nursing
Nursing means to take care of individuals whether they are sick or healthy. Nurses take care of the sick by helping them for example to take prescribed medication at the right time and the correct quantity. On the other hand nurses take care of healthy people by educating and advising them about maintaining healthy personalities. Nurses may for example advise people about personal hygiene which prevents diseases such as typhoid. Nursing to me is an act of taking care of a person in all aspects of life for example physical emotional and spiritual being. The profession does not discriminate against any group in the society and it gives equal care to everyone (Mason Isaac & Colby 2011).
Professional nursing refers to the practice of taking care of the well being of the society according to the code of ethics. The code of ethics guides nurses when they are executing their duties for example the policy requires a nurse to ensure that personal information of a patient remains confidential (Mason Isaac & Colby 2011). A professional nurse is also required to have certain academic qualifications which are set by the International Association of Nurses. The characteristics of a professional nurse are stated in the code of ethics and they include honesty humility excellent communication and problem solving skills. Nurses should also be capable of detecting physical and emotional changes in individuals so that they can give them the right care (Sherwood & Barnsteiner 2012).
Stereotypes about Nursing
The public holds certain beliefs about nursing but these convictions may be inaccurate. The beliefs are known as stereotypes and they are common in every profession therefore nursing is not an exception. One of the beliefs is that nursing is a career meant for women
(Sherwood & Barnsteiner 2012). This belief is not true because there are males in the profession. In fact men represent six percent of the total number of nurses in the world (Mason Isaac & Colby 2011). This percent is minute but it does not mean that there are no male nurses.
The public also believes that nurses represent the group of students who failed to qualify to become doctors in medical schools. This is also not true because nursing is an autonomous profession. One has to achieve the qualification set by the Nursing Association in order to become a nurse (McGonigle & Mastrian 2012). The students who fail in medical school have to go back to class if they would like to change from doctors to nurses.
Another stereotype is that the role of nurses is to help doctors perform their duties. Nurses help doctors to familiarize with the conditions of a patient because they are the ones who spend more time with the clients. This means that nurses look after patients who are incapacitated. The nurse then informs the doctor in charge of the patient about the changes in the clients. This is a clear indication that nurses and doctors are coworkers and none of the group works for the other (McGonigle & Mastrian 2012). Nurses have their own departments as well as doctors.