The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner

This article discusses the role of a nurse as a professional practitioner in nursing. It explores the insights gained from the movie, themes from readings, and what can be done differently. The article also covers the illness experience, hospitalization, sense of embodiment crisis, interrelation between the body illness, emotional changes brought about by chronic illnesses, and self-identity in illness.

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 1
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IN NURSING
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The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 2
Part 1
Insight from the Movie
The diagnosis of chronic illness is often a life changer for the patients. Patients may move from
denial to finally accepting their diagnosis. Chronic illnesses have symptoms or warning signs
which may move from being less severe to becoming more complicated. Dealing with such
symptoms can be a big deal as it may not be easy for patients to cope up with their changing
bodies. According to Curtis (2014), chronic illnesses bring about a lot of sadness and pain both
to the patient and their relations. There are so many emotional moments over the anticipated
death of a patient, since they all know that their imminent death is inevitable. The future of
patients becomes disoriented since chronic illnesses may force patients to alter their life and
career goals and every plan they make and for every dream they may have, the disease has to be
in the picture. Patients are unable to live normal lives because the illness makes them unable to
attend school or go to work. They thus need to be assisted to guarantee that the scholars
eventually complete school despite being terminally ill. With the diagnosis of chronic illnesses
relationships often change either positively or negatively (Kirk and Hinton 2019, p. 217). With
parents the bond may get stronger as they become closer to their sick children by holding their
hands all along the treatment regimes. For their peers, reactions may vary due to the fact that not
all of them comprehend the nature of chronic illnesses. New relationship is also established with
counselors, doctors and patients of a similar condition.
List of References
Curtis, R. (2014) ‘The influence of disease severity, perceived stress, social support and
coping in patients with chronic illness: a 1 year follow up’, Psychology, Health & Medicine,

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 3
9(4), pp. 456–475. Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=s3h&AN=14991897&site=ehost-live (Accessed: 15 March 2019).
Irreplaceable You (2018) ‘Distributed by Netflix. Directed by Stephanie Laing. (Terminal
Cancer)
Kirk, S. and Hinton, D. (2019) ‘“I’m not what I used to be”: A qualitative study exploring
how young people experience being diagnosed with a chronic illness’, Child: Care, Health &
Development, 45(2), pp. 216–226. doi: 10.1111/cch.12638.

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 4
Themes from the Readings and the Movie
According to Kirk and Hinton (2019), Strategies that young people use to achieve a sense of
normality and peer acceptance may vary from patient to patient. A chronic illness often comes
with a changed and changeable body. Changes may vary from physical, emotional to severe
cases of mental health concerns. There is often endurance of a period of considerable uncertainty
before diagnosis. Patients need therefore to come to terms with the fact that there bodies would
not be normal again and may continue to experience changes. Unpredictability of their bodies is
also experienced with patients of chronic illnesses. Livneh and Martz (2014) also denote that the
knowledge of their changed bodies often brings about feelings of depression and sadness and to
far extents some patients feel suicidal. During remissions, patients actually appear to be hopeful,
however, when relapses occur, despair sets in. Peers take in the news of their friend having a
chronic disease differently. Some friends are very understanding and may resolve to help their
sick counterparts with school work, listening to them and offering a shoulder to cry on. However,
others do not seem to understand the concept of chronic illness at all and instead, bully the
victims. This often leads to an identity crisis and declining of the patients’ self-confidence. All
the patients’ need is to be accepted and they may still try to engage in activities and sports they
used to with their peers, so that they feel that they still fit in and nothing much has changed.
However, this may not be easy since their sick bodies my not permit involvement in certain
activities.
List of References

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 5
Kirk, S. and Hinton, D. (2019) ‘“I’m not what I used to be”: A qualitative study exploring
how young people experience being diagnosed with a chronic illness’, Child: Care, Health &
Development, 45(2), pp. 216–226. doi: 10.1111/cch.12638.
Livneh, H. and Martz, E. (2014) ‘Coping strategies and resources as predictors of
psychosocial adaptation among people with spinal cord injury’, Rehabilitation Psychology,
59(3), pp. 329–339. doi: 10.1037/a0036733.

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 6
Insight Gained from the Movie in Relation to the Illness Experience
The illness experience may be tough, sad and very involving for both the patients and their close
relations (Stanton, Revenson, and Tennen 2010). It is worth mentioning that for sure, illnesses
can lead to depression, shock and distress. Patients who once looked forward to life and a great
future become disoriented and unsure of their future. Diagnosis of a chronic illness is usually
very shocking and the life of the patient changes at that instant. Patients may have mixed
reactions to the diagnosis. Others may appreciate the fact that their illnesses have been identified
and there is actually hope of being treated. Whereas, others may live in denial and question why
it has to be them with that ill-fated diagnosis, Hurt, Cleanthous, and Newman (2017) denote that
it is actually not as easy as people try to make it seem to deal with illnesses, especially the
terminal ones. Life is kind of turned upside down for patients with such fatal illnesses since their
life and career goals change with the onset of illness. Although people may try to be reassuring
to such victims, and also treats them better with kindness, Stanhope and Henwood (2014) denote
that impact is often minimal. This is because at the end of the day, the victims know that their
imminent death is inevitable. Other patients may consider ending their life so that they won’t
have to live with the illness. Most of the time, the patients try to focus on living even though they
are steadily approaching their death beds. Such patients need professional emotional support and
constant reassurance so as not to worsen the intensity of mental health concerns.
List of References
Hurt, C. S., Cleanthous, S. and Newman, S. P. (2017) ‘Further explorations of illness
uncertainty: carers’ experiences of Parkinson’s disease’, Psychology & Health, 32(5), pp.

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 7
549–566. Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=s3h&AN=122014685&site=ehost-live (Accessed: 15 March 2019).
Stanhope, V. and Henwood, B. (2014) ‘Activating People to Address Their Health Care
Needs: Learning from People with Lived Experience of Chronic Illnesses’, Community
Mental Health Journal, 50(6), pp. 656–663. doi: 10.1007/s10597-013-9686-3.
Stanton, A. L., Revenson, T. A. and Tennen, H. (2010) ‘Health Psychology:
Psychological Adjustment to Chronic Disease’, Annual Review of Psychology, 58(1), pp.
565–592. doi: 10.1146/annurev.psych.58.110405.085615.

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 8
What I may do differently
In my clinical practice with patients and families experiencing illness, I would actually try to
change some things and do them differently. How to go about breaking news of an illness to a
patient and their relation is the first thing every nurse needs to work on (Halpin 2018). Unlike the
patient in the movie’s case, I would not be the doctor who sympathizes with patients. Such
people actually do not need pity since it actually makes them feel low, hopeless and more
vulnerable (Fox 2011, p. 78). I would instead empathize with them for at such a moment, they
really need strength. Although some doctors prefer telling the patients how long they may live, I,
on the other hand, would prefer not saying the exact expected time-frame. Ford (2017) denotes
that this would be a means of giving them hope and not making them look forward to dying.
Death, though inevitable, is actually not a good thing to be anticipated. I would personally
organize for counseling services for both the patients and their families, for at the onset of an
illness, people need to be talked with and listened to, especially by a psychologist. I would also
go to the extreme ends and walk with the patients and their families through their illness journey
by being there for them every step of the way. And even after the patient dies, I would walk with
their families all through the grieving journey. As a clinician, I would be unique and do much
beyond what my profession expects of me, stretching beyond my limits, for the better.

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 9
List of References
Halpin, M, 2018, ‘Science and Suffering: Genetics and the Lived Experience of
Illness’, Social Problems, 65(3), pp. 360–376. doi: 10.1093/socpro/spw057.
Fox, F. E, 2011, ‘Junior doctors’ experiences of personal illness: a qualitative
study’, Medical Education, 45(12), pp. 1251–1261. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2923.2011.04083.x.
Irreplaceable You 2018. Distributed by Netflix. Directed by Stephanie Laing. (Terminal
Cancer)
Ford, R, 2017, "Christopher Walken, Steve Coogan Join 'Irreplaceable You'
(Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved March 12,
2019
Budowski, J, , 2018. "Netflix February 2018: Complete List Of Netflix Movies, Netflix
Shows, Netflix Originals, And More". Decider. Retrieved March 12, 2019
"Irreplaceable You (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved March 12, 2019
"Irreplaceable You Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 12, 2019

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 10
Part 2
Illness may be experienced differently by the patients. Whereas some succumb to self-pity,
depression and anxiety, others may braves fight throughout the illness journey. In the movie
Irreplaceable You, Abbie is depressed and anxious due to uncertainty hence the quest for her
replacement. However, the likes of Myron appear to have accepted their fate and are focusing on
living though they are dying. Illness experiences may involve hospitalization, sense of
embodiment crisis, interrelation between the body illness, emotional changes brought about by
chronic illnesses, and self-identity in illness.
Nanton (2018) denote that hospitalization is basically admission into a hospital as a patient, or
one with a particular illness. Patients may be admitted to the hospice for a diversity of whys and
wherefores, together with booked examinations, procedures, or surgical procedure; emergency
medicinal attention; administration of drugs; or to make stable or observe a prevailing illness. It
is appropriate to prepare a patient afore being hospitalized. This is because not everyone would
easily accept to leave the comfort of their home to stay in an infirmary. Reasons for
hospitalization ought to be clearly explained to the patient and their relation. The patient also
needs to be told what they would go through in the hospital and if certain, the time frame they
will be staying in the hospice. The patient’s relation should also be briefed on the things their
patient would need so that the process of hospitalization is smooth for all the parties involved.
The logic of embodiment is very critical for self-recognition (Mackelprang & Salsgiver 2018, p.
12). Sense of self-embodiment to a particular body is the nous that develops when its features are
treated as if they were the features of one’s identifiable biotic physique. I looked at the following
case in point which further clarifies the logic of self-embodiment. A research of anosognosia for

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 11
hemiplegia-the incapacity to identify that an individual is paralyzed down one lateral of their
body, proposes the actuality of 'online' and 'offline' depictions of the physique. Online
exemplifications of the physique are exemplifications of the physique as it is presently, are
freshly created minute by minute and are straightly "plugged into" existing discernment of the
physique. In distinction, offline depictions of the physique are demonstrations of what the
physique is typically like, are comparatively steady and are made from online depictions. This
discrepancy is reinforced by an investigation of phantasm limb-the sensation that a severed limb
is still in existence portent. In the beginning it seem like that the sense of embodiment may
possibly rise from one or the other of these kinds of exemplification; however, an integrated
representation of the body seems to be required. It is proposed info from visualization and
sensations is involved in making these illustrations. A deficiency of admission to online
depictions of the physique does not ineludibly result to a forfeiture in the sense of embodiment.
An incorporated offline depiction of the physique could reason for the sense of embodiment and
execute the roles accredited to this sense.
Being identified with a chronic illness, such as cancer or nervous illness, can be traumatic and
devastating. One’s body might not be as adept as it was heretofore, and one could be likely to
surrender much loved diets or amend their day-to-day habits as part of their illness managing. In
the aspect of such vicissitudes, spirits of misery, wretchedness, or vagueness are typical. But if
these undesirable sensations do not diminish as one advances in their treatment and acquire to
self-manage their illness, they may chance into further disconcerting problems. More than one-
third of patients with grave illness display signs of melancholy. Nevertheless, just because a
disorder is collective does not necessitate that nothing ought to be done. One’s emotional
condition is tangled to their bodily well-being, thus taking carefulness of their emotional

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 12
well-being may be just as significant for chronic illness managing as suppository and
regime vagaries. The utmost shared undesirable emotions that patients can face when initially
being aware of their chronic disease include; resentment, dread, angst and melancholy. In the
stretched tenure, obstinate spirits like these may have an antagonistic consequence on one’s well-
being. Various undesirable emotions can curtail from vagueness, so a key way to lessen these
spirits is to search for indulgent. One should acquire what they are able from dependable cradles,
ask queries, and do the paramount they can to cope up with their illness. A support assemblage
can be a comforting domicile to chat about one’s spirits and be perceived by persons who have
mutual experiences.
A person’s perception of himself or herself (his or her self-identity) is not solitary an inside and
psychological course but a collective also. Ethnic and communal customs, which impact both
inside discussion and relations with other people, have a considerable influence on the founding
of any person’s self-identity (Heavey 2018). For the chronically ill person, ideas about well-
being and wellness, which are indissolubly connected to thoughts of ethical upright, turn out to
be predominantly significant in their elucidations of their familiarities with their physiques.
Finding themselves entrenched in a culture which every so often ascribes humiliations
and bigotries to persons with ill-health disorders, those identified with a chronic illness are faced
with a forfeiture of their hitherto optimistic self-identities. Facing a sense of perfidy of
their physiques above their fit cognizance, the examinations of original individual confines and
frontiers permits for the reviewing of formerly believed identity objectives for the person. Even
though it is a continuous course, one that is certainly not concluded, persons can, through
reframing the familiarities of the ill physique and eventually yielding to the illness, creates a
new-fangled optimistic self-identity. Having a chronic illness can pose main trials to a being’s

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 13
natural life, due to severe prescription routines, cures, regime vagaries and regularly the
uncontainable or fatal nature of the illness. Therefore, patients with chronic illnesses may
possibly have concern in coping with their illness and integrating it in their lives. Consequently,
illness discernments must to be put into reason by nurses and linked healthcare specialists in the
attention of patients. Such patients totally describe themselves in footings of their illness.
Disability and suffering from different illnesses is part of the mortal form. Virtually all and
sundry will be momentarily or forever lessened and/or sick at a certain point in their natural life,
and those who live to timeworn oldness will face aggregate problems in working. Record
extended folks have an incapacitated or terminally ill fellow, and numerous abled and non-ill
persons take obligation for backing and compassion for their relations and networks with
incapacities and terminal illnesses. Every era has encountered the ethical and dogmatic matter of
how paramount to take in and care for persons with incapacities and terminal illnesses (Araújo-
Soares 2019, p. 8). This matter will turn out to be more severe as the demographics of cultures
vary and additional persons live to a hoary oldness. Reactions to incapacity and terminal
illnesses have reformed ever since the 1970s, stimulated mostly by the self-organization of
individuals with incapacities and chronic illnesses, and by the increasing propensity to see
incapacity as a human civil rights concern. Archaeologically, persons with incapacities and
terminal illnesses have basically been delivered for through elucidations that ghettoize them,
such as housing foundations and extraordinary institutes. Course of action and policy have at
present moved in the direction of public and scholastic annexation, and therapeutically engrossed
elucidations have allowed way to more collaborative tactics identifying that persons are
incapacitated by ecological influences as well as by their physiques.

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 14
The prominence of communication and relations for nursing has been a frequently identified fact
by nurses and nursing genii ever since Florence Nightingale in the 19th century and ongoing till
currently. Methods and approaches to define or examine the occurrence of nurse-patient relations
and communication differ. As specialists spending the maximum stretch with patients and
treatment home-based residents, nurses eventually embrace a locus of understandable
prominence in the healthcare squad to please the communication desires of patients.
Communication concerning a nurse and a patient is a mutual course that forms the foundation for the
expert affiliation that is introductory for augmenting patient care and touching patient results (Cahn 2018, p.
2). Patients I have encountered tremendously desire nurses who are compassionate designated as
conveying concern and consideration, and being caring, frank, authentic, sympathetic, and earnest. Nurses
ought to be affable, pleasant, amiable, nice, deep, and should be able to create affinity. Practiced conducts
are habitually labelled by patients as being commercial alike and straightforward. While the patients’
accounts of nurse aptitude comprises being effectual, conversant, and exhaustive, rapt, and engrossed labels
the nurse who pays attention. Considerate, for patients, defines compassion and frank, reliable, and
factual labels truthful and genuine.
It is worth noting that, the illness experience brings with it a lot of differences to a once normal individual. However,
illnesses or disabilities do not denote the end of life. Patients are encourage to face life head on even as they battle the various
illnesses. On the other hand, clinicians, nurses and the entire healthcare team should do their best to ensure that patients in
their care do not walk alone, and that they receive the utmost care.

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 15
List of References
Chan, E. A, (2018) ‘Patients’ perceptions of their experiences with nurse-patient
communication in oncology settings: A focused ethnographic study’, PLoS ONE, 13(6), pp.
1–17. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199183.
Mackelprang, R. W. and Salsgiver, R. O. (2015) ‘People with Disabilities and Social Work:
Historical and Contemporary Issues’, Social Work, 41(1), pp. 7–14. doi: 10.1093/sw/41.1.7.
Nanton, V. (2016) ‘The threatened self: Considerations of time, place, and uncertainty in
advanced illness’, British Journal of Health Psychology, 21(2), pp. 351–373. Available at:
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=s3h&AN=114448332&site=ehost-
live (Accessed: 12 March 2019).
Araújo-Soares, V. (2019) ‘Developing behavior change interventions for self-management in
chronic illness: An integrative overview’, European Psychologist. (Adjustment to Chronic
Illness), 24(1), pp. 7–25. doi: 10.1027/1016-9040/a000330.
Heavey, E. (2018) ‘If I can walk that far”: space and embodiment in stories of illness and
recovery’, Sociology of Health & Illness, 40(6), pp. 1005–1018. doi: 10.1111/1467-
9566.12737.

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 16
Part 3
Introduction
In the clinical environment, nurses work in healthcare environment where different partners
possess different expectations. According to Milbourn, McNamara, and Buchanan (2015), the
demand for providing compassionate patient-centered care while adhering to the complicated
health goals demands for every practitioner to have a clear understanding of their roles are
nurses. The clinical environment is often faced with budget constraints and compassion fatigue,
aspects that adversely affect nurses and their effectiveness. Therefore, there is a need for a
detailed understanding of what it takes for effective professional practice in nursing, knowledge
that is essential in helping practitioners to cope with the clinical conflicting demands while
achieving the professional objective. This essay will focus on understanding the theme of
professional practice in nursing care. It will draw information from different literature with
reference to a sample patient care. It explores into the insights gained over the semester about
nursing role and its effect on the condition of different patients. It also touches on aspects of
patient relationship, patient-centered care for chronic conditions, and therapeutic communication
among other aspects of effective nursing practice.
In a systematic study, Reeve (2010) point out that professional practice in nursing has received
different descriptions in various contexts. As a result, there is no specific consensus on a specific
structure for the descriptions, an aspect that has made it difficult to have a clear definition.
According to Reeve, the nature of the clinical environment and the related nursing
responsibilities is not often understood by many policymakers or the general public. According
to the study, 88% of the public were in agreement that ensuring that there are enough nurses to

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 17
monitor the condition of patients, educate patients, and Cordiant care is a vital part of improving
quality. However, majority of the public is still have little understanding of the role of nurses,
what is distinguishing them from other medical practitioners, aides, and other less trained
personnel, as well as the type of training they receive. Thus was the same idea that clouded my
mind about the nursing role in the general clinical industry. However, during the semester for
this unit, I learned that the public are truly aware that the nursing role is emotionally and
physically demanding but still consider the work as delivering services as ordered while
providing emotional and physical support and comfort the patient and their families need.
However, nurses do far more as the work also entails organizational as well as substantial
intellectual competence.
Among the critical tasks expected from me as a nurse are ongoing assessment and monitoring of
the patients as a step of initiating intervention aimed at addressing complications or reducing
health risks. Nurses are also expected to coordinate care delivered by other healthcare providers
as every care team has a role to play in ensuring the goals of good care is achieved. In a
systematic study, Tuffuor and Payne (2017) also denote that nurses are expected to educate
patients together with the family members, an aspect aimed at reducing the risk of post-hospital
complications that can call for readmission of the patient after treatment. For instance, a mother
at her last stages of birth requires special attention and monitoring to ensure the nurses helps the
patient all through the process to the point of delivery. In case of any complication during birth,
the patient can be assisted in time by taking the necessary steps that will prevent any possible
injury or even loss of life.
Therapeutic Communication

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 18
Every nurse need to have a clear understanding on how therapeutic communication affects their
patient relationship. In their study, Svenaeus (2011) denote that when patient are hospitalized or
are seeking health care serves, most of them are not often familiar with the what to expect or the
process of treatment. As some may be impressive about what is expected, others may not have a
clear understanding of the medical jargon that nurses speak. As a result, a patient can feel out of
control and helpless leading to anger and resistance making the treatment process difficult. For
instance, the use of medical terms in the process of treatment may sound like a foreign language
to the patients, an aspect that needs the nurse to adopt a proper way that will help the patient
understand the language of communication even if a translator is necessary mainly for
complicated health care such as chronic care. Therefore, developing a healthy communication
from the get-go will help the patient feel at ease thus encouraging participation and free
communication. The caring relationship and communication develops when the patient and the
nurse come together in the process of treatment resulting in healing and harmony. Effective
verbal or non-verbal communication is an essential part of the nurse patient interaction while
providing care in a way that enables the patient to be an equal partner in achieving the goals of
treatment.
According to Wright and Breier (2018), it is difficult or impossible to work with non-compliant
patients due to poor communication as there will be little or no improvement achieved in the
long run. Therefore, there is a need to adopt a nurse-patient relationship that will encourage
communication. In other words, the establishment of a healthy nurse-patient relationship is vital
as the first step of opening communication lines. The communication process must be going and
is required to involve patient education. For instance, a diabetic patient who is not compliant
may believe that skipping meals will be helpful to lower the blood sugar level. In such cases, a

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 19
nurse is expected to take the responsibility and opportunity of explaining to the client the
importance of regular snacks and meals and make the patient understand the physiological
effects of skipping a meal for diabetic patients. Therefore, educating the patient will lead to a
better patient engagement and compliance hence improving the patient outcome in the process of
care such as improving theA1C levels and the blood sugar for this case example.
Nursing patient Relationship
A therapeutic patient-nurse relationship is understood to be a helping relationship between the
patient and the nurse on the basis of respect and mutual trust hence nurturing faith while being
sensitive to others and self. It is essential for assisting the gratification of the emotional, physical,
and spiritual needs of the patient through the nursing skills and knowledge gained in the process
of training. According to Wright and Breier (2018), taking care of patients is a rewarding and
fulfilling role but can at times be physically and emotionally draining. Most nurses are expects to
maintain their role in patient care as well as the customer service, an aspect that gives them a
challenge in maintaining a professional, interpersonal, or courteous relationship with the patients.
However, the nurses needs to ensure they do their best in maintaining a positive relationship with
the patient as it is a critical aspect in the overall well-being and health of the patient.
Wright and Breier, (2018) support that the establishment and maintenance of a positive and
health nurse-patient relationship is essential. For instance, I need to make an eye contact with my
patient, greet them by their names, and display professionalism and confidence for my client, a
mother expecting to deliver as aforementioned. I should explain everything I will be doing and
review every objective and plan of care to ensure they have the chance of being involved in
decision-making. Hemberg and Vilander (2018) also denote that maintaining patient privacy is

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 20
an essential aspect as others consider touch as a way of demonstrating care and compassion.
However, nurses need to be aware of personal boundaries as not all patients prefer to be touched.
Every nurse also needs to remain culturally sensitive while proving patient information and
handouts in their primary languages. These steps are vital in helping both the nurse and the
patient to develop a trust while opening the lines of communication to make the process of care
more effective. Therefore, there is a need for every nurse to strive to achieve a cordial behavior
aimed at achieving trust between them and the patient as this may positively or negatively affect
the process of care depending on how they relate with the patients.
Patient-centered care for Chronic Illnesses
In the global healthcare environment, the patient experiences are often monitored with the aim of
obtaining information about the quality of healthcare and delivery as pointed out by Holmberg
(2014, p. 822). The same study defines patient experience as a reflection of the actual process of
care hence giving information on the performance of the healthcare providers. It is hence
adopted as a process of assessing patient experience as a part of a systematic survey essential for
strategic improvement of service delivery. The program has been adopted in many clinical
settings mainly due to the rise of patients having chronic complications. For instance, the
Australian government has implemented a national health performance framework aimed at
monitoring and comparing the quality of care received for patients with chronic complications
(Emily 2018, p. 1007). The framework contains specific quality indicators such as patient
experiences with the Consumer Quality Index used as the standard of measurement.
As a nurse, I have learned that the assessment of the quality of care for patients to understand
their experience is not only essential for giving information on the actual experience both for

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 21
chronic and other normal conditions. It also helps in revealing the quality aspects that are
regarded as the most essential by the patients. Harter (2019) analyzes what chronic patients
consider as vital within the healthcare and reports several quality aspects such as respect for
preferences and involvement in decision making, empathy, respect, and emotional support, and
fast access the necessary or reliable health advice. Other such as effective treatment, attention to
environmental and physical needs, continuity of care or even having a smooth transition are also
vital for many patients. With the complications involved in chronic cases, most patients also
value the aspect of involving family members and support from family and cares.
Conclusion
Looking upstream from the clinical environment, there is a need for the nursing education to
change and prepare the new graduates for working in environments where they can effectively
process improvements. As a result, several models can be adopted to enable the effectiveness of
this process. For instance, the Clinical Nurse Leaders is essential in helping nurses to implement
outcomes on the basis of quality improvement and practice while creating and managing unit-
level systems for effective healthcare delivery. Such models will help us in our role as nurses as
well as other actively involved front-line staff to work towards improving health service delivery
and increasing efficiency. There is also a need to create awareness for policymakers and the
public to have a clear role of the responsibility of nurses in increasing reliability, safety, effective
patient-centeredness, and efficiency in healthcare. Such aspects will greatly improve the nurse
patient relationships, patient-centered care, and therapeutic communication in different aspects of
patient care.

The Role of a Nurse as a Professional Practitioner 22
List of References
Emily, 2018, 'If I can walk that far”: space and embodiment in stories of illness and recovery',
Sociology of health & illness, 40, 6, 1005-1018.
Harter, L.M., 2019, 'Storytelling in Acoustic Spaces: Podcasting as Embodied and Engaged
Scholarship', Health Communication, 34, 1, 125-129.
Hemberg, J.A.V. & Vilander, S. , 2017, 'Cultural and communicative competence in the caring
relationship with patients from another culture', Scandinavian journal of caring sciences , 31, 4,
822-829.
Holmberg, C., 2014, 'No-one sees the fear: becoming diseased before becoming ill- being
diagnosed with breast cancer', Cancer nursing , 37, 3, 175-183.
Milbourn, B., McNamara, B. & Buchanan, A. , 2015, 'The lived experience of everyday activity
for individuals with severe mental illness', Health Sociology Review, 24, 3, 270-282.
Reeve, J, 2010, 'Revisiting biographical disruption: Exploring individual embodies illness
experience in people with terminal cancer', Health , 14, 2, 178-195.
Svenaeus, F., 2011, 'Illness as unhomelike being-in-the-world: Heidegger and the
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