Exploring Nurse Fatigue, Working Hours, and Professional Boundaries

This discussion post addresses critical issues in nursing practice, including nurse fatigue and professional boundaries. It argues for the implementation of working hour limitations by state boards of nursing to mitigate risks associated with fatigue-induced errors, referencing research that links long working hours to job dissatisfaction, poor performance, and health problems among nurses. The discussion emphasizes the importance of maintaining professional boundaries to ensure patient well-being, cautioning against boundary violations such as sharing personal information or blurring professional lines. The post advocates for adherence to nursing care standards to foster a safe and positive environment for patients, highlighting the need for nurses to prioritize patient needs and avoid conflicts of interest.

Running head: 3375 DISCUSSION 1
3375 Discussion
Name
Institution

3375 DISCUSSION 2
3375 Discussion
Question 1
Nursing is a profession Nursing is a profession which requires dedication and sincere
commitment for long hours. Like any other professional worker, nurses should have some
limitations to the number of working hours because everyone needs a break. Pushing these
working hours can cause harms not only to the nurses but also patients. According to Beth
(2010), nurses who work long hours face job dissatisfactions and tend to leave it. Also, long
working hours increase the risks of poor performance which can be harmful to the patients. It can
also make most nurses experience some chronic diseases and obesity. Poor performance in the
nursing practice is dangerous because it can make a nurse to give or prescribe wrong medicine or
even engage in other malpractices which can lead to far-reaching implications to the patient.
Moreover, nurses who work long hours have poor work-life balance and this reduces
their job morale hence poor performance. Susan (2014) argues that lack of sleep or having
irregular sleep patterns do not give enough rest for the nurses to allow their body function at the
optimum levels during working hours. To reduce all these problems of poor performance and
patient’s dissatisfactions, Texas state board of nursing should put limitations on the working
hours of the nurses. This would not only bring about good performance at work but also increase
their job morale. It would also help them balance both their work and life activities. Beth (2010)
argues that, more than 32% of the nurses claim that they rarely get enough sleep and therefore
this board should ensure that nurses in all health facilities should not work for more than 10
hours. This can be made easier if all health facilities introduce shifts and ensure that they are
followed.

3375 DISCUSSION 3
Question 2
After taking this course, one would have more knowledge on the professional boundary
issues at work. The course has outlined well the advantages of nurses staying close to their
patients. Many nurses do not spend most of their time with the patients and this leads to
boundary violations. According to Scott & Scott (2010), boundary violation occurs when there is
confusion between the needs of the nurses and that of the patients. This boundary violation is
dangerous because it can cause distress to the patients which he or she might not feel it unless
harmful consequences occur. In many cases, many nurses tend to share family information with
the patients and also others agree to look after the patient's children while they engage in other
activities. This is not professionally good and nurses should maintain professional boundaries
with the patients in the hospital environment. The only information nurses are allowed to share
with the patients is that which is concerning their health (Diamond, 2014). Even when a relative
visits the hospital, nurses are not allowed to discuss their family matters within the hospital.
Nurses should always maintain nursing care standards as stated in the act because they have a
duty of providing safe, healing and positive environment for the patients.

3375 DISCUSSION 4
References
Beth, M.K. (2010). Creating a Healthy Work Environment for Nursing Faculty. Creative
Nursing, 16(4), 90-120
Diamond, C.Z. (2014). An Integrative Review of Knowing the Patient. Journal of Nursing
Scholarship, 46(1), 50-120
Scott, B & Scott, L. (2010). The 'Difficult' Nurse-Patient Relationship: Development and
Evaluation of an E-Learning Package. Contemporary Nurse: a Journal for the
Australian Nursing Profession, 35(2), 90-120
Susan, L. (2014). Overview and Summary: Healthy Nurses: Perspectives on Caring for
Ourselves. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 19(3), 40-50