University Nursing Case Study: Challenges, Actions, and Experiences

This assignment presents a nursing case study focusing on a new graduate RN facing challenging situations in a short-staffed ward. The student identifies two primary challenges: staff shortages and ethical dilemmas related to end-of-life care. The analysis explores the impact of these challenges on patient safety and the nurse's emotional state, linking them to relevant NMBA standards. The student provides rationales for choosing these challenges, discusses their personal feelings and potential actions as a registered nurse, and connects the discussion to previous professional experiences. The assignment incorporates evidence-based resources to support the arguments and offers practical insights into navigating complex nursing scenarios. The case study highlights the importance of adequate staffing, documentation, and ethical considerations in providing quality patient care.

Running head: NURSING CASE STUDY
NURSING CASE STUDY
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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The first challenge in the situation:
Considering the case study, the first challenge is the shortage of staff with inexperienced
nurses that impact the quality of care. The case study highlighted that there were limited nurses
present to provide care and one of the health care professionals stated that that operation theatre
was not prepared and he has no idea.
Rationale:
The rationale behind choosing this challenge is that shortage of staff impact patient
safety and inexperience nurse tends to lack the knowledge of providing best possible care to the
patient as observed in this case study. The shortage of staff leads to compromised quality care as
their only one other nurse in the ward and newly graduate nurse lacks the skills to address an
emergency situation (Guo et al., 2018). Hence, in my opinion, adequate nurses with specific
experiences is skills that are crucial to address each need of the patients and preventing
medication errors.
While encountering such a situation, I would be feeling overwhelmed and anxious to
provide the best possible care. I would question my priority as a nurse since I would develop a
fear of not meeting NMBA standard 2 (maintains the capability of practice) for ensuring safe
clinical practice (Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au, 2019). In such a situation, I would contact the
hospital authority and request additional skilled nurses according to the patients present.
In my professional life, I have experienced such a situation where I had to work double
shifts due to a shortage of nurses. In such a situation, I was feeling stressed and apprehensive
that I failed to provide the best care to each patient where I failed to meet the expectations of the

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patient. In this context, I requested to my supervisor for additional support from the nursing
professionals.
Second challenge:
The second challenge, in this case, is the lack of documentation where the patient
requested withdrawal of life-saving interventions. The situation is challenging because the
withdrawal of life-saving interventions from the patient subject professionals to an ethical
dilemma, lack of documentation aggravating the situation as the patient do not want CPR but his
family wants to give her CPR.
I would experience ethical dilemmas and stress to address the need of the patients which
will further breach NMBA standard 6 which provides safe, appropriate and responsive care
(Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au, 2019). Australia, the order of withdrawal of treatment must be
documented and must be signed by doctors where patient’s autonomy is prioritized under
Medical Treatment Planning and Decisions Act 2016 (Rand et al., 2018). In this context, I
would request other professionals to explain the son regarding treatment that his mother do not
want it. I would ask professionals to complete documentation for preventing clinical errors.
During my professional practice, I have witnessed of a situation where vital signs of the
patients were not documented by the professionals which affected the quality of care.

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References:
Guo, Y. F., Luo, Y. H., Lam, L., Cross, W., Plummer, V., & Zhang, J. P. (2018). Burnout and its
association with resilience in nurses: A cross‐sectional study. Journal of clinical
nursing, 27(1-2), 441-449.
Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au (2019). Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia -
Professional standards. [online] . Available at:
https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/Professional-
standards.aspx [Accessed 28 Jul. 2019].
Rand, J., Lancaster, E., Inwood, G., Cluderay, C., & Marston, L. (2018). Strategies to reduce the
euthanasia of impounded dogs and cats used by councils in Victoria,
Australia. Animals, 8(7), 100.