NUR312 - Nursing: Life Crisis Reflection and Professional Standards

This report presents a nursing student's reflection on a life crisis event involving overcrowding and unequal treatment in a hospital setting. The student identifies social justice principles, elaborates on the event, and analyzes its outcomes, referencing relevant literature. The analysis highlights the impact of health disparities and the importance of ethical considerations in nursing practice. The report then outlines a revised approach to care, emphasizing systematic and person-centered strategies to address similar crises, supported by research. Finally, it confirms how the revised approach aligns with the professional standards of the NMBA, demonstrating a commitment to ethical practice, critical thinking, and patient-centered care. The student's experience underscores the need for advocating for fair treatment and improving healthcare outcomes in nursing.

NUR312 Assessment Task 2: Template
Please refer to the assessment task 2 instructions and rubric for guidance to complete your work.
Name:
Student Number:
Step 1: Look back at the experience, present a brief
overview of your life crisis event and identify 2 social
justice principles related to your reflected event (300
words).
You must not include any identifying information in the
reflected event related to a patient or organisation.
Looking at the back experience in my nursing life, one of
an event that turns my entire opinion and way of providing
services to people, includes overcrowding. On a day, a
serious accident had been happened in an area, which was
so closed from the hospital where I was worked. Seven to
eight patients were seriously injured and admitted in my
hospital, among them three were belonged to poor
communities. Considering this, I was ordered to look out
and monitor health of other fives first, as they were
belonged from highly reputed families. However, injured
ones of poor communities also get treatment, but due to
overcrowding in premises, priority to provide bed and
emergency services were given to remaining fives of rich
population.
But as notions of health disparity as well as equity are
entrenched in terms of social values and considerations,
including principles of ethics and rights of human, creates
a situation crisis in front of me, because that time I was
new over there at this hospital. Under this situation, I was
feeling confused what to do either follow the company’s
rules of concern on social values and principles, while
delivering services and treatment to people. The two main
principles that strike my perspective includes - All
individuals regardless of age, sex, colour, nationality and
other discriminated factors, should be valued properly and
equally; and second one is to accept the international
standards of human rights which obligate governments for
promoting and respecting the human right to reach the
highest obtainable health. But when I saw such an
unlawful act, where patients were treated on the basis of
their society status despite of health, arise emotional
distress in me. Therefore, both social principles impact
highly on perspective of mine towards way to provide
services to people, where I stand against team leader who
handled this case on that day and taught him morality of
such principles, to eliminate such kind of discrimination for
maintaining reputation of this hospital.
Step 2: Elaborate and describe your life crisis reflected
event (500 words)
NUR312 Assessment Task 2

As I discussed above, the life event crisis during first job in
nursing that turns entire perspective of mine towards
importance of health of individuals and way to deal with
situation. It was happened in initial period of my job in a
nursing home, where my main responsibilities was to
monitor health of patients before and after treatment. A
proper training has been provided to me from the side of
management, under which I have learned various ways to
deal with emergency situations and social principles of
justice for delivering best services. It enabled me to
perform very well and meet patients’ need on time. But
when I was found that under crowding or over-crowding
situations, management of this nursing home had been
given priority to rich class people for allotting rooms to
them, while those who belong from backward classes had
treated on stretchers that leads to impact negatively on
health and well-being state of them. The situation of life
crisis when eight patients who met in a same accident has
arrived in hospitals, then it was foremost duty of mine to
monitor health condition of them equally for evaluating
emergency needs of each, to prevent from risk of death.
But during that day, emergency department services was
already full, therefore, in this crisis, ED situation was
completely changed to something different from daily
routine. There is chaos and required more physicians,
nurses, as well as logistic forces. Because of limitations of
bed in critical and general wards, the injured patients have
remained on stretchers for a longer duration. But I have
seen that patients who were identified as from rich
families were given bed immediately in some rooms, while
poor injured ones weren’t. They were treated on
stretchers for longer period and due to this, one of them
lost his life just because of poor accommodations and not
getting fair treatment on time.
Concerning on the social justice, which is considered as the
basis of health and care services. It has been identified that
health care disparities includes “probably avoided the
health differences among people as per race or ethnicity,
skin colour, socio-economic resources (reflected via level
of income, position in society, wealth, education, etc.),
religion, or nationality; gender, sexual orientation, gender
identity and any kind of characteristics that reflected the
cause of marginalization or discrimination.” In this regard,
notions of disparities and equity in health are entrenched
within social values if considerations regarding with
principles of ethics and fundamental rights of humans are
take. Therefore, using ethical principles of social justice
and beliefs, basic tenets about health disparities, human
rights and delivery of health care services must be
integrated into philosophical beliefs.
As it was my first job, therefore, I was felt much helpless
and in-capable to help patients of vulnerable conditions,
because they were not getting equal treatment. I couldn’t
raise my voice against such discriminative acts when I was
seen other staff members, who were seniors to me instead
of giving equal treatment, only follow the orders of
NUR312 Assessment Task 2

management. However, I had evaluated that other
members in nursing staff also felt the same like me, but
due to afraid of losing jobs, they hadn’t raised their voice
against management, to stop health disparities. Resulting
of this, many people from background classes didn’t get
access to better treatment services on time, which leads to
create large gap between health outcomes of this nursing
home.
Step 3: Analyse the outcomes of your life crisis reflected
event (500 words)
Use your references in your analysis. The analysis must
refer to the social justice principles related to the life
crisis reflected event.
This case of accidents where all injured persons instead of
getting equal treatment, due to overcrowding situation
and limited bed, were unfairly treated. Therefore, such
kind of health disparities and impact of insufficient
accommodations on delivery of services, it has been
evaluated that the main issue that arise in nursing home
where I worked, was not following the principles of social
justice. It states that all individuals irrespective of their
characteristic differences, should be valued equally; health
has an importance value for people, therefore, every
person has right to achieve proper well-being states health
status and must access best treatment services, without
discriminating them on the basis of certain characteristics.
Health is of particular importance for society welfare,
where acceptance of international standards regarding
with human rights force governments and health care
associations to promote and respect the same, for
achievement of better outcomes. In this regard, one of the
obstacle that arise in society includes suboptimal health
where health disparities with un-favourably and socially
deprived groups considered as exceptionally objectionable.
Along with this, resources are also crucial for allocation in
fair manner, with expectations of health equity that
underlies an obligation, for reducing and finally eradicating
the health disparities. Furthermore, perspective with
addresses mentioned disparities via systematic approach
includes contemplation of social justice, which is one of
four keys medical ethical principle like autonomy (self-
determination), beneficence (do only right thing) and
nonmaleficence (do no wrong thing). Therefore, within the
health care system, the main ethical principle among four
includes “justice” which state that individuals under same
medical conditions must get accessibility of same
treatment options. Along with this, “Social justice” also
refers to allocation of resources in health care associations
within a societal context, which focusing on the persons or
groups as well as their needs for getting accessibility and
availability of health care treatment.
So, considering and applying these ethical values and
principles of social justice, the mentioned life-crisis event
NUR312 Assessment Task 2

has become a life changing moment for me. After that
incident, I have concerned more on raising voice against
such management practices that discriminate patients on
the basis of social difference or other characteristics, in
situation of overcrowding. This life changing moment has
enabled me to concern more on ethical practices within
nursing field. It aids me to emphasis more on providing fair
and equal treatment to people, for enhancing quality of
healthcare services. Therefore, I am now, focused more on
serving people with equal care and providing them fair
treatment, for improving health outcomes and reducing
differences among societies as per social status of them.
Along with this, considering my efforts for improving
health status of patients, other staff members also
influenced by the same. They are also giving support to me
and raising voice against administration, when any similar
kind of health disparity situations have seen.
Step 4: Revise your approach for caring in a similar life
crisis event (400 words)
Use your references to support your discussion.
Under five years of mine job in nursing field, I have
undergone with various kinds of similar life-crisis event i.e.
ineffective and unequal treatment to patients with same
medical conditions, due to overcrowding situation in
hospitals. But after first incident when due to health
disparities and giving priorities to treat patients as per
their social status, one of them has lost his life. Therefore,
considering this severe or negative health outcomes, I
have decided to implement and follow social justice
principles only within nursing practices of mine.
Recognizing one of similar situations, when many injured
people in same accident have arrived in hospital, then
without discussing with seniors, I have given priority to
handle cases of those who were seriously injured and
needed immediate treatment that time. Along with this, I
have also instructed associated staff members to response
towards critical situations first and must allot beds as
much as possible so that life-threatening issues can be
minimized. For giving equal treatment, I have followed all
ethical principles and didn’t discriminate any patient on
the basis of difference in certain characteristics.
Furthermore, two main approaches I have followed and
implied in my nursing practices that are – systematic and
person-centered care. Patient assessment based on
systematic approaches refers to be important component
of role plays in nursing field. It allows health care
practitioners to give priority to patient care in an
appropriate manner. This would help in forming the basis
of nursing care plans to enhance quality of patient
outcomes. Similarly, person-centred approach within
nursing emphasis on personal needs of patients and giving
treatment to them by respecting their dignity. This could
help in putting the needs of patients in priority while
making care setting plans. Therefore, considering both
NUR312 Assessment Task 2

approaches, I have given support to senior staff in making
appropriate care and treatment plans, by involving
patients’ concern and opinion in the same, so that quality
of healthcare outcomes can be enhanced. It also helps in
reducing disparities and providing equal treatment to
people, regardless of their social differences.
Step 5: Confirm how your revised approach aligns with
your Professional NMBA Practice standards (300 words)
As per Professional standards, practice and behavior of
nurses including midwives are defined on the basis of
codes of conduct; standards for practice; and codes of
ethics. In this regard, while aligning revised approaches
that are person-centered care and systematic practices, I
have concerned on importance and integrating the NMBA
practice and professional standards. It includes – thinking
critically and analyzing the nursing practice; engaging in
therapeutic or professional relationships; maintaining the
capability and ability for practice; comprehensively
conducts the healthcare assessments; development of a
plan for nursing practice; provides safe, responsive and
appropriate nursing practice with quality etc. Therefore, to
align these standards, I have developed and implemented
various frameworks for person centered care. For this
purpose, I have given priority to address and meet specific
needs of patients by considering them as an individual. In
my nursing job, I have always concerned for being
responsive and actively perform role to provide proper
care to patients, by emphasizing more on freedom of
choice. Now, moving forward to adopt the truly person-
centred care and systematic approach which is a key
objective for profession of nursing, I have focused more on
possessing right level of knowledge, skills and experience.
Appendix A: Reference list (Not included in the word
count)
Produce a reference list for 15 resources using the Harvard
reference style (this can include resources used in your
annotated bibliography)
Kanel, K., 2014. A guide to crisis intervention. Cengage
Learning.
Butts, J. B. and Rich, K. L., 2019. Nursing ethics. Jones &
Bartlett Learning.
Doody, O. and Noonan, M., 2016. Nursing research ethics,
guidance and application in practice. British Journal of
Nursing, 25(14), pp.803-807.
Peter, E., 2016. The politicization of ethical knowledge:
feminist ethics as a basis for home care nursing
research. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research
Archive, 32(2).
Chadwick, R. and Gallagher, A., 2016. Ethics and nursing
practice. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Bushby, K. and et. al., 2015. Ethical tensions in
occupational therapy practice: A scoping review. British
Journal of Occupational Therapy, 78(4), pp.212-221.
NUR312 Assessment Task 2

Hold, J. L., 2017. A good death: Narratives of experiential
nursing ethics. Nursing ethics, 24(1), pp.9-19.
Parandeh, A. and et. al., 2015. Factors influencing
development of professional values among nursing
students and instructors: a systematic review. Global
journal of health science, 7(2), p.284.
Machin, L. L. and et. al., 2018. Interprofessional education
and practice guide: designing ethics-orientated
interprofessional education for health and social care
students. Journal of interprofessional care.
Hodge, D. R., 2015. Administering a two stage spiritual‐
assessment in healthcare settings: a necessary
component of ethical and effective care. Journal of
Nursing Management, 23(1), pp.27-38.
Mondor, E., 2018. Take a deep breath and relax: 10 things
you need to know about mechanical
ventilation. Canadian Journal of Critical Care
Nursing, 29(2).
Kimura, C. and Kidachi, R., 2019. A Concept Analysis of
Decision-Making by Families in Critical Life
Situations. Open Journal of Nursing, 9(11), pp.1123-1137.
Gonella, S. and et. al., 2020. A qualitative study of nurses’
perspective about the impact of end of life‐ ‐
communication on the goal of end of life care in nursing‐ ‐
home. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences.
Hwang, H. L., 2017. Caring for residents of eldercare
facilities: A concept analysis. International Journal of
Nursing Knowledge, 28(1), pp.37-43.
Muret-Wagstaff, S. L. and et. al., 2020. Increasing the
Effectiveness of “Stop the Bleed” Training Through
Stepwise Mastery Learning with Deliberate
Practice. Journal of Surgical Education.
NUR312 Assessment Task 2