Nursing Professionalism: Reflective Essay on Patient Care

This reflective essay explores the multifaceted aspects of nursing professionalism, emphasizing the crucial role nurses play in patient care. It delves into the various responsibilities of a nurse, including pre- and post-operative care, medication administration, vital sign monitoring, and patient record maintenance. The essay highlights the importance of effective communication skills, empathy, and the ability to handle emotionally charged situations. It also touches upon the nursing process, as defined by the American Nursing Association, and the diverse settings in which nurses work. The author expresses a passion for helping people, aspiring to promote health, prevent diseases, and educate communities on maintaining well-being. The essay underscores the significance of nurses in the healthcare system and their commitment to providing the best possible patient care. The essay also references key publications like the Nursing Times and the American Nursing Association to support the arguments.

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PROFESSIONALISM IN NURSING – REFLECTIVE ESSAY
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In my years as a nursing student, I have learnt that the nursing profession calls for a
wide spectrum of responsibilities that one needs to acquire in order to be proficient in this
discipline.
In this essay, I will be exploring the behaviours that a professional nurse exhibits to facilitate
the development and achievement of the best patient care. "Nursing is the protection,
promotion, and optimisation of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury,
alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy
in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.” (ANA, 2019)
Nurses are an integral part of the healthcare team as they work closely with the
physicians in the whole process of taking care of a patient. Nurses get more exposure to a
patient as compared to a doctor hence it is a significant part of their responsibility to have an
empathetic and understanding relationship with the patients while putting them at ease and
assisting them in their recovery. Being passionate about the human spirit, I have always
wanted to help people and be able to make a difference in their lives. This profession would
require me to have significant attention to detail, as well as the ability to analyse data.
Nursing creates independent leaders that play a remarkable role in the healthcare system.
I am aware that the job would require me to work 24-hour shifts on many occasions
while my family and friends would be enjoying time off from work; however, I am resilient
and ardent about the profession, and I understand the numerous impediments that it could
have. From the admission of patients in a hospital or a healthcare facility to their discharge,
nurses are involved in every step of the way. The responsibilities of a nurse include:
1. Providing and maintaining pre-operative and post-operative care,
2. Administering medication as ordered by the physician and monitoring the patient for
any changes in health and state,
3. Taking samples for testing,

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4. Taking patients’ vitals which include pulse, temperature, and blood pressure,
5. Maintaining and updating patient records,
6. Being a supervisor to the junior staff,
7. Organising and coordinating the workload of every individual in a systematic manner,
8. Offering emotional support to the patients and their families.
According to the American Nursing Association, irrespective of the field of specialty,
all nurses go through the same nursing process which is a systematic science-based method
created to provide an efficient approach to patient care. It involves five steps: Assessment,
Diagnosis, Outcomes/Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation.
“Nurses work in every sort of health setting from accident and emergency to working
in patients’ homes, with people of all ages and backgrounds.” (Nursing Times, 2019) A broad
range of firms and institutes employs nurses, which include hospitals, residential homes,
prisons, agencies, health centres, schools, companies, and GP practices. It is important to note
that nurses can choose their own specialty. They can choose to focus on any specific field
based on their appeal and interest, such as pediatric, cardiac, neonatology, oncology, and
obstetrics, etc. According to one’s education and degree, one can either be a Licensed
Practical Nurse (also known as Licensed Vocation Nurse), or a Registered Nurse who, as a
matter of fact, entails a Bachelors or an Associate degree in nursing.
However, apart from education and training, I believe there are various skills that are
essential for a professional nurse to have. “Effective communication is important in patient
care since this will help facilitate timely and early intervention for the needs of the patients.”
(Urden et al., 2019) For a nurse, it is vital to have good communication skills with her team,
and the patients as this form of interaction hold massive importance in healthcare. In an
instance of a critical case, a nurse should be able to take the initiative confidently and always

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be prepared to act when an emergency shows up. Emotionally charged and pressured
situations should be dealt with utmost competence.
Therefore, the role of a nurse varies from direct patient care to the establishment of
nursing practice standards, expansion of excellent procedures, and construction of highly
intricate nursing care systems.
“Constant attention by a good nurse may be just as important as a major operation by
a surgeon.” (Glowacki, 2016) As a nurse, I aspire to endorse health and wellbeing, avert
diseases, and manage illnesses in a structured manner. As an educator, I intend to assist the
community by teaching the ones willing to learn and spreading awareness about ways to
sustain good health.

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References:
ANA. (2019). Nursing Scope of Practice | American Nurses Association. [online]
Available at: https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/scope-of-practice/ [Accessed
22 Apr. 2019].
Glowacki, D., 2015. Effective pain management and improvements in patients’ outcomes
and satisfaction. Critical care nurse, Vol. 35(3), pp.33-41.
Nursing Times. (2019). Career options in nursing. [online] Available at:
https://www.nursingtimes.net/career-options-in-nursing/5003365.article [Accessed 22
Apr. 2019].
Urden, L.D., Stacy, K.M. and Lough, M.E., 2019. Priorities in critical care nursing.
Elsevier Health Sciences.