FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING

Nursing as Profession

2.    Must be physically and mentally fit.

3.    Must have a license to practice nursing in the country.

”A professional nurse therefore, is a person who has completed a basic nursing education program and is licensed in his country to practice professional nursing.” 

Roles of a Professional 

1. Caregiver/ Care provider 

·         the traditional and most essential role

·         functions as nurturer, comforter, provider

·         “mothering actions” of the nurse

·         provides direct care and promotes comfort of client

·         activities involves knowledge and sensitivity to what matters and what is important to clients

·         show concern for client welfare and acceptance of the client as a person

2. Teacher 

·         provides information and helps the client to learn or acquire new knowledge and technical skills

·         Encourages compliance with prescribed therapy.

·         promotes healthy lifestyles

·         interprets information to the client

3. Counselor 

·         helps client to recognize and cope with stressful psychologic or social problems; to develop an improve interpersonal relationships and to promote personal growth

·         provides emotional, intellectual to and psychologic support

·         Focuses on helping a client to develop new attitudes, feelings and behaviors rather than promoting intellectual growth.

·         Encourages the client to look at alternative behaviors recognize the choices and develop a sense of control.

4. Change agent 

·         Initiate changes or assist clients to make modifications in themselves or in the system of care.

5. Client advocate 

·         Involves concern for and actions in behalf of the client to bring about a change.

·         Promotes what is best for the client, ensuring that the client’s needs are met and protecting the client’s right.

·         Provides explanation in client’s language and support clients decisions.

6. Manager 

·         makes decisions, coordinates activities of others, allocate resource

·         evaluate care and personnel

·         Plans, give direction, develop staff, monitor operations, give the rewards fairly and represent both staff and administrations as needed.

7. Researcher 

·         participates in identifying significant researchable problems

·         participates in scientific investigation and must be a consumer of research findings

·         Must be aware of the research process, language of research, a sensitive to issues related to protecting the rights of human subjects.

Expanded role as of the nurse 

1. Clinical Specialists 

·         Is a nurse who has completed a master’s degree in specialty and has considerable clinical expertise in that specialty. She provides expert care to individuals, participates in educating health care professionals and ancillary, acts as a clinical consultant and participates in research.

2. Nurse Practitioner 

·         Is a nurse who has completed either as certificate program or a master’s degree in a specialty and is also certified by the appropriate specialty organization. She is skilled at making nursing assessments, performing P. E., counseling, teaching and treating minor and self- limiting illness.

3. Nurse-midwife 

·         A nurse who has completed a program in midwifery; provides prenatal and postnatal care and delivers babies to woman with uncomplicated pregnancies.

4. Nurse anesthetist 

·         A nurse who completed the course of study in an anesthesia school and carries out pre-operative status of clients.

5. Nurse Educator 

·         A nurse usually with advanced degree, who beaches in clinical or educational settings, teaches theoretical knowledge, clinical skills and conduct research.

6. Nurse Entrepreneur 

·         A nurse who has an advanced degree, and manages health-related business.

7. Nurse administrator 

·         A nurse who functions at various levels of management in health settings; responsible for the management and administration of resources and personnel involved in giving patient care.

Fields and Opportunities in Nursing 

1. Hospital/Institutional Nursing 

·         A nurse working in an institution with patients

·         Example: rehabilitation, lying-in, etc.

2. Public Health Nursing/Community Health Nursing 

·         Usually deals with families and communities. (no confinement, OPD only)

·         Example: Barangay, Health Center

3. Private Duty/special Duty Nurse 

·         Privately hired

4. Industrial/Occupational Nursing 

·         A nurse working in factories, office, companies

5. Nursing Education 

·         Nurses working in school, review center and in hospital as a CI.

6. Military Nurse 

·         Nurses working in a military base.

7. Clinic Nurse 

·         Nurses working in a private and public clinic.

8. Independent Nursing Practice 

·         Private practice, BP monitoring, home service.

·         Independent Nurse Practitioner.