This is a time in our country to be thinking about nursing, policy and politics. Burkhardt & Nathaniel (2008) describe the importance of nurses becoming actively involved with policy making and politics. It is imperative that individual nurses as well as nursing organizations take positions on political issues. As a member of the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) there are many opportunities to become involved politically. The IAFN is an international membership organization comprised of forensic nurses working around the world and other professionals who support and compliment the work of forensic nursing.
Historical Perspective Essay Shanda M. Ramsey NUR/518 June 9, 2014 Cindy Boyer Historical Perspective Essay Nursing research is widely used to produce evidence-based practices for nurses to use in practice with caring for patients. It is a “systematic inquiry designed to develop trustworthy evidence about issues of importance to nursing” (Polit & Beck, 2012). Nursing theorists such as Florence Nightingale introduced research to the nursing field in the 1850’s with her publication Notes on Nursing. Over the years, contributions to nursing research continued to come forward helping to grow and develop nursing research to what it is today. Theorists are not the only contributors to the development of nursing research.
This means that the agencies identify needs and improvement areas pertaining to the care of the patient to ensure standards throughout all hospitals and health care facilities. The professional nursing organizations (PNO), such as the American Nurses Association have the care of the nurses and patients for the agenda and according to Cherry & Jacob these “organizations monitor public policy and offer avenues for their members to learn about health policy, they serve as an invaluable resources for reliable information related to policy issues and policymakers.” (2011)(p. 489). These professional organizations support the efforts of the nurses in all states and reflect guidelines for all nurses to adhere to provide the best possible care for the patients. As an example, the ANA notifies members of upcoming legislation that will impact the nurses at hospitals, nursing homes and clinics. Through this interaction the nurses are better informed as to what is happening in the political arena, such as patient ratios and shift lengths, this may impact the ability to care for patients or allow the care to improve.
Banner tries to do their best to provide many career options for nurses in order to try and deflect any issues with nursing shortages or staffing difficulties. For many years Banner Health has been known for being the cream of the crop in healthcare and a career advancement to there as a nurse is something nurses strive towards. This organization gives nurses many opportunities to advance and enhance their careers while working through Banner Health by providing continuing clinical education, tuition reimbursement, and scholarships or grants (Banner Health, 2015). Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center has been named one of the top 100 hospitals to work for by Nursing Professionals magazine ("Stretching Targets," 2009, p. 10). For Banner Health they have a unique vision for their nurses.
The BRN serves to protect patient. A PNO consist of groups of nurses that gather for the purpose of education, and overall growth of the nursing profession and the patients they serve. PNO’s give a nurse peer support and continuing education. Regulatory agencies’ primary role is to protect the public through the Board of Registered Nurses (BRN). It is responsible for the writing of the Nurse Practice Act, which governs the scope of practice for all levels of nursing (ANA, 2012).
The organization builds on this trust as it promotes awareness of public policy and advocates for patient welfare. The value to becoming part of a professional organization on the legislative process is being an advocate. As the largest single group of health care providers, nurses have the potential to successfully advocate from a diverse power base; and they and have a unique perspective on health care policies and expertise to share with power brokers. Nurses need to be a strong voice actively advocating for positive change. Nurses strengthen their power base when they network with nursing colleagues and other supporters to build consensus on important issues.
Exercise is another key component of maintaining a healthy self. Setting up exercise programs is essential for prevention of stroke and heart attacks which seems to have a correlation with increased dementia. We as health professionals have a responsibility to teach and assist people to maintain a lifestyle that will prevent some of the key factors which contribute to AD. Nurses and health care professionals are the first line to addressing these issues and assisting people to become aware of ways to keep and stay healthier during the golden years. Using the research that has been applied to best practice is the way that nurses can make a huge difference in their client’s lives.
In light of current policy developments, this essay examines how a community specialist practitioner can contribute in the evolving National Health Service (NHS). Due to its relevance to my practice, the essay will focus on district nursing and how distict nurses can contribute to adult services within primary care. District Nurses are at the heart of community care and play a leading role in the drive for quality, process of change and innovation. Using effective leadership and team approaches, district nurses have embraced the opportunities to flag up their role and the impact they have in providing health care for the population (Lawton, et al, 2006). District nursing teams provide services to patients who are housebound and unable to visit their GP or local health centre.
Personal and Professional Healthcare Communication HCS/350 December 5, 2011 Kate Brewer Personal and Professional Healthcare Communication Effective communication is the core of professional nursing. focuses on achieving workplace cultural competence by directing attention on the application of the Pender Health Model (PHM) to improve health education encompassing patients, families, significant others, peers, managers, student nurses, physicians, members of interdisciplinary teams, and public. Nurses communicate in the course of a mixture of media, including oral, print, demonstration, role modeling, and community appearances. Communicating is an ongoing, complicated, always changing process between two or more individuals to convey a message (Hansten & Jackson, 2009). Successful communication is vital in the health care field to guarantee efficient patient care.
Personal and Professional Health Care Communication With the passage of President Obama’s health care reform in 2010, (111th Congress, 2010), health care systems will undergo many changes in the way services are provided, how health care roles are carried out, and how patients and their families are educated and informed about their care and health maintenance. As politicians, government officials, and hospital administrators labor to iron out the specifics of the health care reform, one thing is for certain—nurses are at the forefront of impending transformations in our health care system and it is vitally important that they learn to collaborate and communicate effectively with patients, families, and other health care professionals in order to provide safe, quality, and cost-effective health care. In a CBS News (2010) interview with Rebecca Patton, the American Nurses Associations President, she stated that nurses are “in a unique position to counsel and educate patients” on how the health care reform will affect them. The purpose of this paper is to define health care communication, discuss the theories and relevancy of effective personal healthcare communication with other healthcare professionals, clients, and patients; the relevancy of effective professional healthcare communication to health outcomes; and how the lack of effective communication contributes to poor health outcomes. Definition of Health Care Communication According to Northouse and Northouse (1998), “Health care communication is a subset of human communication that is concern with how individuals deal with health-related issues” (p. 3).