Part A: Functional Differences
It is very important to understand the functional differences between a regulatory agency, such as a board of nursing (BRN), and a professional nursing organization (PNO), as they pertain to my professional nursing practice. For example, a regulatory agency is a body that deals with the formulation of policies that guide operations in the field of nursing. As a Pre-L Nursing student and an aspiring future nurse, the Board of Nursing will help me in my practice as registered nurse. They will be obliged to take disciplinary actions against me if I do not follow the rules and regulations that the board outlines. The board will also help me by ensuring that I access continuing education in nursing to advance my professional knowledge. Moreover, the board will release the Nursing Practice Act that guides the practice. This is important because it will help me to be aware of the latest changes and professional requirements in nursing, including ethical values. The board will also formulate legislation and other regulations in order to enhance my nursing career. Finally, the board will regulate licensing policies to ensure that I can start working in this sector.
On the other hand, a professional nursing organization is responsible for monitoring nurses’ adherence to the code of ethics and professional standards when dealing with patients. The American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners will help me, as a Pre-L Nursing student, to understand the latest planning, offering adequate medical care for different categories of patients. The professional association will also enhance my education in the nursing field since it is essential to improve my knowledge and skills in order to continue helping many patients. The association will avail medical journals with evidence-based data to help me improve patient care. The other services that the professional body will help me within my career include the organization of seminars on the latest trends in nursing care, cooperation with other medical institutions, and provision of certification upon successful completion of my nursing training.
Part B: Nursing Code of Ethics
The provisions from the Nursing Code of Ethics that will influence my practice include aspirations and personal values, which will be essential when performing my duties as a nurse. For instance, an aspiration to become a nurse has been developed since I have always wanted to save the lives of people as well as to comfort them when they are unwell. I have often wanted to encourage sick people and make them feel that they will regain their health despite the complexity of the disease. This desire to help people has always directed my efforts towards my aim. I worked hard in order to be sure that my dream will be fully accomplished. Certain individuals make me act and work as a nurse whenever I feel I am about to quit it because of the various challenges I face in the nursing field; this desire to help always motivates me.
The promotion of the health and well-being of people is my strongest personal value. My aim is to provide good medical care to ensure that the health of sick people is protected. I also intend to provide compassionate care for patients in that no one suffers in my presence. I will normally work to ensure the wellbeing and comfort of the sick. I will do my best to guarantee that the privacy and confidentiality of sick people as well as of their families are maintained. Any information considered private and confidential will not be disclosed to anyone. Moreover, I will be accountable for any single action I am going to be involved in, trying to act fairly.
Part C: Traits from the American Nurses Association
It is important to pay attention to professional traits from the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics. Hence, I will demonstrate honesty, truthfulness, moral courage, and culturally sensitive care within the interdisciplinary team setting. Being honest is one of the most important professional traits of a nurse because it enables her to carry out all duties without negatively influencing patient outcomes. As a nurse, I will remain honest and follow professional standards that are recommended in nursing. In many cases, challenges that I will face in the nursing field will only inspire me to continue working hard in order to overcome them and accomplish my dream of being a professional nurse with strong values.
In terms of truthfulness, I am committed to being true to my profession as a nurse to ensure that I tell clients the truth about their medical conditions. Tschudin (2010) notes that the probable medical intervention will help alleviate his/her suffering. If I fail to overcome challenges in my field, I may feel that I have failed to carry out my duty as a truthful nurse. I will always work to ensure the welfare of sick people, helping patients feel less pain. I will do everything possible in order for patients to receive fair treatment and appropriate care they deserve. I realize that I should be always accountable for my actions. Therefore, I will always remain truthful. Various personal, cultural, ethical, and spiritual values have significantly contributed to my worldview and philosophy of being honest to my clients. This will boost the morale of my clients in the medical institution where I will work.
Moral courage is another professional trait that I will demonstrate. It will help me to ensure that patients with emergency needs obtain adequate care. Moral courage is essential to intervene and provide emergency care for patients who have suffered accidents, resulting in difficult health conditions. For example, helping a patient who has survived a serious road accident needs moral courage. Wounds and deep cuts that the patient may have could be so devastating that a nurse without courage would simply avoid attending to him or her. My level of courage will enable me to help such patients and achieve a positive outcome.
Culturally sensitive care is another professional trait that I will possess as a nurse. The rationale is that shared humor is also a significant aspect of human cultural development among different patients. Moreover, my relationship with patients will depend on the ideology and ethical consideration that I have towards different people, as well as the presence of e hegemonic masculinity within a particular medical facility. I will always manifest my opinion humorously, trying not to harm different people sharing their views about different roles that each cultural value should play. I also recognize cultural diversity across the United States, equating the norms with specific qualities of each culture in the country.
Part D: Nursing Theory
A nursing theory that has influenced my professional practice is the goal attainment theory. This theory postulates that a nurse must be able to attain specific goals that each patient requires. For instance, different patients have unique medical requirements that need special encounter to meet the goals. This theory coincides with my professional practice because, as a professional nurse, I will be able to apply my skills and experience, offering medical care for patients based on their needs. I will never discriminate any patient despite a cultural background to ensure that I attain the set goals. Nevertheless, people of different cultures may not recognize the capabilities of a professional in offering nursing services, which may affect the daily practice of a nurse. This will not happen in my case since the attributes of the theory will be my guiding principles.
Part E: Historical Nursing Figure
Linda Richards, who was among the first graduates as a psychiatric nurse in the US, significantly contributed to the development of the nursing field. Her contributions have influenced my professional nursing practice. First, she took an active leadership role by creating the initial system that was used to store personal medical information for inpatient and outpatient care. The system revolutionized nursing care in the US and the UK. She also initiated different training programs in the nursing field that were used in Japan and the United States. The programs she introduced formed a benchmark that ensured knowledge passage to other aspiring nurses around the globe. These contributions inspired me to become a nurse. Moreover, the achievements of Linda Richards predetermined the development of advanced curriculum aimed to facilitate knowledge acquisition among people interested in pursuing nursing as a career. It will also enable me to make a positive contribution to the field of nursing.
Part F: Nursing Principles
Respect for Autonomy
As a nurse, I will continue to focus on respect for autonomy because it limits undue influence on patient outcomes. I will apply respect for autonomy in order to articulate my nursing roles. In the nursing field, professional roles based on respect for autonomy are the guiding principle of nursing services within the ethical standards in the sector. As an aspiring nurse leader, I will respect autonomy by playing various roles in the medical sector to assist patients with unique healthcare needs in society. I will also create ethical cultures aimed to support acts of courage in nursing and to achieve a certain mission of a medical institution despite cultural differences. It includes the courage to take responsibility as well as take action despite moral distress, which, for example, may occur when a nurse has to look after a patient who has suffered an accident injury. My purpose as a nurse leader will be to respect diversity and encourage other nurses to handle the situation in a way that will not affect the well-being of patients due to lack of courage.
As a prospective nurse leader, I intend to participate in the identification process, being responsible for any outcome caused by the work of nurses in the organization. Nurse leaders are also accountable for the evaluation and improvement of patient care outcomes. It necessarily means that I will ensure that they should be accountable for all the services, which they offer. My other responsibility or duty as a nurse leader is to observe effective teamwork among nurses to ensure that the services offered in the hospital are of high quality. Moreover, I will make certain that nurses adhere to the Code of Ethics in order to avoid issues related to the lack of proper services a nurse should provide.
Justice
I will safeguard the principle of justice, looking after a patient with chronic needs. In fact, such a patient needs just medical intervention that only a dedicated nurse can offer. My friend, who is a surgeon, told me that he was able to remove the obstacles he encountered in his field since his actions were based on justice; this makes me feel that I will demonstrate my the best skills in nursing despite probable challenges determined by Breier-Mackie (2007). It makes me believe in my potential for professional development and inspires me to continue pursuing a nursing vocation. I also receive motivation from my family members who give me their support and encouragement. They help me to understand I will succeed in nursing through justice. It will enable me to work tirelessly and not to despair. I have also been motivated by my fellow nurses, who encounter many challenges, but never give up. As a nurse, I will uphold the principle of justice, doing my work in a fair way and with full determination. High moral values are essential to succeed in helping many patients even if they are from different cultural backgrounds.
