Introduction
Healthcare services can be continuously divided into two main areas, namely treatment, and care. Complete patient treatment is impossible without the proper implementation of these parts. Care formulates both physical and psychological intervention for the sick person. Positive emotions are essential for an individual’s wellbeing, which also articulates the importance of care. Moreover, it includes providing the patient with those services or activities that one cannot perform due to illness. In some cases, a person’s life may depend on it, for example, in critical conditions. Thereby, care is an integral part of healthcare services provision, which promotes physical and mental recovery of the patient.
Personal Knowing of Caring
Generally, the term “care” is perceived by many people as compensation for those actions that one cannot provide oneself due to sickness. For me, it articulates a larger-scale aspect, namely providing the most comfortable environment for the patient, which will lead to early recovery. Complete care formulates the fulfillment of all conditions for the most comfortable stay of the individual in particular conditions and the transformation of the environment itself. For example, providing a favorite book or TV show, talking to family, or listening to music, and that is how I usually show care for others. Rewards of caring for others are formulated mainly in the moral satisfaction due to helping people. Challenges may be represented in a broad spectrum of activities necessary for the comfort of the sick person. The culture I come from is characterized by support and help to other people, thus, it enhances my beliefs about care.
The Professional Aspect of Caring
Care also formulates the moral aspect of the provision of medical services, influencing the mental comfort of the patient. It constitutes professional care, which implies mutual recognition, connection, and involvement between the patient and the nurse (Kozier et al., 2018). The seemingly insignificant actions of a nurse can significantly improve the patient’s wellbeing and speed up the recovery process. For example, to help a mature woman who cannot make herself make-up before meeting with relatives (Kozier et al., 2018). It formulates why caring is so important in nursing practice and providing professional care, and one should have knowledge not only in medicine but also in psychology. The rewards and challenges of professional care for patients are similar to non-professional, namely the moral gratification and wide range of activities to provide comfort.
Caring and Patients
Typically, patients have similar expectations of what caring actions should be, as many people define it. The patient expects that one will be provided with all the necessary conditions and activities that positively affect health and recovery. Virginia Henderson defined nursing as actions the patient should do for oneself independently if one had the necessary strength (Cooper, 2001). Therefore, performances that are not necessary for individuals or prevent early recovery are considered “uncaring”. An example is a situation that I learned about in the media when during the COVID-19 pandemic, a nurse was caring for several patients in a serious condition. Due to the nurse’s dedication and hard work, these few patients survived. It is an example of rewards of patient’s care and actions that reinforce nursing as a trustworthy.
It is also worth noting another aspect of care that is crucial for the owners and management of medical institutions. Nowadays, there is an increase in competition in all industries, including medicine, which articulates the importance of providing the best medical services for the certain institution (Karaca & Durna, 2019). In other words, a potential client will turn to the institution that can provide the best services, including care. For this, one would study the reviews and information about the institution or ask friends and relatives. It is the factor that nurses can influence by providing the best possible care and treatment.
Caring and My Nursing Practice
The information I have learned about professional care includes the necessary actions and procedures to promote early patient recovery. I am confident in all aspects of caring aspects since I like to talk to people, soothe them, and provide the comfortable conditions as possible. When I perform actions that improve a person’s wellbeing, I feel positive emotions, which also formulates a reward for care. However, there are aspects that could be improved in the future to provide better care services. Namely, conflict management, since sometimes when a conflict situation arises, I cannot choose the best option to resolve it.
Conclusion
To conclude, care is a crucial part of healthcare services provided as a method promoting patients’ physical and mental wellbeing and as an essential factor in a competitive aspect. Nurses’ actions may both significantly improve or worsen the condition of the client since they influence one’s psychological state. Activities the individual should do for oneself if one had the possibility, and which should be made by a nurse instead are considered “caring”. Moreover, care is a process by which nurses should provide the best possible environment for the sick person. A potential area for future research is psychology, as it is necessary for caring practice and contains data about conflict management.
References
Cooper, C. (2001). The art of nursing: A practical introduction. W.B. Saunders.
Karaca, A., & Durna, Z. (2019). Patient satisfaction with the quality of nursing care. Nursing Open, 6(2), 535-545.
Kozier, B., Erb, G. L., Bergman, A., Snyder, S., & Frandsen, G. (2017). Fundamentals of Canadian nursing: Concepts, process, and practice. (4th ed.). Pearson Education Canada.