The job of a nurse requires much responsibility, and it is multi-faceted. It is necessary to obtain the relevant knowledge, skills, and capabilities to be able to perform health care provision effectively. The responsibilities of a nurse include monitoring the nutrition of patients, providing psychological support to patients and their family members, and managing patient medical history (Smith 12). Frequently, nurses need to carry out a primary diagnosis based on symptoms so that it can be analyzed later. In order to perform all of these functions, a nurse should get a quality education and obtain all the necessary knowledge and skills.
I would like to acquire and consolidate the most crucial skills, such as maintaining patient records, assistance during operations, and monitoring of patients as well as to learn the important skills of effective psychosocial support to members of the patient’s family. In addition, the nurse’s task is to assist in carrying out diagnostic tests and analyzing the results, the appropriate treatment, and the management of patient care in rehabilitation (Glasgow 96). In order to carry out these tasks effectively, I would like to gain relevant knowledge from experts in the field and gain practical knowledge in addition to the theoretical one (Hunt 214). At present, the scope of activities of nurses is varied, and their responsibilities include several major activities such as clinical practice, providing supervision, analysis, community consultation, and management as an essential element of patient care. Such work requires being educated in a variety of fields.
In the United States, the nurse’s work is patient-centered. In order to achieve the best nursing outcomes, nurses should be aware of evidence-based medicine and its principles (Boore and Deeny 159). It implies the knowledge and expertise in managing different patients with different backgrounds with due respect for diversity (Jeffreys 286). The nurse should be aware of all the aspects of a patient’s life concerning his or her physical and mental health, including the family and the physical environment.
In addition, obtaining the degree would enable providing effective care to patients. It implies the ability to explain all the health issues to the patient in simple terms and the capability to gain information and provide a correct interpretation of clinical laboratory tests (Clark 146). One of the most important aspects is the knowledge of nutrition, enteral feeding, and parenteral feeding. It is essential to study the aspects of pharmacology and drug compatibility as well as be able to understand the functional diagnosis.
In conclusion, understanding the clinical situation of the patient is the most important skill of a nurse. The nurse is the first to recognize the primary signs of heart attack, stroke, pneumonia or other infections and changes in the patient’s condition, and the nurse is to transmit this information to the doctor. The nurse coordinates and is responsible for the timely and adequate treatment and care provision for each patient; thus, it is crucial for me to get a quality education to be able to furnish care provision in an effective way.
Works Cited
Boore, Jennifer, and Patrick Deeny. Nursing Education, Thousand Oaks: SAGE, 2012. Print.
Clark, Cynthia. Creating & Sustaining Civility in Nursing Education, Indianapolis: Sigma Theta Tau, 2013. Print.
Glasgow, Mary. New Directions in Nursing Education, New York: Elsevier, 2012. Print.
Hunt, Deborah. The New Nurse Educator, New York: Springer, 2012. Print.
Jeffreys, Marianne. Nursing Student Retention, New York: Springer, 2012. Print.
Smith, Mable. The Legal, Professional, and Ethical Dimensions of Education in Nursing, New York: Springer, 2011. Print.