Role of the Nurse

• Role of the Nurse:
  • Provider of care- direct care or delegated care supervision. (LVN, Tech
    • eg. initial teaching is required by the RN to do. Admin. meds, and blood is also for RN to do.
  • Communicator- (includes education)
  • Consumer of research and information-(utilizing the current evidence-based information to deliver care)
  • Manager- other nurses, ourselves, eg. case manager-plan of care-pt. family, social work, pt/ot, pharmacists.
• Nursing Process: ADPIE
  • Assessment
  • Analysis (Diagnosis)
  • Planning
  • Implementation
  • Evaluation: Did the intervention work? yes-outcome met; partially met-need to reassess; no-outcome not met.
• Evidence-Based Practice –research; conscientious use of the best evidence (i.e. findings from research, quality improvement, and practice management initiatives, and patient assessment) in combo with clinical decision making.
• Roles: Safe and effective care; safety and infection control; health promotion and maintenance; psychosocial integrity; maintaining physiological integrity; pharmacological therapy; spiritual care.

Human Needs

• Holistic-physiological, psychological, social, spiritual
• Nursing- the dx and treatment of human resources to actual and potential health problems.
• Health-each human exists on a health-illness continuum that may move from high level of wellness to severe illness and death.
• Role of the Nurse-Assist individuals, families, and communities to attain the highest level of health possible–through assisting them to meet their various health related needs.
  • Levels of prevention:
    • Primary Prevention:
      CONCERNED WITH THE PREVENTION OR DELAY OF THE ACTUAL OCCURRENCE OF A SPECIFIC ILLNESS OR DISAESE.
      Example: maintenance of diet, body weight; safe sex; cessation of smoking; limiting alcohol intakeSecondary Prevention:
      PROMOTE EARLY DETECTION (case finding and screening) AND EARLY TREATMENT OF DISEASE
      Example: breast self-exam; TB screening; newborn screening; genetic counselingTertiary Prevention:
      DIRECTED TOWARD PREVENTION OF COMPLICATION AND REHABILITATION AFTER THE DISEASE
      Goal: support adaptation to risk; optimal reconstitution; ad Establishment of wellness.
  • Theories of illness causation derive from the underlying cognitive orientation of a cultural group, and therapeutic practice usually follows the same cultural logic.
  • Wellnes- is a balance; dynamic state (always changing)
  • Illness- a state of homeostatic imbalance in which needs are not specifically met.
  • Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs-
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  • Acute/Chronic Illness-6 months or longer