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Role and responsibilities of a nurse
Role and responsibilities of a nurse
Importance of public health nursing to the community
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“A public health nurse is a nurse who works to promote and protect the health of an entire population” (Allender, Rector, & Warner, 2010, p. 839) the public health nurse I chose to interview was Barbara, she currently works for the Health department and has been there for three years. During the interview Barbara discussed the requirements for a public health nurse. The individual must have the ability to exercise independent judgment, planning and able to administer safe effective public nursing care. In addition be able to work effectively with individuals and families to assist them in the satisfactory solution of health problems, by recognizing and respecting of different cultural, ethnic and difference on health care practices. The nurse is also required to know disease prevention such as, different techniques on teaching, counseling, interviewing and resources available. Barbara stated that the most important part of being a public health nurse is being able to care. Barbara acknowledged that there are numerous individuals that she assists everyday that just want someone to exhibit that they care and understand. The education a public health nurse should obtain is a bachelor’s degree in nursing, which Barbara posses. “Public health nurses working with specific populations or in administration position should hold a master’s degree” ( Allender et al., 2010, p.839). Barbara discussed that before becoming a public health nurse she worked at St. Francis Hospital as med-surge nurse for five years, after that it was imperative that she change working environment. Barbara confirmed that working as a nurse in the hospital was extremely diverse then working as public health nurse. “Comparing public health nurse and general nurse, public health nursing is population based, focuses on the greater good, health promotion and disease prevention, and utilizes community resources. The general nursing is individual based, focuses on individual good, restoration of health and function, and manage resources at hand” (Minnesota Department of Health, 2007). In the beginning Barbara thought that public health nursing would be a difficult job to gain knowledge of however, she established that it was exceptionally effortless and gratifying career to posses. Barbara stated that she did not realize how much assistance was out there for the public until; she worked as public health nurse. Barbara spends 95% of her day going from place to place by doing home visits, investigating different cases, assisting with screening programs and enormous amount of paper work.
There is a shortage of all health care professions throughout the United States. One shortage in particular that society should be very concerned about is the shortage of Registered Nurses. Registered Nurses make up the single largest healthcare profession in the United States. A registered nurse is a vital healthcare professional that has earned a two or four year degree and has the upper-most responsibility in providing direct patient care and staff management in a hospital or other treatment facilities (Registered Nurse (RN) Degree and Career Overview., 2009). This shortage issue is imperative because RN's affect everyone sometime in their lifetime. Nurses serve groups, families and individuals to foster health and prevent disease.
I have had the privilege to work with an incredible nurse leader over the past two years. This particular nurse leader shares my passion for population health and case management for the support of patients in their homes and keeping patients safe and healthy. The purpose of this interview was to obtain further knowledge about the role desired by the interviewer. By attaining information from a practicing Master’s prepared nurse, the interviewer will develop a deeper understanding of the career advancement and potential opportunities that are available in the local community.
Healthcare is a continuous emerging industry across the world. With our ever changing life styles and the increased levels of pollution across the world more and more people are suffering from various health issues. Nursing is an extremely diverse profession and among the highest educated with several levels ranging from a licensed practical nurse (LPN) to a registered nurse (RN) on up to a Doctorate in Nursing. Diane Viens (2003) states that ‘The NP is a critical member of the workforce to assume the leadership roles within practice, education, research, health systems, and health policy’.
According to Allender, Rector, and Warner (2014), public health is a combination of both an art and a science (2014). The mission of public health nursing is to promote health, prevent disease and ultimately prolong life (Allender et al., 2014). In order for this to occur an assessment must take place. An aggregate or community assessment begins with a collection of data. This includes: the community’s health needs, risks, environmental conditions, financial resources through local census data, and a windshield survey (Allender et al., 2014). Through public health nursing, communities can collectively come together to help promote an overall better health standing.
Nursing has always been a key career in the health care system. Although it is not often focused on media and stories surrounding health care, nursing is a career of great importance. If any patient was asked about their experience at a hospital or a care center, many would mention the capability and care that they received from the nurses. The health care system could not function efficiently, if at all, if nurses were not present to perform their part. Nurses are more than just physicians, support staff.
Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2008). Public health nursing: Population centered health care in the community (6th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby.
For this assignment I had the pleasure sitting down with Emily Petermeier and getting an insight on what the real nursing world is like. Emily graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Nursing in May 2015, and got a job at Fairview East Bank Hospital. This interview really helped me understand what it is like to be a new nurse and the dedication that I have to have going through nursing school and throughout my career. In the interview you will see the perspective of Emily’s endeavors after college and insight for future nurses or nursing students.
My community service work at County Hospital is to care for the rudimentary needs of each patient. My goals are to provide inspiration during the healing process, teach kindness and compassion, and discover my own abilities for empathy. "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I'll try again to tomorrow (Mary Anne Radmacher)." My hope as a volunteer is to help each patient find that voice, find that courage to go forward.
There are several nurses that have established themselves successfully in the work I am pursuing. The work mainly involves care management, client teaching and patient advocacy. Care management focuses on ensuring that the care that various health care providers offer is cohesive to meet the patients’ needs. Client teaching deals with enabling patient gain knowledge about the medications and health. Patient advocacy is involved with protecting and advancing patients’ rights.
I feel that my perception of public health nursing has grown exponentially. Prior to this semester, I had not considered a career in this concentration of nursing. Through clinical experiences, I have practiced many nursing skills. At the Montclair Community Medical Clinical, I was able to administer Tdap (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) vaccines as well as help with preliminary check ups by obtaining vital signs. I have been able to administer Tuberculosis Skin Test (Mantoux Test) to preschool level children and adults. I have been exposed to home health visits by attending orientation at the Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) and by shadowing a public health nurse during a home health visit in Victorville, CA. I have also had the opportunity to do teaching and first aid at the third annual Montclair Country Jamboree.
During YHAN focus group meeting, I recognized how nurses promote youth engagement, leadership, and skill building. By completing all necessary trainings, reviewing related documentations and reports, and attending training sessions (harm reduction, mental health, priority population training, facilitation session), I have increased my knowledge of health promotion measures and approaches to the different types of clients (aboriginal, racialized, foster care, LGBTTQ2S). By reviewing Toronto Public Health internal website I discovered various projects helpful to gain insight about public health nurses’ attempts to foster the comprehensive system which improve health and coping skills in different populations. I also worked according to Toronto Public Health’s policies and guidelines, driven by OPHS, CHNC, and CNA ethical standards of practice. Always came on-time, applied dress-code, and was detail-oriented and active. I identified myself to clients as a nursing student, asking for permission for a direct contact with a client. I kept confidentiality about clients and their personal information. I asked for guidance from my Preceptor and CCD if uncertainty
...y of life for people by collaborative working with the population to create the conditions that ensure healthy lives (Public Health Nursing, 2013). The nursing process is applied to all levels of nursing practices every day. The public health nurses interventions are target on the whole population and guided by an assessment of the community health (Public Health Nursing, 2013). Although the PHN primarily aims at prevention, all levels of prevention is utilized to improve the wellbeing of the communities.
“Public health nursing is the practice of promoting and protecting the health of a population using knowledge from nursing, social and public health sciences.
“The realm of nursing is no longer limited to a patient’s bedside”, nurses have an obligation to be politically informed to ensure a safe healthcare environment. Considering the government has the power to change laws and regulations within the health care system, it is important for nurses to gain political awareness. “Many state nursing and specialty nursing organizations sponsor annual state legislative days, offer policy internships or fellowships (Hofler, 2006), and conduct policy workshops, all designed to give nurses the opportunity to learn more about current health care issues and the legislative process” (Abood, 2007). Nurses should make their attendance to these educational programs a priority.
From the literature I learned about the importance of driving the nursing profession towards the community health-care system. There is currently a need for revitalization of the primary health care system as stated in this document. There is a need to change some of the focus of education and training in new nurses in an effort to respond to the health care demands of today and the future, since many students are not going into this field. In addition, nurses already working in community health should begin focusing on current prevention and promotion aspects of health. I plan to apply these ideas in my own nursing practice to this rotation.