Professional Nurse Competency

The professional nurse plays an important role in making care an integral part of the health care delivery. Nursing is a combination of skill and knowledge to provide health promotion, as well as prevention of illness for those people with mental or physical condition or disability (ANMC,2006) (NMBA, 2013a). (Book as above link) The role of a professionally competent nurse is a multi-faceted and unique. It Involves holistic care and includes the care of the physical, social, emotional, spiritual, cultural and psychological needs of and individual or group of people. Speedy& Jackson, 2013 Context of nursing). The ANMAC (2006) defines competence the combination of skills, knowledge, attitudes, values and abilities that underpin effective and superior performance in a profession. National competency standards for the Registered Nurse was developed by The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMC) to ensure competency in nursing practice. According to ANMC, these standards reinforce responsibility and accountability in delivering quality care through safe and effective work practice. This essay will examine that in order to be professionally competent nurse must demonstrate clinical, interpersonal and critical

thinking skills. Competency standards will be examined by defining nursing, examining the role of the nurse, investigating the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council’s guideline. Furthermore, the essay will discuss competence nurse’s scope of practice, highlighting need to practice in accordance with legislation affecting nursing practice and respecting cultural diversity.
Nursing bodies worldwide has developed various definitions of nursing. A common characteristic include promoting health and wellness, preventing illness, restoring health and caring for disabled and those at the end-of-life stage (ANMAC, 2006, Speedy, 2013). Additionally, nursing is defined as an ethical and clinical response to human needs, using clinical assessment and treatment and holistic care of an individual and a group of peoples (Speedy, WHO 2014). In order to be professionally competent nurse must demonstrate ethical response in practice, through promoting and empowering individuals and community with the goal of providing the best quality care (Speedy, 2013, Tilley 2008).
Four domains of the ANMC (2006) competency standards for the registered nurses are professional practice, critical thinking and analysis, provision and co-ordination of care and collaborative and therapeutic practice. Sub-section 1.1 complies with relevant legislation, and common law is an important component of the National competency standards for the registered nurse. Subsection 2.1 practices in accordance with the nursing profession’s code of ethics and conduct is significant as it ensures the registered nurse is working while respecting cultural diversity (NMWB, 2006). These two sub-sections are important because moral and legal conflicts often complicate decision making in nursing practice. Many a times, nurse confronts with conflicting scenarios that are often both important things to consider.
The only quandary is which of the two must be a priority.

For instance, taking care of a patient who refuses any form of treatment poses legal dilemma on the part of the nurse. It is true because ANMC (2006) competency standards direct nurses to acknowledge and accept the rights of others. On one side, the professional desire of the nose to help the patient by initiating treatment, and, on the other hand, legal ethics dictate that the patient has rights to refuse treatment. For a nurse, taking care of patients whose religion does not allow blood transfusion is a real dilemma. The nurse has to decide between educating the patient to have treatment or just respect the refusal of treatment and relate to the patient the possible effect of such

refusal.
ANMC (2006) states to accept people or groups regardless of race, culture, religious belief, age, gender, sexual preference, physical or mental states. Furthermore, there is the need to practice in a manner that acknowledge the dignity, cultural values, beliefs and rights of individual or groups (ANMC, 2006). Unfortunately, this is easier said than done, especially when one of the above factors hamper a treatment that may save a patient’s life. It is true that spiritual faith is frequently raised by patients when their health and well-being is in danger. Andrews and Boyle (2008) suggests that religion is crucial to patients during periods of a health crisis. Although, adhering to a particular religious belief is seen as a positive concept of patients; unfortunately such adherence does not invariably result in a positive result. It can hinder patient’s acceptance of treatment and care and points out to some other important view of competence that is, a deeper understanding of cultural variety. Cherry & Jacob (2005) state that health professionals that include nurses, need to respond to the increasing cultural diversity in order to safeguard the public assistance of health care consumers. Cultural diversity challenges nurses to triumph over cultural gaps with patients by providing culturally appropriate care (Daniels, 2004). Cultural competence is the procedure whereby a nurse provides care that is suitable for client’s cultural context (Daniels, 2004). A nurse is truly competent if he or she can treat patients of diverse cultural ethnicity and manages to constitute and sustain a therapeutic relationship that paves the way for an efficient execution of nursing activities.
In conclusion, professional nursing competence requires a newly graduate registered nurse to demonstrate knowledge and skills as designated in the National standards. This essay has examined the professional competence of nurse and explore the definition of nursing, the role of nurses, the ANMAC competency standards, the need for professionally competent nurses to practice in accordance with legislation. It also entails understanding of cultural diversity and how it affects the kind of care provided to the patient. In summation, this essay has argued the need for a nurse to demonstrate and use skills, knowledge in the clinical practice to be competent.