The Nursing And Midwifery Council (NMC)

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) clearly states the responsibility of a nurse towards the health and wellbeing of people, and that individuals must be able to trust nurses in this respect (NMC, 2008). Needless to say, management acumen is crucial to delivering high quality care (NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, 2011). This essay will describe my experience in caring for a group of patients as well as detail my reflection upon it.

Ensuring that Patient All Patient Needs are Met

Managing the residents at my clinical placement has been a welcome challenge. As the residents had a variety of medical conditions, they also had a variety of needs. Manley, et. al. (2011) also emphasizes the necessity to provide patient-centred care;

Nursing shift handovers communicates the team’s goals, and ensures the continuity and consistency of care, as well as the safety of patients (Athanasakis, 2013). The NMC (2009) also highlights shift handovers as an integral part of our practice.

Also, some pertinent concerns have been raised during some shifts regarding the residents, which needed to be addressed. It was absolutely necessary to make a plan of action by prioritising and delegating tasks. The NMC Code of Conduct (2008) provides a framework on task delegation, taking into account the ability, supervision, and follow up on delegated tasks. I took down notes and created a to-do list, with goals and actions that I should have achieved on top of every hour during the shift.

Part of being able to manage day-to-day tasks involves delegation and seeking help. I was supported by my mentors during the process, especially when I felt unsure about particular tasks. I was also assisted by healthcare assistants with certain tasks, like weighing residents to be able to assess MUST scores. This is in accordance with the Code (2008), where a nurse has to delegate tasks to a person deemed fit to perform the task. For instance, the administration of medications requires the nurse to make and document a risk assessment, determining whether an individual, such as a healthcare assistant, is competent enough to perform the

As changes happened constantly, it was vital to determine priorities that were more obvious than others, as mentioned by Matthews and Whelan (1993). For instance, I prioritised checking pre-prandial blood sugar levels over changing wound dressings, as the former had to be completed at a limited time frame. I have used a variety of models in arranging my goals for the day. I considered ABC’s (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) and Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs. In addition, I weighed the complexity of the tasks as well as the time frame, since prioritisation implies choosing imperatives among a number of options, as well as being able to recognise these options (Lake, et.al., 2009)

Finally, in order to determine whether patient needs were truly met, it was necessary for me to perform an evaluation. It not only involved completing the job list for today, but I always ask the residents whether they feel well or comfortable at the end of the day. I had to ensure that information was passed on to the team members of the next shift through handovers, and that the residents were regularly monitored, depending on their