DISCUSSION BOARD WEEK 2
This week's topic is centered on the concept of caring in contemporary nursing practice.
In your initial response, provide a definition of caring that aligns with your perspective on
the concept of caring. Identify your selected program of study specialty track (Executive,
Education, FNP, Healthcare Policy, or Nursing Informatics). Describe how you will apply
the principles of caring and holistic nursing in your future professional practice. Use at
least one outside scholarly article to support your position. Provide an example to
illustrate an application to professional practice.
When nursing comes to mind, the word "caring" is one of the first adjectives that is
thought of. From my perspective, caring means taking the steps to go above and
beyond for your patient. It can be all too easy to provide patient care with the bare
minimum effort in the clinical setting. It takes genuine work and effort put forth by the
nurse to be considered a caring individual. With healthcare becoming a larger industry,
it is a temptation to let the value of being a caring nurse become less necessary and
demanded in the clinical setting. As one scholarly article states, "focus on care that is
more patient-centered with an emphasis on value over volume" is the definition of a true
caring nurse (Linette & Sherman, 2014). However, I believe that in order to provide this
type of care, nurses need to take the initiative to slow down. When you slow down, it
gives you the time to provide valuable, thoughtful, and intentional care.
I am currently studying on the family nurse practitioner track. While this is my
first class on that track, I have already started to think about how I want to act when I
enter the work force with this education. Holistic and caring nursing means looking at
your patient as a whole. This means addressing their emotional, physical, and at times
spiritual needs. As one scholarly article states, "Caring Science as the moral,
theoretical, and philosophical foundation for nursing is crucial" (Watson, 2017). For
example, as a FNP you may be called to provide end of life care for your patients. In
order to make these patients more comfortable, you may have to provide emotional
support as they try to understand the meaning of death. You may also have to choose
and provide a myriad of medications to give physical comfort for them. And finally,
looking into providing spiritual support through clergy members and chaplains may be
necessary. Realizing that your patient may need all three of these things illustrates a
caring nurse in action. While these three tasks may sound easy, nurses understand just
how difficult it can be at times to accomplish all of these things. This is what makes a
true "caring nurse" so beautiful within the clinical practice. It is extremely difficult work.
In summary, the true "caring nurse" is composed of three definite things. These three
things are confidence, competence, and compassion. When you strive to accomplish
those things, you truly are fulfilling the definition of a caring nurse.
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