Fundamentals of Nursing
origination of the word "nurse" ✔✔from the latin word "nutrix" meaning to nourish
Interrelated roles of nurses ✔✔communicator, teacher, counselor, leader, researcher,
advocate, collaborator
coping with disability and death ✔✔nurses use optimal function of maximum strengths and
potentials, refer to community support systems; provide care to families and patients during
end-of-life care, hospice
The Nursing Process ✔✔-one of major guidelines for nursing practice
-helps nurses implement their roles
-integrates art and science of nursing
-allows nurses to use critical thinking and clinical reasoning
-defines the areas of care that are within the domain of nursing
Nurse Practice Acts ✔✔-define legal scope of nursing practice
-create state board of nursing to make and enforce rules and regulation
-define important terms and activities in nursing, including legal requirements and titles for RNs
and LPNs
- established criteria for the education and licensure of nurses
5 vital signs ✔✔respirations, pulse rate, blood pressure, temperature, and pain
Nursing is recognized as profession based on what criteria ✔✔-well defined body specific and
unique knowledge
-strong service orientation
-recognized authority by a professional group (ANA)
-code of ethics
-professional organization that sets standards
-ongoing research
-autonomy and self-regulation
Florence Nightingale ✔✔defined nursing as both an art and science, differentiated nursing
from medicine, created freestanding nursing education, published books; founder of modern
nursing
,Clara Barton ✔✔established red cross; volunteered to care for wounds and feed union soldiers
during civil war; served as supervisor of nurses for the army of James
sources of knowledge ✔✔-traditional ( passed down from generation to generation)
-authoritative- comes from an expert, accepted as truth based on person's perceived expertise
-scientific (obtained through the scientific method-research)
objective ✔✔you can see the object
subjective ✔✔coming from that subject
types of knowledge ✔✔-science (observing, identifying, describing, investigating, and
explaining events and occurences that are perceived in world)
-philosophy (the study of wisdom, fundamental knowledge, and the processes used to develop
and construct on perception on life)
-process (a series of actions, changes, or functions intended to bring about a desired result)
goals of nursing research ✔✔-improve care in clinical setting
-study ppl and nurse process: education, policy development, ethics, nursing history
-develop greater autonomy and strength as a profession
-provide evidence-based nursing practice
deductive reasoning ✔✔examines a general idea and then considers specific actions or ideas
inductive reasoning ✔✔one builds from specific ideas or actions to conclusions about general
ideas
health ✔✔a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence
of disease or infirmity
illness ✔✔the unique response of a person to a disease; an abnormal process involving
changed level of functioning
wellness ✔✔an active state of being healthy by living a lifestyle promoting good physical,
mental, and emotional health
nursing theory ✔✔differentiates nursing from other disciplines and activities in that it serves
the purposes of describing, explaining, predicting, and controlling desired outcomes of nursing
care practices
, evidence-based practice (EBP) ✔✔a problem-solving approach to making clinical decisions,
using the best evidence available; blends both science and art of nursing so best outcomes are
achieved; may consist of specific nursing interventions or use guidelines established for the
care of patients
steps in implementing EBP ✔✔Step 1: ask a question about a clinical area of interest or an
intervention
Step 2: collect the most relevant and best evidence
Step 3: Critically appraise the evidence
Step 4: integrate the evidence w/ clinical expertise, patient preferences, and values in making a
decision to change
Step 5: evaluate the practice decision or change
human dimensions that compose the whole person ✔✔physical, intellectual, environmental,
spiritual, sociocultural, and emotional
acute illness ✔✔rapid onset of symptoms and lasts only a short time; examples: cold, diarrhea,
pneumonia, appendicitis
chronic illness ✔✔slow onset, characteristics: permanent change, caused by change in
anatomy, requires special patient education, long period of care or support; examples: heart
disease, diabetes, lung diseases, and arthritis
stages-of-illness behaviors ✔✔Stage 1: experiencing symptoms
Stage 2: assuming the sick role
Stage 3: assuming a dependent role
Stage 4: achieving recovery and rehabilitation
primary health promotion ✔✔directed towards PROMOTING health and PREVENTING the
development of disease processes or injury; example: immunization clinic, family planning
services, accident prevention education
secondary health promotion ✔✔focus on SCREENING for early detection of disease with
prompt diagnosis and treatment of any found; example: assessing children for normal growth
and development and encourage regular medical, dental and vision exams
tertiary health promotion ✔✔after an illness is diagnosed and treated;
origination of the word "nurse" ✔✔from the latin word "nutrix" meaning to nourish
Interrelated roles of nurses ✔✔communicator, teacher, counselor, leader, researcher,
advocate, collaborator
coping with disability and death ✔✔nurses use optimal function of maximum strengths and
potentials, refer to community support systems; provide care to families and patients during
end-of-life care, hospice
The Nursing Process ✔✔-one of major guidelines for nursing practice
-helps nurses implement their roles
-integrates art and science of nursing
-allows nurses to use critical thinking and clinical reasoning
-defines the areas of care that are within the domain of nursing
Nurse Practice Acts ✔✔-define legal scope of nursing practice
-create state board of nursing to make and enforce rules and regulation
-define important terms and activities in nursing, including legal requirements and titles for RNs
and LPNs
- established criteria for the education and licensure of nurses
5 vital signs ✔✔respirations, pulse rate, blood pressure, temperature, and pain
Nursing is recognized as profession based on what criteria ✔✔-well defined body specific and
unique knowledge
-strong service orientation
-recognized authority by a professional group (ANA)
-code of ethics
-professional organization that sets standards
-ongoing research
-autonomy and self-regulation
Florence Nightingale ✔✔defined nursing as both an art and science, differentiated nursing
from medicine, created freestanding nursing education, published books; founder of modern
nursing
,Clara Barton ✔✔established red cross; volunteered to care for wounds and feed union soldiers
during civil war; served as supervisor of nurses for the army of James
sources of knowledge ✔✔-traditional ( passed down from generation to generation)
-authoritative- comes from an expert, accepted as truth based on person's perceived expertise
-scientific (obtained through the scientific method-research)
objective ✔✔you can see the object
subjective ✔✔coming from that subject
types of knowledge ✔✔-science (observing, identifying, describing, investigating, and
explaining events and occurences that are perceived in world)
-philosophy (the study of wisdom, fundamental knowledge, and the processes used to develop
and construct on perception on life)
-process (a series of actions, changes, or functions intended to bring about a desired result)
goals of nursing research ✔✔-improve care in clinical setting
-study ppl and nurse process: education, policy development, ethics, nursing history
-develop greater autonomy and strength as a profession
-provide evidence-based nursing practice
deductive reasoning ✔✔examines a general idea and then considers specific actions or ideas
inductive reasoning ✔✔one builds from specific ideas or actions to conclusions about general
ideas
health ✔✔a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence
of disease or infirmity
illness ✔✔the unique response of a person to a disease; an abnormal process involving
changed level of functioning
wellness ✔✔an active state of being healthy by living a lifestyle promoting good physical,
mental, and emotional health
nursing theory ✔✔differentiates nursing from other disciplines and activities in that it serves
the purposes of describing, explaining, predicting, and controlling desired outcomes of nursing
care practices
, evidence-based practice (EBP) ✔✔a problem-solving approach to making clinical decisions,
using the best evidence available; blends both science and art of nursing so best outcomes are
achieved; may consist of specific nursing interventions or use guidelines established for the
care of patients
steps in implementing EBP ✔✔Step 1: ask a question about a clinical area of interest or an
intervention
Step 2: collect the most relevant and best evidence
Step 3: Critically appraise the evidence
Step 4: integrate the evidence w/ clinical expertise, patient preferences, and values in making a
decision to change
Step 5: evaluate the practice decision or change
human dimensions that compose the whole person ✔✔physical, intellectual, environmental,
spiritual, sociocultural, and emotional
acute illness ✔✔rapid onset of symptoms and lasts only a short time; examples: cold, diarrhea,
pneumonia, appendicitis
chronic illness ✔✔slow onset, characteristics: permanent change, caused by change in
anatomy, requires special patient education, long period of care or support; examples: heart
disease, diabetes, lung diseases, and arthritis
stages-of-illness behaviors ✔✔Stage 1: experiencing symptoms
Stage 2: assuming the sick role
Stage 3: assuming a dependent role
Stage 4: achieving recovery and rehabilitation
primary health promotion ✔✔directed towards PROMOTING health and PREVENTING the
development of disease processes or injury; example: immunization clinic, family planning
services, accident prevention education
secondary health promotion ✔✔focus on SCREENING for early detection of disease with
prompt diagnosis and treatment of any found; example: assessing children for normal growth
and development and encourage regular medical, dental and vision exams
tertiary health promotion ✔✔after an illness is diagnosed and treated;
