The nursing process
The nursing process may be defined the analysis of the sequence of events that surround a client’s, patient, needs and problems and which constantly change at different rates. It is necessary for a nurse to note change on a continuous basis so as to determine if the original problem has changed. The process is centred on the client based on their needs. Different clients have different problems and ,therefore, a nurse should be able to make a proper judgment and take appropriate actions for different clients in the most accurate way possible. The nursing process is a tool that aids a nursing student to systematically analyse client care data, making inferences, drawing conclusions about the problem at hand and determining the course of action to take .
The process has a cyclical approach, phases, that deals with the assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention, evaluation, conclusion and reassessment. The nursing process is used to test the performance of students and graduates at a professional level. The aim of this process is to identify the weaknesses of the students prior to the completion of the profession. Once weaknesses are pointed out, the students are able to overcome them and become better professionals. However, for any nursing student to fully interpret and apply the concepts related to the process, application training must begin at the start of their educational career. The nursing process helps nurses to be critical thinkers and making momentous decisions about the care of their patients. As a medical career related to human health, all nurses must put the welfare of patient at first hand so as. With this approach level of assessment, it will help establish the level of success of the profession and giving good credibility to any established medical institution .
The nursing process plays a crucial role and dictates the daily operations of any nurse. From its phases, a clear-cut approach is evident in its attempt to aid a patient. Assessment is the first step whereby a nurse meets a patient for the first time. At this phase, a nurse to should be able to see what the patient is suffering from. Collection data from family, friends, and from the healthcare team also takes place at this stage. From the data collected, the client’s problem should be identified instantly. The patient’s problem is then diagnosed, and plans are made to treat the patient. Intervention will take place which involves attempts by one or many people to seek professional help if the patient is suffering from of an addiction. Evaluation is the next stage that determines if the goals are met and the rate of success. The client’s satisfactory level in terms of the services offered is also looked at keenly. Conclusion and reassessment are the final stages of the process which wrap up the case and reassessment is done to confirm the patient’s level of recovery .
The value of the nursing process to the nurses is that it gives the profession a sense of order in the way procedures are carried out to assist a patient. Without this order, a client will not be cared for well leaving a dissatisfied and bitter patient. The process also gives the nurses a sense of calm as they encounter situations which may be considered to be complex at first sight. It gives them the confidence to face a different situation and arms them with the necessary weapons to fight. Nursing is the identification and treatment of human responses to potential problems. If these potential problems are not keenly looked, they eventually develop into more complex problems which would take more time and resources to treat. It is therefore crucial for every nurse to follow the procedures outlined in the nursing process to avoid any complications whatsoever .
The value of the nursing process to the patient is that it assures the patient that they are in capable hands when being treated. When a patient sees that certain protocols are being followed to treat him/her, they become more confident and see the way to recovery a reality rather than a dream. Patients certainly lose confidence in their physicians or nurses upon noting doubt in their actions as they try to treat their ailments. The nursing process acts like a corner stone since all other actions will follow in reference to the process thus determining the recovery of the patient .
It would be wrong to consider the process being outdated since there is no other simpler framework or way of doing things that have been made to replace it. Deciding to do away with the process is naive since it is the simplest method of approach to treating a patient at any given time and place. It does not involve any complex procedures and can be understood by all students. The nursing process has been under constant revision over time thus improving its functionality and accuracy in the nursing profession. In terms of adaptability and cognoscibility, the nursing process has sown results in different medical institutions and is recognised and accepted worldwide .
Some arguments,which are in favour of the nursing process, say that it increases face validity of the test and pertinence of questions asked. This has helped to date promote patient understanding thus better care and treatment of the patient of Critical arguments which suggest that the processes may be outdated is that there is problem identification and solving which today is identified as hypothesis formulation and testing. It is argued that thinking occurred differently among nurses, this is based on the experiences they had gained. On decision making, proper decision making would not be possible if a nurse lacked the key element of intuition. Some states also argue that institutional-based is less effective than home-based care which is of higher quality, cost-effective and appropriate. This is a reference to nursing homes for the elderly and the disabled .
In conclusion, different professions have different concepts and the way of doing things. The strategies applied in different principles and have proved to be successful should be maintained and constantly revised and improved. In reference to the nursing process, any process that incorporates a feedback loop that maintains quality control of its decision-making outputs should be maintained at whatever cost. The nursing process is not just a problem-solving method rather it offers an organized and systematic approach to clinical problems .
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