Introduction
Nursing care refers to the process of protecting, promoting and optimizing health, prevention of injuries and illness, and alleviation of suffering in humans. Understanding nursing care requires a comprehensive study of the discipline (Iyer 29). Many people do not understand what the nursing discipline entails especially in the medical profession that is characterized by many stakeholders. With the human population growing every day, the need for better health care is becoming more and more important. Furthermore, the types and methods incorporated into nursing practice have evolved very much. The roles and routines in most health care ad and nursing facilities have also changed greatly. Therefore, there is a great need to understand the various aspects involved in nursing care in order to understand what needs to be done to improve and increase the provision of care to the society.
History/Theory
The need for health care has existed since the ancient days. Even though nursing practices were done almost informally – through traditional means – the world was still healthy. Traditional means had proved effective in practice even though they seem undesirable at the moment. Courtesy of modernization, technological advancement among other factors, nursing care has evolved to be not only effective but also efficient. This has facilitated practitioners to provide satisfactory services to health-seekers. The formal ways in which nursing tasks are organized ensures the provision of adequate and quality patient care (Kelly et al., 71). There are ample theories adopted to supplement the need for quality health care provision. These theories are categorized into common theories include the grand nursing theory, mid-range theory and nursing practice theory. Grand nursing focus on general concepts, insights and conceptual frameworks in nursing. Mid-range theories have a specific scope and as well as objectives for effective practice. They mostly rely on research strategies. The nursing practice theories have very specific objectives.
Importance of nursing care
Nursing care is vital to the maintenance of health in the society. Depending on the range, nursing improves the standards of living among members of the society. This means that it is not only sick people who benefit from nursing care but the society in general benefits. When somebody falls sick, they visit health care facilities to be attended to. When they show characteristics of improvement, health care practitioners allow them to go back home. However, nursing care does not begin and end with the action of attending to a sick person. For instance, educating the public on crucial issues and habits is a fundamental nursing care practice. Before reaching the point of visiting a health facility when one gets sick, nursing professionals carry the responsibility to teach the society on sustainable ways of avoiding common preventive diseases. Topics such as obesity, physical fitness, and good eating habits among others are taught by health care providers to limit the chances of members of the society getting sick.
Work Environment
Mostly, nursing practitioners work at a health care facility. In fact, almost seventy-percent of health care practitioners report every day to particular health care facilities. These are places that provide a favorable environment for an efficient and effective patient care (Potter et al., 37). Almost everything that is required in attending to a patient is be found around a health care facility. However, nursing care is also practiced in outreach areas. Through outreach initiatives, health care providers have the opportunity to serve the community at their homes or at a jointly agreed outside place. Such initiatives benefit members of the society since they do not incur the cost of traveling to health care facilities in search of medication. Both outreach and health care facilities are places of high significance when it comes to nursing as care can be provided to nurses from either of these places.
The working environment is dictated by the type of services a health care facility provides. For instance, a health care facility could be focused on attendance to on eye complications and problems Under such an environments, the focus of nursing care will be on reducing eye-related sickness cases in that particular society. Furthermore, nursing professionals working in the eye-care facility will be expected to exhibit expertise on the eye related complications. The notion that nursing care professionals work in a highly overwhelming environment could be true or untrue based on the context (Vonessen & Sjoden 09). For one reason, the claim is false because most health care facilities are adequately equipped with resources. However, the statement may be true considering that some places lack the basic infrastructure for an efficient health care system. It can also be particularly
The role of nursing professionals also amounts to the diverse expectations at the workplace. In most cases, health centers provide ample challenges to medics. Therefore, only the most prepared and devoted professionals thrive. A nurse is also required to exhibit unique skills and knowledge in working in such an area. These influence the provision of prompt and quality services. Collaboration among health care practitioners in the work environment is also fundamental to addressing the challenges that arise in the workplace. Although a nurse may find the work environment quite challenging at the start, things always get better with time especially when they gain experience in carrying out duties. With determination, passion and the desire to save people’s lives, the nursing care fraternity or workplace soon becomes enjoyable.
The issue of the shortage of nurses is something else to think about. Research shows that the world population is underserved on the basis of nurse-patient ratio. Nursing functions and roles that under normal circumstances would be done by three to five nurses are normally burdened to one nurse. Some of these tasks include dealing with emergencies, dealing with normal health-seekers, making decision on key issues, outpatient duties amongst others. For patients to be provided with the best care, health care facilities must ensure that the adequate amounts of nurses are employed.
Caring for the Aged
Concept development
In this concern, I propose the erection of a hospice facility that specifically provides nursing care to the aged. This facility will greatly serve the community that is characterized by a lot of aged people who do not receive adequate care. The concept is a response to the focus often given to other age groups and people deemed to be in need of special care. Evidently, there has been a lot of emphasis on specialized groups while little attention has been given to the aged or the elderly. Hospices for orphans, physical impaired people among other disadvantaged have dominated the society (Potter et al., 77). There are almost no hospices for the aged. Very few seems to be concerned about providing nursing acre to the aged even though many aged people, both male and female suffer a lot in seeking for quality health care. The concept of building a hospice facility will be a relief to the aged community and will in the long run benefit the entire society.
Source of Resources and usage
Resources always tend to be scarce. Funding nursing care projects tends to be associated with great challenges. However, this does not mean that the welfare of the aged is to be ignored. The construction will require resources such as land among others. Acquiring such resources might be a challenge but even with all these, a simple budget can be helpful to begin the construction even if it means catering for a few. The potential sources of funds include non-governmental health centered organizations and well-wishers.
Resources will be utilized responsibly. This means there will be no misappropriation whatsoever. As per the strategy, the initial resources will cater for the purchase of the very important and primary necessities such as the land and building materials. Then, other purchases will be made to facilitate the completion and the implementation of the project. Audits on every resource used will be carried out independently and effectively to make sure that there is no waste of even a single penny. Upon completion, one hard task may be in regard to the management of the facility. This requires high competence levels bearing in mind that old aged people bear same characteristics children who need close monitoring and attention.
Importance
Quality nursing care towards the aged has a lot of benefits to the society. As the case in other hospices, the aged hospice will be the home to the neediest people. As discussed earlier, aged individuals suffer a lot when it comes to accessing health care. Worse enough, others even do not get a chance to visit or to be attended by a nursing staff. This is because they are normally neglected as they are seen as useless people who are unproductive. The provision of a place where all their health care needs can be met will be of huge benefit and will make the work of nurses easier when it comes to providing care to the elderly. The elderly will be exposed to a close health monitoring system and will also be taught on how to stay physically fit and how to practice healthy living.
The hospice is also important in that the families of the aged will have a chance to concentrate with other family issues that benefit the entire family unit. Therefore, every party will enjoy the benefits from the construction of a hospice for the aged. As opposed to attending the old aged at their homes, it will be cost less when they are at the hospice facility. Furthermore, the project will be even vital in serving the society in the long-run. From the many issues that plague the health care sector, the construction of a hospice for the aged will provide a key solution to one of these problems.
Conclusion
Works Cited
Iyer, Patricia W. Nursing Malpractice. Tucson: Lawyers and Judges Pub. Co, 2007. Print.
Kelly, Patricia, and Maureen T. Marthaler. Delegation of Nursing Care. Clifton Park: Thomson/Delmar Learning, 2005. Print.
Potter, Patricia A, Anne G. Perry, Patricia A. Stockert, and Amy Hall. Fundamentals of Nursing. N.p., 2013. Print.
Vonessen, l., and p. Sjoden. "The importance of nurse caring behaviors as perceived by Swedish hospital patients and nursing staff." International Journal of Nursing Studies (2001): n. pag. Print.
