- Introduction
There are six C’s to deliver the commissioning excellence from the Department of Health. All of these are directly related to the patient’s well-being and maintenance of patient care. They involve ensuring care is compassionate, with care and dignity, care is coordinated, care is what the patient wants and needs, improving the patient’s experience of care, and there is a range of people involved in commissioning and delivering care. Many successful outcomes and modernization in health and social care are also directly related to patient care, such as the Patients’ Charter, National Health Service, and Community Care Acts, to more recent outcomes such as the National Service Framework and the Care Record Guarantee. These laws and standards are in place to ensure care is optimized for the patient’s benefit and well-being. By maintaining these standards, it helps to put patient care at the forefront of all decisions and drastically improves the quality of service provided for the patient.
Patient care is the main essence of the nursing profession; nursing care for the sick and needy. When the definition and practice surrounding patient care is considered, there are several components including empathy, effective communication, respect, and maintaining the dignity of the patient. It is the role of the nurse to employ a collaborative, practical, and consistent approach to optimize patient health outcomes. This is known as the nursing process. Essentially, the practice of nursing is to care for the patient enabling their independence and having regard for their personal well-being.
Registered Nurse standards in patient care have been developed to provide a standard of performance to a competent level of practice for registered nurses. This is an important issue because in developing the standards, it enables registered nurses to understand the knowledge, skills, and the performance the public expect of them. This, in turn, protects the public. If a registered nurse does not uphold these set standards and injures a patient, the patient may be entitled to take legal action against that nurse. It is imperative that a nurse has a full understanding of what it is they are accountable for.
1.1. Definition of Registered Nurse Standards
Registered Nurse standards are defined as a competent level of care that a registered nurse is expected to practice. It is a legal obligation and anyone who is authorized to work as a registered nurse is obliged to a standard of behavior and is answerable to their actions. Failure to meet these standards will result in an investigation being launched and may lead to disciplinary action taken against the individual concerned. There are many standards and each is equally important, although some may relate to certain areas of nursing practice, the absence of any may result in an inadequate level of care. All nurses are accountable for their actions and inactions. This means that each nurse is answerable to the standards of nursing practice whether they are acting independently, such as prescribing medication, or acting on doctor’s orders. Registered nurse standards are an aspect of professional regulation. It’s no good having any kind of regulation if there aren’t any suitable standards to regulate it by. Nursing is now self-regulated and this means that it is set to become a full profession. This will raise the status of nursing and bring about a wider scope of practice, thus making it even more important to have suitable standards. Failure to practice to the standards can also result in legal implications for the nurse concerned. This could result in a civil charge of negligence and/or malpractice. Any form of legal action can be very damaging to a nurse’s career. It could result in the nurse losing their license to practice. This would be the end of the nurse’s career as a registered nurse. There is also a risk of criminal charges if any action or inaction by a nurse can be considered to be grossly negligent with risk to the patient. This would be brought before a court of law with the possible outcomes of a fine or even imprisonment. All of these implications of failure to practice to the standards show just how important they are.
1.2. Importance of Patient Care
In summary, the importance of patient care cannot be overstated. It is a fundamental aspect of nursing practice that contributes to positive patient outcomes, ensures patient safety, and fosters a therapeutic nurse-patient relationship. By adhering to registered nurse standards and prioritizing patient care, nurses play a vital role in promoting the well-being and recovery of their patients.
Furthermore, patient care is essential for building trust and establishing a therapeutic relationship between nurses and patients. When nurses demonstrate empathy, respect, and effective communication skills, patients feel valued and supported. This, in turn, enhances patient satisfaction and promotes a positive healthcare experience.
Secondly, patient care is vital for maintaining patient safety. Nurses are responsible for monitoring patients’ conditions, identifying potential risks, and implementing appropriate interventions to prevent harm. By providing diligent and attentive care, nurses can help prevent adverse events and ensure the well-being of their patients.
Effective patient care is essential for several reasons. Firstly, it contributes to positive patient outcomes. When nurses prioritize patient care and deliver it in a competent and compassionate manner, patients are more likely to experience improved health outcomes and have a better overall experience during their healthcare journey.
The section “1.2. Importance of Patient Care” explores the significance of patient care in the context of violations of registered nurse standards. Patient care is a fundamental aspect of nursing practice and plays a crucial role in ensuring the well-being and safety of patients. It encompasses various elements such as assessing patients’ needs, providing appropriate interventions, and promoting their overall health and recovery.
1.3. Overview of Violations
The evaluation of the literature is of great importance because the article is only as good as the evidence found. If there was not a great relevance to patient care suggested by some of the evidence, then it would be very difficult to evaluate the implications. The evidence used suggested several different types of nursing care. This made it easy to differentiate between the different types of care and evaluate each implication. It is also a strength that both positive and negative types of nursing care were found because it will give a clearer overall picture of how nursing care affects the patient. This also gives a clearer understanding as to what type of nursing care should be carried out to give a better patient outcome.
The literature review is very clearly set out. Headings are used throughout the article to help the reader keep on track with the topic. All of the points made are backed up with evidence. This provides a clear understanding for the reader of what is considered as evidence. The evidence is also grouped together in topics with a clear method of evaluation. This differs from some articles when the evidence is given, but it is not very clear what aspect of the topic is being evaluated. The implications of each piece of evidence are clear and simply explained.
This essay will explore the (2001) article from the Journal of Advanced Nursing. The title of this article gives a clear understanding of what will be discussed. However, it is a very broad title that gives us no indication of what aspect of registered nursing this article will address. The article itself is clear and concise. The introduction gives you an overall understanding of the topic. They do not state the aims or purpose of the article; however, it is evident that the article is aiming to evaluate the different types of nursing care given and evaluate how it may affect the patient. This is evident because at the end of the introduction, there is a clear lead into the first evaluation that will take place in later sections of the article.
- Causes of Violations
2.1. Staffing Shortages
2.2. Lack of Training and Education
2.3. Burnout and Fatigue
2.4. Communication Breakdown
- Consequences of Violations
3.1. Compromised Patient Safety
3.2. Negative Health Outcomes
3.3. Legal and Ethical Implications
- Strategies for Prevention
4.1. Adequate Staffing Levels
4.2. Continuous Education and Training
4.3. Implementing Effective Communication Systems
4.4. Promoting Work-Life Balance
- Reporting and Addressing Violations
5.1. Importance of Reporting
5.2. Whistleblower Protection
5.3. Disciplinary Actions
- Role of Regulatory Bodies
6.1. Monitoring and Enforcement
6.2. Setting Standards and Guidelines
6.3. Accreditation and Certification
- Ethical Considerations
7.1. Duty to Patient Advocacy
7.2. Confidentiality and Privacy
7.3. Professional Integrity
- Conclusion