When acknowledging the humanity of patients or those who care for them, the concept of dignity requires critical consideration. Acutely abstract and multidimensional, the concept of dignity in healthcare lacks categorical definition. This is problematic as dignity is a fundamental requisite for the nurse-patient relationship and must be maintained in each and every interaction if holistic caring and patient healing is to occur. This paper will thus aim to further clarify the meaning of the word ‘dignity’ using the process of concept analysis, and through reference to the novel A Nurse’s Story: Life, Death and In-Between an Intensive Care Unit by Tilda Shalof, illuminate the gravity of promoting and preserving patient dignity in nursing care. …show more content…
Herein lies the bona fide reason for promoting patient dignity in the clinical setting. As the Nursing Ethics journal excerpt “Practical Dignity in Care” explains, dignity is “constructed like a brick wall” consisting of the capabilities we have acquired over our lifetime. When some of these capabilities are lost, as in the case of illness, impairment or old age, the construct of dignity can be tainted or eroded (Seedhouse & Shotton, 1998). When the concept of dignity is understood in this way, it beckons the nurse to engage in endeavours that promote the flourishment of an individual’s capabilities, while also considering how intrusive measures, such as bed baths, enemas or other invasive procedures, are managed to minimize the loss of dignity. Conclusively, dignity may be viewed as both an intrinsic human right, as well as a product of human capabilities and …show more content…
She writes, “Once I watched him tenderly wipe away drips of menstrual blood from between a young woman’s legs and made her feel clean and well-groomed with a perfumed bath and a manicure and pedicure before her boyfriend came to visit. Murray talked to her all the while, treating her like the lovely young woman that she was, despite the fact that she was completely unconscious from raging bacterial meningitis” (Shalof, 2004, p. 73). According to the Journal of Clinical Nursing, by assisting an individual in the performance of those activities that she (or he) would perform unaided if she was in good health and had the necessary strength, will, and competency is to practice holistic nursing care in which the maintenance of dignity is paramount (Matiti & Trorey, 2008). The nurse featured in this scenario conveys respect for the inherent worth of his patient, despite her debilitated state of health and poor outlook. Accordingly, the interaction supports the notion that patient-centered nursing care aims at the enhancement of the dignity of the human person in all his or her
She goes beyond the past tendencies of just looking at the differences of nursing theories to ideas that unite them to evoke new creative ideas. She tries to explain how the theoretical framework of caring evolved into philosophical, conceptual and epistemological undertaking and differs from just caring. Concurrently, nursing’s focus on the relationship of caring for health and healing differentiated it from other disciplines. However, I felt, the difference between “just caring” and caring in nursing can explain through exploring the concepts of healing and consciousness. Even though, nurses possess an ethical obligation for caring, the ultimate aim is to restore health through healing. These two concepts were not explicitly defined in the conceptual framework of caring. The other main elements missing in the Metaparadigm of the caring theory are environment and culture that seek to inform and embrace
In 2005 Fawcett stated “the metaparadigm of professional nursing incorporates four concepts: human beings, environment, health, and nursing” (as sited in Kearney, 2012, p. 4). This paper discusses my philosophy of nursing by stating my own personal definitions, values, and assumptions regarding each of the above mentioned concepts. My paper concludes with an exemplar from my own nursing practice and how I integrated my nursing philosophy into that particular clinical situation.
Planning included reaching out to other health organizations, objectives, and goals of health fair were established. The implementation includes getting volunteers, set up for the health fair. The evaluation of the process occurred throughout the implementation and changes were made as needed. The evaluation will be completed by gathering information from health booth to determine the number of participants. Review vendor and participant evaluations about the health fair including how they heard about the health fair, ratings of booths and suggestions for improvements. Record everything to determine changes. Reflection on past experiences and what worked and did not work.
“Vulnerability is at the core, the heart, the center, of meaningful human experiences” (Brown, 2014). Vulnerability can be regarded as a constant human experience that can be affected by physical, social and psychological dimensions (Scanlon & Lee, 2006; Malone, 2000) Deconstructing the concept of vulnerability and how it relates to client care is imperative for nurses due to their dynamic role in health care (Gjengedal et al.2013). In this paper I will provide a theoretical overview of the nursing concept vulnerability. I will explore how a thorough understanding of vulnerability informs the nursing concept of vulnerability and informs the nursing practice and the nursing profession. I will identify the gaps in the nursing
Poor care does not only result in bad press and public perception but also break the trust between the patient and nurse. Utilising the theoretical framework developed by Todres et all (2009) which explores eight central aspects of what it is to be human. Todres et al (2009). This model can be used to improve nursing care. Referring to the term ‘being treated as human beings’ not being treated as a number or object.
Dignity is defined as “the quality or state of being worthy, honored, or esteemed. (Webster, 1828). Treating patients with respect and dignity can make the difference in their response to illness. Patients want to be treated as individuals that have a medical condition and are seeking help and in the same vein be treated with respect.
The concept of person needs to be explored to go into further depth with the remaining concepts of the metaparadigm of nursing. Person refers to the person undergoing nursing care which includes individuals, families, groups, and communities (MacIntyre & McDonald, 2014, p.63). It is evident that each person may be unique with different biological, psychological, social, and spiritual depth (Thorne, 2010, p.66). Therefore, it is necessary for nurses to realize that each person at the centre of any nursing care will experience different feelings in regards to their body as a whole. The theorist, Parse, defines the concept of person as being “linked to an unfolding process, the relating of value priorities, meaning, and quality of life” (Wu, 2008, p.6). Also those human beings are free and choose in situations that arise from personal experience and becoming with the universe (Thorne, 2010, p.71). The nurses’ role in regards to this theory is to act encourage individuals in their human becoming process. Wu (2008) looks at the p...
Although nursing is universally practiced, not all nurses values and morals are the same. Nurses and nursing students are usually put in situations where they must operate within an ethical structure which is either unfamiliar to their cultural criterion or those of the patients for whom they are taking care of. The most prominent values and morals of nurses are based on human dignity and benevolence. Human dignity is the main component that branches off into other values under caring for health and well-being. Trust, integrity, autonomy, and privacy are one of the many sub-values that fall under human dignity. It is important for the nurses to respect and understand the culture and beliefs of the patient without being judgmental or confrontational. The wellbeing of the patient is priority and so the nurses must focus on gaining the patients trust first by tending to their needs and exhibiting
In contemporary nursing practice, nurses need to integrate scientific knowledge and nursing theories prior to providing optimal health care. Nursing theories guide nurses to treat clients in a supportive and dignified manner through client centred approaches. However, it is challenge for nurses to practice client centred care in daily realities due to heavy workloads. In order to assist nurses to decrease the gap between ideal and real practice, Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) develops Best Practice Guideline of Client-centred-care (Neligan, Grinspun, JonasSimpson, McConnell, Peter, Pilkington, et al., 2002). This guideline offers values and beliefs as foundation of client-centred care, and the core processes of client-centred care can facilitate provision of optimal nursing care. These four core processes of client-centred care include identifying concerns, making decisions, caring and service, and evaluating outcomes. According to RNAO (2006), ongoing dialogue with clients and self-reflection are essential for nurses to develop their nursing skills and knowledge on client-centred care. As a nursing student, I reflected on written transcripts of interactions between patients and me, so that I could gain insights into client-centred care for further improvement. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to discuss importance of the core processes of client-centred care in nursing practice through identifying and critiquing blocks to conversation. Based on the guideline of RNAO (2006), respect, human dignity, clients are experts for their own lives, responsiveness and universal access will be elaborated in each core process of client-centre care as reflecting on three dialogues with patients.
Every person’s needs must be recognized, respected, and filled if he or she must attain wholeness. The environment must attuned to that wholeness for healing to occur. Healing must be total or holistic if health must be restored or maintained. And a nurse-patient relationship is the very foundation of nursing (Conway et al 2011; Johnson, 2011). The Theory recognizes a person’s needs above all. It sets up the conducive environment to healing. It addresses and works on the restoration and maintenance of total health rather than only specific parts or aspect of the patient’s body or personality. And these are possible only through a positive healing relationship between the patient and the nurse (Conway et al, Johnson).
“Nursing encompasses an art, a humanistic orientation, a feeling for the value of the individual, and an intuitive sense of ethics, and of the appropriateness of action taken’, said Myrtle Aydelott (Hammarskjold, 2000). Nurses have our patients trust with their lives every day. These patients have needs that must be understood and met, whether; physical, psychological, or emotional. Nurses must provide nonjudgmental care to those in need, regardless of culture, religion, lifestyle choices, financial status, or hues of the human race. To quote Jean Watson, nursing theorist, “I am here to care for others, regardless of where they came from” (Hammarskjold, 2000). I believe that the nursing profession chose me because I have always had a calling to help those in need. Nursing
Ethics is a branch of philosophy dealing with what is morally right or wrong (Merriam-Webster, 2015). Nurses practice patient care without self-interest, thus, attempting to make decisions that are right for the patient. This writer’s goal is to be a patient advocate and make decisions based on nursing ethics and the patient’s right to choose.
Friendships may be formed; however, having professional interactions is something that is not always followed. In terms of patient confidentiality, we may not realize that a HIPPA violation has occurred due to a friendly conversation with coworkers. If a patient were to overhear their nurse discussing their information in an unprofessional manner, then it may cause issues with a patient’s dignity and their rights. If a patient’s right is violated, then it can lead to a patient’s mistrust in their caregiver, leading to mistrust in the facilities, and can end with a patient’s health being compromised. The patient is the reason for this career; if the needs of the patient are being unmet or violated then the purpose of our occupation will be unsuccessful and indifferent.
Nursing is more than merely a job, an occupation, or a career; it is a vocation, a calling, a frame of mind and heart. As a nurse, one must value the general good of others over his own. He must devote of himself nobly to ensure the well-being of his patient. However, today’s well-recognized nurses are notably different from nurses of the recent past. Service is the core of the nursing profession, and the essential evolution of the vocation reflects the ever-changing needs of the diverse patient population that it serves. As a profession, nursing has evolved progressively, particularly in its modernization throughout the past two centuries with the influence of Florence Nightingale. The field of nursing continues to grow and diversify even today, as nurses receive greater medical credibility and repute, as its minority representations
Ethics asses the values, morals, and principles of nurses. Legal codes or laws are rules established by our government. It’s important that nurses have a clear and comprehensive understanding of ethical and legal codes within their career. The understanding of these codes is essential for nurses to safely practice and to protect their patients. Nurses must abide by these principles or face the consequences of legal action. These principles include autonomy, utilitarianism, confidentiality, and many others. Autonomy is the agreement to respect ones right to determine a course of action, while utilitarianism is what is best for most people as defined in American Nurses Association. In order to give you a