Foundations: Module 1 - Evolution of Nursing

A core aspect of nursing that focuses on understanding, responding to, and advocating for patients' needs and well-being. It goes beyond technical skills, encompassing compassion, empathy, and respect for the individual.

Florence Nightingale's revolutionary approach to nursing during the Crimean War involved focusing on cleanliness, sanitation, and organized care. Her innovations led to significantly improved soldier health outcomes.

The National League for Nursing (NLN) sets standards and guidelines for nursing education, emphasizing ethical practice and competency.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) serves as the primary voice and advocate for registered nurses in the United States, upholding professional standards and promoting the well-being of nurses.

A legal document that outlines the scope of practice for registered nurses in each state, defining the activities they can legally perform.

The range of actions, treatments, and procedures that a nurse is legally permitted to perform within their profession.

Nurses today are expected to be proficient in critical thinking, communication, leadership, and technical skills to provide safe and effective patient-centered care.

This competency emphasizes tailoring care plans to each patient's individual needs, goals, and preferences, involving them in decision-making.

A profession is a field of work that has been successfully professionalized. Professions exhibit specific characteristics, including ethical standards, public acceptance, expertise, and a body of knowledge derived from research, education, and training. Professionals are expected to apply their knowledge for the benefit of others.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines nursing as the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual and potential health problems. This emphasizes the focus on individual patient needs and responses to their health status.

The ANA revised its definition in 2010, highlighting the personalized and collaborative nature of nursing practice. It emphasizes the central role of caring, the use of the nursing process to guide care, and the importance of a supportive work environment for quality healthcare.

The ANA further expanded its definition in 2015, encompassing a broader scope of nursing practice. It emphasizes the promotion and optimization of health, prevention of illness and injury, facilitating healing, alleviating suffering, diagnosing and treating human responses, and advocating for patients.

Defining nursing helps the public recognize and value the profession. It clarifies the unique contributions of nurses and differentiates their work from other healthcare professionals, such as physicians.

Defining nursing helps nursing students understand the expectations and responsibilities of the profession. It sets the foundation for their education and prepares them for their future roles as nurses.

Florence Nightingale, Dorothea Dix, Clara Barton, Lillian Wald, Mary Brewster, Edward Lyon, Lavinia Dock, and Mary Mahoney are some of the prominent figures who influenced the evolution of nursing. Their contributions significantly shaped nursing practice, education, and patient care.

The contributions of influential individuals have played a vital role in advancing the profession of nursing. Their efforts have led to improvements in nursing practice, patient safety, and the overall quality of healthcare.

A process involving recognizing cues, analyzing, prioritizing, generating solutions, taking action, and evaluating outcomes.

Reflective thinking that involves collecting and analyzing information, carefully considering options for action.

The process of attempting to find a satisfactory solution to an issue.

Ability to understand and respond to the emotional needs of others.

The ability to listen actively and understand the message of the speaker.

The capacity to remain calm and composed in challenging situations.

The ability to perform physical tasks and withstand physical demands.

A model that describes the five stages of nursing expertise: novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert.

A registered nurse who holds an associate degree and then earns a bachelor's degree in nursing.

A nurse's responsibility to act in the best interest of their patients.

The nursing process is a systematic approach to patient care involving assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention, and evaluation. It ensures consistent, effective, and safe care.

Objective data is measurable and observable, like vital signs or wounds. Subjective data is what the patient tells you, like pain levels or feelings.

A nursing diagnosis describes a patient's health problem or potential problem. It helps focus care based on their individual needs.

The nursing diagnosis is a statement that includes "related to" factors contributing to the problem and "as evidenced by" the signs and symptoms.

Planning involves setting realistic goals for the patient and outlining how to achieve them. It's a collaborative process with the patient.

Interventions are the actions taken to address the nursing diagnosis and achieve the planned goals. It's where the nursing care is put in place.

Evaluation is the final step where you assess whether the interventions were successful in meeting the goals. It involves data collection and analysis.

Accountability, justice, nonmaleficence, autonomy, beneficence, fidelity, and veracity are seven ethical principles that guide nurses' actions and ensure they provide compassionate, respectful, and safe care.

A coordinated approach involving professionals from various disciplines who work together to provide holistic care for patients. This team consists of nurses, physicians, pharmacists, therapists, and other healthcare providers, all of whom contribute their unique expertise to deliver patient-centered care.

A communication technique used in healthcare to convey information effectively. It consists of a structured approach that includes identifying the situation, background, assessment and recommendation. It is crucial for improving patient safety and ensuring clear communication amongst healthcare professionals.

A system of values and principles that guide the behavior of healthcare professionals. It is based on ethical principles such as beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, justice, and fidelity. These principles ensure that patients receive compassionate, respectful, and ethical care.

Non-verbal cues, like facial expressions and posture, that can convey information about a person's feelings and emotions. It is important to be mindful of our non-verbal communication, as it can influence how patients perceive us and the care we provide.

The spoken exchange of information between healthcare professionals and patients. Therapeutic communication involves active listening and empathetic responses to build trust and rapport. It's a fundamental skill in nursing, promoting effective communication between patients and their care providers.

The process of assigning tasks and responsibilities to other individuals, typically those working under your supervision. In healthcare, nurses often delegate tasks to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) as a way to manage workload and effectively provide patient care.

A standardized approach to patient safety, focusing on preventing medical errors and improving the quality of healthcare. Some key elements include correctly identifying patients, using medications safely, and preventing infections.

A model of care that focuses on the patient's overall well-being, addressing their physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. It encompasses a comprehensive approach to care, considering all aspects of the patient's health and well-being.