SIM 405 Activity 1 Professional Values and Goals
Activity 1
Professional Values and Goals
Baccalaureate education includes the development of professional values and value-based behavior (AACN, 2008).
Reflect upon your nursing career through appreciative inquiry.
- Drawing on your own life stories and experiences, what does a nursing career mean to you?
- How does your nursing practice parallel the ANA (2015) Code of Ethics? List 4 specific examples from the Code of Ethics.
- What motivates you to remain in the nursing profession? Give an example through a personal story and what you learned that motivates you as a registered nurse.
- Develop 3 short-term and 3 long-term goals that emphasize your unique strengths.
- How will a BSN degree impact your short-term and long-term goals?
- Be creative and talk about your personal journey as a nurse. Include a personal nursing philosophy in the reflection.
Resources:
- The American Association of Nursing (ANA) website; search for “Code of Ethics”
Additional Instructions:
- All submissions should have a title page and reference page.
- Utilize a minimum of two scholarly resources.
- Adhere to grammar, spelling and punctuation criteria.
- Adhere to APA compliance guidelines.
- Adhere to the chosen Submission Option for Delivery of Activity guidelines.
| Submission Options | |
| Choose One: | Instructions: |
| Paper | 2 page paper. Include title and reference pages. |
Professional Values and Goals Example Approach
Nursing is a career that demands a distinct set of abilities, knowledge, and values. It is a profession that calls for compassion, dedication, and a desire to help others (Poorchangizi et al., 2019). Reflecting on my nursing career through appreciative inquiry, I am reminded of the many experiences that have shaped me as a nurse. From my first days as a nursing student, I knew I was embarking on a career that would allow me to make a difference in the lives of others. I was eager to learn everything I could about the human body and the various illnesses and conditions that affect it.
As a registered nurse, I quickly realized that my job entailed much more than providing medical care. I was a caregiver, listener, and advocate for my patients. I discovered that nursing is more than just treating people’s physical ailments; it is also about understanding their emotional and psychological needs. I have had the good fortune to work with a diverse range of patients in various settings over the years. I have cared for newborns and the elderly, people with chronic illnesses and those in crisis. Each patient has taught me something new, and their courage, resilience, and strength continue to inspire me. Reflecting on my nursing career, I am reminded of the values that are so important in our profession. Compassion, respect, empathy, and integrity are at the heart of everything we do (Jemal et al., 2023). This philosophy guides us as we care for our patients, advocate for their needs, and collaborate with other healthcare professionals.
As a nurse, my nursing practice parallels the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics in many ways, as outlined in provisions 2, 4, 5 and 6, respectively. The ANA Code of Ethics serves as a guide for ethical nursing practice and outlines the nursing profession’s fundamental values and obligations (American Nurses Association, 2015). I prioritize patient needs and deliver safe, compassionate, patient-centered care. In addition, I am accountable for my nursing practice and ensure proper task delegation. To provide the best care to patients, I prioritize my well-being. Finally, I work to create and sustain healthcare environments that promote safety, quality, and equity.
As a nurse, the opportunity to make a positive difference in patients’ lives is a significant motivator to remain in the profession. The personal story of working with a scared and in pain older woman on a medical-surgical unit showed the importance of connecting with patients on a human level, providing comfort and support, and being a positive force in their lives. This experience taught me the value of making a difference in someone’s life, no matter how small, and it motivates me to stay committed to nursing.
As a nurse, my short-term goals involve improving my communication skills, technical skills, and knowledge base by enrolling in a communication course, attending workshops and training sessions, and reading nursing publications. By enhancing these skills, I aim to provide better patient care and stay up to date with advancements in technology and research in nursing. In the long term, I aim to obtain an advanced degree, become a certified specialist and advocate for nursing. Pursuing an advanced degree will open up more career opportunities and allow me to impact the field significantly. At the same time, certification will enable me to focus on a specific area of nursing and excel in that field. Earning a BSN degree will significantly impact my short-term and long-term goals by providing me with the knowledge, skills, and credentials necessary to excel in the nursing profession. It will enhance my career opportunities, increase my earning potential, and enable me to provide my patients with the highest quality of care.
References
American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of Ethics for Nurses. American Nurses Association. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nursing-excellence/ethics/code-of-ethics-for-nurses/
Jemal, K., Hailu, D., Mekonnen, M., Tesfa, B., Bekele, K., & Kinati, T. (2023). The importance of compassion and respectful care for the health workforce: a mixed-methods study. Journal of Public Health, 31(2), 167–178. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-021-01495-0
Poorchangizi, B., Borhani, F., Abbaszadeh, A., Mirzaee, M., & Farokhzadian, J. (2019). The importance of professional values from nursing students’ perspective. BMC Nursing, 18(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-019-0351-1
SIM 405 Activity 2 Professional Roles and Organizations
There are many roles a professional nurse may assume. As a member of the profession, the nurse may choose to become active in one or more professional organizations.
Enter Sentinel City and interview the Nurse Educator. The Nurse Educator has additional information about the various roles that a professional nurse may assume. Select three professional roles that are available to nurses and discuss how each role may impact the patient, family, or healthcare in general. Review the resources available and identify two professional organizations and discuss how belonging would benefit the profession and you as a professional.
Resources:
- Sentinel City
- Professional nursing organizations such as the American Association of Nursing (ANA) or Michigan Nursing Association (MNA)
- Nurse.org has a list of professional Nursing organizations to choose from too
Additional Instructions:
- All submissions should have a title page and reference page.
- Utilize a minimum of two scholarly resources.
- Adhere to grammar, spelling and punctuation criteria.
- Adhere to APA compliance guidelines.
- Adhere to the chosen Submission Option for Delivery of Competency guidelines.
| Submission Options | |
| Choose One: | Instructions: |
| Paper | 2 page paper. Include title and reference pages. |
SIM 405 Activity 3 Professional Standards
Nurses must act to prevent unsafe and unethical care practices. Many resources exist to resolve ethical and other practice dilemmas.
Watch the Professional Standards Scenario in this module (below) before continuing.
Once you’ve watched the scenario, analyze it related to delegation according to your own state’s Nurse Practice Act and compare it to one other state’s Nurse Practice Act. According to your state’s definition of delegation, was the nurse able to delegate this task to the nursing assistant? Why or why not? Compare and contrast this scenario with anther delegation scenario from your nursing practice.
Resources:
- Your state nursing board website
- American Nurses Association (ANA) and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) Joint Statement on Delegation
Additional Instructions:
- All submissions should have a title page and reference page.
- Utilize a minimum of two scholarly resources.
- Adhere to grammar, spelling and punctuation criteria.
- Adhere to APA compliance guidelines.
- Adhere to the chosen Submission Option for Delivery of Activity guidelines.
| Submission Options | |
| Choose One: | Instructions: |
| Paper | 2 page paper. Include title and reference pages. |
Professional Standards Example Solution
Nurses are charged with providing high-quality patient care while preventing unsafe and unethical care practices. To achieve this goal, nurses must follow the standards and guidelines established by their state’s Nurse Practice Act. Delegation is an essential aspect of nursing practice, and the registered nurse has the authority to assign tasks to other healthcare team members based on their competence and scope of practice. However, the RN remains accountable for the delegation decision and the results of the delegated task. This essay will compare and contrast delegation scenarios in nursing practice, emphasizing the significance of making appropriate and safe delegation decisions to ensure patient safety and ethical practice.
State of Virginia’s Nurse Practice Act
The State of Virginia’s Nurse Practice Act defines delegation as a registered nurse authorizing an unlicensed person to perform specific nursing tasks and procedures in accordance with the Virginia State Nurse Act. An unlicensed person refers to an appropriately trained individual who functions in a complementary or assistive role to a registered nurse in providing patient care or carrying out common nursing tasks (Virginia General Assembly, 2021). However, the RN is still responsible for the delegation decision and the results of the delegated task.
In the scenario, the RN requested that the nursing assistant remove an IV from a patient ready to be discharged. Removing an IV is a nursing task that falls within the scope of a licensed nurse’s practice. According to the Nurse Practice Act of Virginia, registered nurses (RNs) may delegate some tasks to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP), such as nursing assistants, if the task is within their competency and scope of practice (Huynh & Haddad, 2022). The delegation, however, must be appropriate and safe for the patient.
In this case, the RN should have given the nursing assistant specific instructions or directions on removing the IV, raising questions about the appropriateness and safety of the delegation decision. Furthermore, the nursing assistant’s competency and training in IV removal should have been discussed, raising concerns about the safety of the delegation decision. As a result, it is appropriate for the RN to delegate the task of removing the IV to the nursing assistant if they provide proper instruction and direction and ensure the nursing assistant’s competence in performing the task.
Comparison with the Texas State’s Nurse Practice Act
The Texas State Nurse Practice Act defines delegation as transferring authority to a competent individual to perform a specific nursing task or activity in a specific situation (Barrow & Sharma, 2022). In Texas, registered nurses (RNs) can delegate tasks to licensed vocational nurses (LVN) and unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) based on their competency and scope of practice. The RN is responsible for the delegation decision and the outcomes of the delegated task.
The RN in the scenario requested that the nursing assistant remove the IV, which is within the scope of practice of LVNs and UAPs in Texas. However, under the Nurse Practice Act of Virginia, the RN must ensure that the delegation decision is appropriate and safe for the patient and that the individual to whom the task is delegated is competent to perform the task. As a result, according to the Texas Nurse Practice Act, the RN can delegate the task of removing the IV to the nursing assistant if the nursing assistant is competent to do so and the delegation decision is appropriate and safe for the patient.
Comparing and Contrasting Delegation Scenarios in Nursing Practice
I recently delegated the task of measuring a patient’s vital signs to a nursing assistant in my nursing practice. This delegation decision was appropriate and safe for the patient because it was within the nursing assistant’s scope of practice. I ensured the nursing assistant possessed the necessary competency to perform the task. On the other hand, the delegation scenario described in the question does not meet the criteria for appropriate and safe delegation because the RN provided no specific instruction or direction to the nursing assistant and did not ensure the nursing assistant’s competency in performing the task.
Conclusion
Professional standards are critical in nursing to ensure high-quality care and patient safety. When delegating tasks to other healthcare team members, nurses must follow the guidelines established by their state’s Nurse Practice Act and make appropriate and safe delegation decisions. When delegating tasks to unlicensed assistive personnel, the scenarios presented in this essay emphasize the importance of providing proper instruction, direction, and competency. Nurses can provide ethical and practical patient care by adhering to these standards and guidelines.
References
Barrow, J. M., & Sharma, S. (2022, July 25). Nursing five rights of delegation. National Library of Medicine; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519519/
Huynh, A. P., & Haddad, L. M. (2022, July 18). Nursing practice act. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559012/
Virginia General Assembly. (2021, September 14). 18VAC90-19-240. Definitions for delegation of nursing tasks and procedures. Law.lis.virginia.gov. https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency90/chapter19/section240/
SIM 405 Activity 4 Professional Practice
Standardized nursing language is the method used for documentation. Using standardized language ensures commonly understood terms are used throughout the profession.
Develop a standardized care map for three NANDA nursing diagnosis of your choice using ANA recognized terminologies and data element sets.
Preform a Google search to pull up a detailed list of the ANA recognized Data Element Sets.
| Data Element Sets: | |
| PCDS | NANDA |
| ICNP | NIC |
| SNOMED CT | NOC |
| LOINC® | NMDS |
| CCC | NMMDS |
| OMAHA | ABCCodes |
Additional Instructions:
- All submissions should have a title page and reference page.
- Utilize a minimum of two scholarly resources.
- Adhere to grammar, spelling and punctuation criteria.
- Adhere to APA compliance guidelines.
- Adhere to the chosen Submission Option for Delivery of Activity guidelines.
| Submission Options | |
| Choose One: | Instructions: |
| Paper | 2 page paper. Include title and reference pages. |
SIM 405 Activity 5 Service Learning and Reflection
Service learning integrates meaningful community service and reflection to enhance the learning experience.
Review the International Council of Nurses Position Statements and enter Sentinel City and Sentinel Town and explore all areas of the city and town. Select one ICN Position Statement and create a service-learning plan based upon need in a specific area. Reflect upon the nurse’s role in health promotion that incorporates the significance of service learning.
Tip: Students struggle with the terminology of “service learning”. Service learning is learning/educational activities that benefit others and the community. Such as health fairs, educational health announcements, wellness programs, health services, prevention education, etc. Service learning for this activity is learning activities for a population of people within the simulation of your choice that is paired with structured preparation from a nurse’s point of view.
Resources:
- International Council of Nurses (ICN) website
Additional Instructions:
- All submissions should have a title page and reference page.
- Utilize a minimum of two scholarly resources.
- Adhere to grammar, spelling and punctuation criteria.
- Adhere to APA compliance guidelines.
- Adhere to the chosen Submission Option for Delivery of Activity guidelines.
| Submission Options | |
| Choose One: | Instructions: |
| Paper | 4 page paper. Include title and reference pages. |
Service Learning and Reflection Example Paper
Service learning is a teaching method that combines community service and reflection to improve the learning experience. It involves activities that benefit others and the community, such as health fairs, wellness initiatives, and prevention education (Kawai, 2021). A service-learning strategy is developed in this project based on the International Council of Nurses’ Position Statements to meet the health needs of Sentinel City, a virtual community with diverse health and safety problems (International Council of Nurses, 2019). By structured preparation from a nurse’s perspective, dangers such as air pollution, inadequate waste management, and damaged infrastructure were highlighted, underlining the value of service learning in promoting health and well-being in communities.
During a recent trip, I saw a high rate of dangerous drug usage in the neighborhood. While cigarettes and alcohol were the most often used drugs (at 20%), other substances such as bang, heroin, cocaine, and CNS depressants were also present and had detrimental effects. Misuse of these medications can result in social, physical, mental, and public health issues such as violence, criminality, suicide, and premature pregnancy. Furthermore, sexually transmitted diseases are a big concern for adults over 25, causing social, economic, and health issues. Ratio disparity, poverty, and drug use are all contributing issues. Finally, the community is concerned about unintentional injuries caused by violence, particularly among men, which result in premature deaths, poor mental health, and high medical costs. Interventions such as counseling and understanding how to rebuild destroyed walls are required to address these challenges.
Regardless of the threats in the sentinel environment, nurses are critical in keeping a safe and healthy workplace to provide adequate healthcare. They educate the population about health issues to prevent and control the spread of illnesses and instill good habits and discipline. Nurses take proactive measures to limit disease outbreaks, such as sexually transmitted disease screening and education and routine drug screening with caution about the dangerous effects of drug usage. They advocate for the establishment of a health clinic for STD screening and the implementation of mentoring programs to educate people about the dangers of drug use. Mass media initiatives can be utilized to reach a larger audience and enhance community health.
Physical activities and human-to-environment interactions promote a healthy working environment. To prevent disease outbreaks and maintain a clean environment, society should take responsibility by participating in safe waste disposal and sink repairs. It is also vital to fix wall fractures to avert injuries and provide good teaching on waste management and cleaning practices. Furthermore, preventing intentional injuries and violence can be addressed by changing attitudes, enacting legislation, and enforcing power to create a safe environment for health workers (World Health Organization, 2021). Training and instructions targeted at social standards and safe connections can also establish a desirable working environment. Nurses should wear health-protective equipment, and all members of society must protect their safety from dealing with the growing number of sick people. Nurses must meet all regulatory criteria to offer a safe working environment in the health business, and the ICN suggests researching and developing occupations to promote health safety.
During my case study, I discovered tactics employed in Sentinel City that I can also implement in my society. By applying these concepts, I will be able to identify community strength. Resources are required, as well as the resolution of challenges. Surveys, reports, and reports from local public health departments can all be used to obtain information. With such data, I may work toward identifying and resolving community health problems and establishing goals and objectives to foster a positive working environment.
References
International Council of Nurses. (2019). International Council of Nurses. ICN – International Council of Nurses. https://www.icn.ch/
Kawai, T. (2021). A Theoretical Framework on Reflection in Service Learning: Deepening Reflection Through Identity Development. Frontiers in Education, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2020.604997
World Health Organization. (2021, March 19). Injuries and violence. Www.who.int. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/injuries-and-violence
