Define the Role of the Nurse – 500 Words

This assignment will define the role of the nurse in healthcare and outline the different qualities required for this profession. Berridge and Liddle (2010) demonstrate that the definition of nursing according to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is “the use of clinical judgement in the provision of care to enable people to improve, maintain, or recover health, to cope with health problems and to achieve the best possible quality of life,whatever their disease or disability, until death. ”
A nurse is an individual who understands and respects their patients as individuals and does not judge them regardless of differences in morals or beliefs. It is essential that the ill and vulnerable feel that a nurse is competent, will listen, support and guide them and keep sensitive, personal information confidential. Nurses have a duty to provide dignified care to patients whilst maintaining their professional behaviour at all times. Recently stories have dominated headlines when there is evidence of poor care.
BBC News (2012) Campaign to show ‘skill and compassion’ of nurses aims to show the reality of nursing on a daily basis, assisted with a short film. The intention of this film is to reassure the public of the professionalism, dedication and quality of care nurses provide to their patients, regardless of negative coverage occasionally portrayed by the media. A nurse needs to show empathy to patients by providing comfort, security and efficient delivery of treatment throughout recovery which can be an emotional and sometimes a traumatic experience for both parties.

It is also vital for nurses to adopt excellent communication skills, especially speaking and listening. As Davies (2012,p. 69) explains, communication skills are essential for understanding patients and putting them at ease. By using reflective skills, showing interest and asking appropriate questions, the relationship between the nurse and the patient should ultimately strengthen through trust and reassurance. Nurses frequently face difficult decisions which require a motivational, supportive person to act as a leader to their colleagues. One of the most important qualities of nursing is being an effective team player.
This means working together within the multidisciplinary team, constructively sharing ideas and evaluating and delivering the highest quality of care for patients. Nursing is a continuous lifelong learning profession which requires individuals to learn new clinical skills and to continue educating themselves throughout their career. Nurses should have an appropriate amount of knowledge regarding illnesses and medical conditions. This knowledge will enable the nurse to competently answer questions or concerns from patients and their families.
Emory University ‘A touching experience’ quotes from Maya Angelou on how nurses should be perceived: “As a nurse, we have the opportunity to heal the heart, mind, soul, and body of our patients, their families and ourselves. They may forget your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel. ” In past decades, conditions, policies and uniforms may have changed, however, the compassion, dedication and quality of care shown by many people as “angels without wings” continues to make a difference, however small it may be to peoples lives.
References Anna,P. 2012 A touching experience. Atlanta, Georgia: Emory University. Available from: http://www. emorynursingnow. com/a-touching-experience/ (Accessed 11 October 2012). Davies,N. ,2012 Attention, courtesy and patience: how to talk to patients effectively. Nursing Standard, 27(4),p69. Berridge,P. And Liddle,C,2010. Fundamentals of Nursing made incredibly easy. Euradius, Netherlands: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins Dreaper,J Campaign to show “skills and compassion” of nurses. BBC News, 17 September 2012. Available from: http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/health/19602792 (Accessed 10 October 2012).