Introduction
As a nursing student, it’s essential to recognize that transitioning from being a student nurse to a professional registered nurse can be exciting and challenging. Numerous favorable and unfavorable obstacles that could substantially influence professional achievement may arise during the transition from student nurse to registered nurse. It’s when everybody expects to apply the knowledge and skills they’ve learned in college to real-life situations, which can sometimes be overwhelming.
Nursing Philosophy
The nursing philosophy is a set of values, beliefs, and principles that guide nursing practice. It is the nursing profession’s foundation and helps nurses provide holistic patient care. Since entering nursing school, the nursing philosophy has evolved for many nurses.
Initially, nursing students enter school with a desire to care for others and a passion for helping people. As they progress through their education and gain more experience, they develop a deeper understanding of the importance of patient-centered care, evidence-based practice, and the interdisciplinary nature of healthcare. A critical fact in nursing philosophy is the emphasis on patient-centered care. The patient is the focus of the care, and their individual needs, values, and beliefs are considered when planning and delivering care.
Another significant fact in nursing philosophy is the move towards evidence-based practice. Nursing care is based on the best available research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preferences. Nurses are encouraged to critically evaluate and apply research to their practice to improve patient outcomes. This approach ensures that nursing care is based on the most up-to-date and reliable evidence, which can lead to better patient outcomes, improved quality of care, and increased patient satisfaction.
A Clinical Nurse Supervisor
A Clinical Nurse Supervisor is a registered nurse who supervises and coordinates the work of other nurses and healthcare staff in a clinical setting. They are responsible for ensuring that the highest standards of patient care are maintained and that nursing staff is providing safe, effective, and efficient care. Disrespectful and unkind conduct in healthcare environments can hurt people, teams, organizations, and patient safety, leading to potentially fatal errors, avoidable complications, or patient injury (Clark, 2019).
The role of a Clinical Nurse Supervisor can be challenging and demanding, as they must balance administrative duties with their responsibilities for direct patient care. They must also effectively manage staff, resolve conflicts, and follow policies and procedures. To excel as a Clinical Nurse Supervisor, one must have strong leadership skills, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work well under pressure. They must think critically, solve problems, and make decisions quickly and effectively.
Additionally, they must thoroughly understand nursing practices, procedures, and regulations. The type of nursing one is interested in pursuing may align with one’s beliefs and values or challenge them. For example, suppose a nurse values the importance of providing direct patient care and building strong relationships with patients. In that case, they may find the role of a Clinical Nurse Supervisor to be less fulfilling. This is because their primary responsibilities would involve administrative duties and managing staff rather than providing direct care to patients.
Common Struggle
One common struggle that new nurses face is the feeling of being overwhelmed and unprepared for the realities of their job. Despite receiving extensive training and education, many new nurses need help to keep up with the pace and demands of the healthcare environment. To increase the trust of new nurses in management, more instruction and assistance should be given to them. (Chew, Ang & Shorey, 2021). This struggle has significant implications for thinking about entry into the nursing profession.
Nursing students must receive comprehensive education and training that prepares them for the realities of the healthcare environment. Nursing programs should provide students with hands-on experience in clinical settings and opportunities to work with experienced nurses who can serve as mentors and role models. New nurses must also receive ongoing support and guidance as they transition. Preceptorship programs and mentorship opportunities can be invaluable in helping new nurses feel more confident and prepared for the challenges of their jobs.
Ethical/Legal Issues
One ethical/legal issue that nurses may encounter is patient confidentiality. The security of patients’ medical information must be maintained, and nurses have a moral and legal duty to do so. However, in certain situations, nurses may face conflicting priorities, such as when a patient’s medical information needs to be disclosed to another healthcare provider or when there is a legal requirement to report suspected abuse or neglect.
As a clinical nurse supervisor, I anticipate addressing this issue by ensuring that all nurses under my supervision are fully informed about their legal and ethical obligations regarding patient confidentiality. This would include providing education and training on the importance of patient privacy and confidentiality and the circumstances under which patient information can and cannot be shared. Establish clear policies and procedures for handling confidential patient information and ensure all staff members are familiar with these protocols. This may involve developing a system for documenting patient consent for sharing their medical information and ensuring that all requests for information are properly authorized. When there is a conflict between a patient’s right to privacy and the need to disclose information for legal or medical reasons, the best way is to work closely with the healthcare team to determine the best course of action.
Social/Cultural Issue
One social/cultural issue nurses may encounter is providing care to patients from diverse cultural backgrounds. The patient’s desire to seek medical attention or heed medical counsel may be impacted by disparities in the patient’s beliefs, values, and healthcare practices. As a nurse, it is essential to recognize and respect these cultural differences and provide care sensitive to the patient’s cultural background. To guarantee that everyone has access to equitable nursing care, the social, societal, and biological determinants of health must be considered. (Antón-Solanas, et al. 2021). This may involve understanding the patient’s cultural beliefs and values and adapting care to meet their needs.
I plan to solve this issue as a clinical nurse supervisor by teaching cultural awareness and competency to every nurse I oversee. This would include providing resources and tools to help nurses learn about different cultures and healthcare practices and develop strategies for providing respectful and sensitive care to patients’ cultural backgrounds. When a language barrier exists, working closely with healthcare interpreters or other language services is a good idea to maintain effective communication between the patient and the healthcare team. Additionally, work to ensure that all patient education materials and resources are culturally appropriate and provided in the patient’s preferred language.
Conclusion
Many nursing students struggle to transition from student nurses to licensed professional registered nurses. Using newly acquired knowledge and skills necessitates the growth of a sound ethical and moral conscience, the capacity to negotiate challenging legal and societal situations, and the ability to collaborate with patients, families, and healthcare teams. By tackling these difficulties and coming up with solutions, nursing students can ensure they are ready to deliver the most excellent standard of care to their patients and positively affect the healthcare system.
References
Antón-Solanas, I., Huércanos-Esparza, I., Hamam-Alcober, N., Vanceulebroeck, V., Dehaes, S., Kalkan, I., & Tambo-Lizalde, E. (2021). Nursing lecturers’ perception and experience of teaching cultural competence: a European qualitative study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(3), 135. Web.
Chew, Y. J. M., Ang, S. L. L., & Shorey, S. (2021). Experiences of new nurses dealing with death in a paediatric setting: A descriptive qualitative study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 77(1), 343-354. Web.
Clark, C. M. (2019). Fostering a culture of civility and respect in nursing. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 10(1), 44-52. Web.