NR393 Week 8 Discussion From the Past to the Future

NR393 Week 8 Discussion From the Past to the Future

NR393 Week 8 Discussion From the Past to the Future

As one who has never found much interest in history, this class has truly given me an insight I wasn’t expecting.

There have been many advancements already in the history of nursing. From ensuring the right people become nurses, to not just formal education but requiring continuing education and licensure to ensure that education is adequate, to adjusting with the times for charting, medicinal and technological advances, along with the continued growth in life expectancy we see today, and the comorbidities that have been associated, we have greatly extended not just length of life, but the quality of life. No longer are we treating a person with one disease or illness. No longer are we going from room to room with a lack of hygiene or understanding of how pathogens spread. While this year has been and continues to be a challenge with Covid-19, as was seen 100 years ago with the Spanish Flu, I believe that many advancements have come from our history, and the history continuing to be made today. However, it’s important that nurses today understand this, and continue to educate others about our history through communication, education, and through our actions in our daily practice.

Our first lesson this week reviews the important associations that have been, and continue, to focus on higher nursing education. We have learned the history of the importance of continuing to grow not only the knowledge of nurses entering the field, but encourage continued education and further degrees of our nurses. (Chamberlain, 2020). Healthcare is a field that is always changing and adapting to the need at that time, and without this heavy focus on education, our lessons through the history of nursing wouldn’t have us where we are today in not only caring for our patients but our communities.

I love that our second lesson this week, Sharing and Using History to Inform the Future, focused on the importance of EBP (Evidence-Based Practice), and how despite research showing that the practices, policies, and procedures followed today are the best, this data and research are ever-changing, as is the healthcare field, and we truly never know if, or when, that learning will stop. Nursing was done completely differently 50 years ago and will be done completely differently 50 years from now. One of my favorite things about being blessed to be in this field is the ever-changing environment, in which one truly never stops learning. (Chamberlain, 2020. Week 8 Lesson: Sharing and Using History to Inform the Future). I have had many opportunities in my nursing career, and if there is one thing I have learned, it’s to be flexible and understanding of the situation being presented to you. Healthcare isn’t black and white, no “How To” book ensures every situation and the answer to ensuring a cure. I’m thankful that I learned this in primary nursing school, and I try to push this onto the students that come through my units, and onto the new nurses that I am blessed to help train. What works for one patient doesn’t work for every patient, and it is important to evaluate all the information you have to adapt and do what is best for your patient. With Covid being a daily part of our lives, we are having to learn new treatments and technologies to help every patient. One treatment isn’t a one size fits all. This virus is affecting some very mild, with maybe a sinus infection or cough, while It is causing a system-wide immune response, cardiovascular compromise, and respiratory failure in others. Oddly, what an iconic year to have such a large force have such an important focus on healthcare and nursing.

American Nurse has a focus on increasing nurses’ education, and the importance of continued education and licensure. In the last ten years, there has a huge push to increase the number of nurses holding a BSN by 2020. Though the goal was for 80% of nurses to hold a BSN by 2020, “The percentage of employed nurses with a bachelor’s degree or higher in nursing in the United States reached 56% in 2017, up from 49% in 2010” (American Nurse, 2020). The American Nurse also reported that there has been an increasing number of nurses serving on boards, and the number of male nurses, as well as nursing diversity, has also increased in the last 10 or so years.

Another factor that I believe is going to greatly increase in the healthcare field is the use of technology. Even in my young nursing career, I have seen many technological advances. I remember being in nursing school when the hospital I was training at had gotten in new cardiac monitors in the ICU that could “talk” to the computers and automatically sync the vitals to the nurses charting. In the ER, my first job, we went from multiple whiteboards for patient tracking, to an automated system through computers and large screens. Today, I am a circulating OR nurse for a small pain clinic – and we have all decided we don’t need all the extra fancy technology. All charting is done on paper, to the ease of the nurses and the doctors. We have mattresses that can be programmed to change positions of patients to ensure Q2 hour “off-loading”, preventing bedsores, SCS’s to prevent DVT’s, even stethoscopes that can “hear” the patient’s heart rhythm and tell you what it is, instead of hearing it yourself and determining the rhythm, even cardiac monitors that can automatically sync your patient’s vitals to the computer. While the advancement of technology can truly be a blessing, I also feel that it can be a huge burden. One part of what I do is always “lay hands” on my patients. Something I was taught in the ER, and just can’t justify with myself to stop. With all the technological advances, it’s too easy to start to rely on technology. It is absolutely, critically, important to personally see your patient. While some aspects are proven to be hugely beneficial to the patient, the nurse still needs to make sure that the device is working as expected. I know I have said it before, but never treat the machine. Nurses are keenly intuitive to our “6^th Sense”, that gut feeling when something just isn’t quite right. That little voice in the back of our heads, guiding us and ensuring we are doing the best we can. I have found that newer nurses today are so reliant on technology, that they forget there is a patient they are tending to. I had an experience where a patient developed bedsores within an 8-hour shift because the nurse assumed the airflow mattress was working as expected and never double-checked. It had stopped working, and the patient developed a preventable ulcer.

Nursing history needs to be continued to be passed from our elders to us, no different than we need to pass it onto the incoming generation of nurses, and them to those following them. Today we have textbooks and the internet, but history at one point was through stories from our elders. Grandparents telling us at our bedtime stories of when they were young. I see nursing continuing in a direction of increased reliance on technology, increased demand for further education and licensure, and hopefully not less “word-of-mouth” historical storytelling. It is important to remember what nursing was 150, 100, even just 50 years ago, and imagine where nursing is going. What can we do today, to improve the outcomes of our patients in the future? I believe it is important for more nurses to be actively involved in research, in evidence-based practice studies, and ensuring that their facilities are using the most up to date data. The Spanish Flu devastated the world in 1918, and in 2020 it has been Covid. Think about how much medicine has advanced in the last 100 years. What will be the pandemic of 2120, and how can our actions today influence how medicine is being done in those times?

In the American health care system, advanced nursing occupies a special role. The country’s 3.1 million nursing, as part of the biggest medical care occupation, operate in multiple environments and sectors and are primary suppliers of medical services (Long, 2014). Although most nurses operate in acute-care facilities such as hospitals, the experience and expertise of nurses range far beyond the walls of hospitals. Nurses improve the wellness of patients, families and communities by operating individually and with other health care practitioners. Millions of Americans look to nurses for basic health care programs and instruction in health care. And guidance and therapy for wellbeing. In ensuring a cutting-edge therapeutic relationship, nurses are vital ties. Nursing tends to be an outstanding job to the American public. Although many can think of a nurse as somebody who manages care of sick patients, nurses often perform a broad range of health care roles in many different environments, collaborating alongside other health care providers both collaboratively and separately.

For one, most Americans are acquainted with nursing staff who provide adult patients with a variety of nursing and health care resources. From elementary to high school, nurse educators have a long tradition of offering health care to school children. In providing services for those living in long-term care institutions such as nursing homes, nurses play a significant role. Staff with health issues due to employment also search for nurses hired by company and industry. A nurse practitioner is visited by many persons as their main caregiver. Nurse midwives are also favored by pregnant women as their healthcare professionals during pregnancy and birth. And every day, nurse anesthetists assure that surgeons receive secure anesthesia treatment in operating rooms around the nation (Long, 2014). Today, nursing schools search for the best candidates, and for both women and men, nursing is widely respected as an outstanding career path.

References

Long, K. (2014). Preparing nurses for the 21st century: reenvisioning nursing education and practice. Journal Of Professional Nursing, 20(2), 82-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2004.02.002

Week 8 Discussion From the Past to the Future

Purpose:

The purpose of this discussion is for learners to analyze lessons from the past that apply to the future.

Course Outcomes:

This assignment enables the student to meet the following course outcome:

CO4: Analyze the impact of nursing history on professional nursing roles today and in the future. (PO7)

Directions:

Discussions are designed to promote dialogue between faculty and students, and students and their peers. In discussions students:

Demonstrate understanding of concepts for the week

Integrate scholarly resources

Engage in meaningful dialogue with classmates

Express opinions clearly and logically, in a professional manner

Use the rubric on this page as you compose your answers.

Also Check Out: NR393 Week 7 Discussion Impact in the 21st Century

Discussion

What lessons from history have we learned as a profession that will take us into the next century? What can we do to help this happen? What should we avoid?

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ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CLASS

Discussion Questions (DQ)

Initial responses to the DQ should address all components of the questions asked, include a minimum of one scholarly source, and be at least 250 words.

Successful responses are substantive (i.e., add something new to the discussion, engage others in the discussion, well-developed idea) and include at least one scholarly source.

One or two sentence responses, simple statements of agreement or “good post,” and responses that are off-topic will not count as substantive. Substantive responses should be at least 150 words.

I encourage you to incorporate the readings from the week (as applicable) into your responses.

Weekly Participation

Your initial responses to the mandatory DQ do not count toward participation and are graded separately.

In addition to the DQ responses, you must post at least one reply to peers (or me) on three separate days, for a total of three replies.

Participation posts do not require a scholarly source/citation (unless you cite someone else’s work).

Part of your weekly participation includes viewing the weekly announcement and attesting to watching it in the comments. These announcements are made to ensure you understand everything that is due during the week.

APA Format and Writing Quality

Familiarize yourself with APA format and practice using it correctly. It is used for most writing assignments for your degree. Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for APA paper templates, citation examples, tips, etc. Points will be deducted for poor use of APA format or absence of APA format (if required).

Cite all sources of information! When in doubt, cite the source. Paraphrasing also requires a citation.

I highly recommend using the APA Publication Manual, 6th edition.

Use of Direct Quotes

I discourage overutilization of direct quotes in DQs and assignments at the Masters’ level and deduct points accordingly.

As Masters’ level students, it is important that you be able to critically analyze and interpret information from journal articles and other resources. Simply restating someone else’s words does not demonstrate an understanding of the content or critical analysis of the content.

It is best to paraphrase content and cite your source.

LopesWrite Policy

For assignments that need to be submitted to LopesWrite, please be sure you have received your report and Similarity Index (SI) percentage BEFORE you do a “final submit” to me.

Once you have received your report, please review it. This report will show you grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors that can easily be fixed. Take the extra few minutes to review instead of getting counted off for these mistakes.

Review your similarities. Did you forget to cite something? Did you not paraphrase well enough? Is your paper made up of someone else’s thoughts more than your own?

Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for tips on improving your paper and SI score.

Late Policy

The university’s policy on late assignments is 10% penalty PER DAY LATE. This also applies to late DQ replies.

Please communicate with me if you anticipate having to submit an assignment late. I am happy to be flexible, with advance notice. We may be able to work out an extension based on extenuating circumstances.

If you do not communicate with me before submitting an assignment late, the GCU late policy will be in effect.

I do not accept assignments that are two or more weeks late unless we have worked out an extension.

As per policy, no assignments are accepted after the last day of class. Any assignment submitted after midnight on the last day of class will not be accepted for grading.

Communication

Communication is so very important. There are multiple ways to communicate with me:

Questions to Instructor Forum: This is a great place to ask course content or assignment questions. If you have a question, there is a good chance one of your peers does as well. This is a public forum for the class.

Individual Forum: This is a private forum to ask me questions or send me messages. This will be checked at least once every 24 hours.