Editorial - An Overview of Nursing Practice
Rashida Abdelfatah Mohamed Eltayeb1,2, Fageery M. Y. Fageery 1,3
DOI: https://doi.org/10.69993/2024.2.3.en2
1
Faculty of Nursing Sciences, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
2
Program of Nursing Sciences, Nahda College, Khartoum, Sudan
3 Program of Nursing Sciences, Alfajr College for Science and Technology, Khartoum, Sudan
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Nurses play a crucial role in the structure of the health system, both in general and specifically in clinical settings. They are often patients' primary point of contact, providing essential care, support, and education. Nurses ensure the smooth functioning of healthcare facilities by coordinating patient care, administering medications, and monitoring patient progress. In clinical settings, nurses are responsible for implementing treatment plans, conducting assessments, and responding to emergencies. Their expertise and compassionate care significantly improve patient outcomes and overall healthcare quality. The presence of skilled nurses is vital for the effective delivery of healthcare services and the achievement of positive health outcomes. (1).
Nurses perform various tasks,
including patient assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and
evaluation of care. They also play a key role in health education, advocacy,
and research. The scope of nursing practice is guided by professional standards,
ethical principles, and legal regulations, ensuring that nurses provide safe,
effective, and patient-centered care. (2,3)
Nursing practice is regulated by
standards, laws and pillars of the International Council of Nursing. The
pillars include knowledge, research, and leadership in professional practice. (4)
The latter consists of direct or indirect care provision, nursing education,
regulations, economic welfare, research, and leadership. Behaviors and nursing
proficiency are also needed to enable reflective practice, ongoing
self-development and effective learning in the workplace. The nurse must
practice the profession to obtain a recognized degree, valid professional
registration and license . (4,5)
The application of the beneficence
principle in nursing care can result in favorable outcomes for patients. By
adhering to this principle, patient well-being and health are enhanced,
mortality rates are reduced, satisfaction levels are elevated, and the respect
and human dignity of patients are maintained. (6)
Nursing practice utilizes framework
and nursing theories relevant to the clinical settings by adopting the nursing theory
process in a broader aspect. It serves as a framework to recognize caring needs
and deliver and evaluate holistic nursing care. (7)
Nursing advocacy, being an essential
part of the nursing role and a fundamental aspect of the healthcare profession,
plays a crucial role in ensuring patient rights, quality care and patient
satisfaction. (8) Despite its importance, several barriers can hinder nurses
from effectively advocating for their patients. The lack of established
guidelines, fear of making errors, and uncertainty about potential consequences
prevented some nurses from advocating for their patients. Inadequate patient
advocacy may lead to delayed patient recovery and even death, thus impairing
the quality of care targeted by health facilities. (8,9)
To ensure client’s /patient’s safety
nursing practice must be individualized due to normal variations between
patients concerning age, gender, culture, education and preferences. (10)
Nursing practice domains include
inter-professional partnerships within the health care team and with the
patient as in the case of hemodialysis, the patient is handled by doctors,
nurses, and medical engineers as well as by a laboratory physician and dietitian.
(11)
Nursing can be practiced remotely
through nursing informatics facilities for quality assurance, risk management
increased patient safety and greater utilization of evidence-based practice.
Nurses can educate patients through Google products like Google Meetings, Zoom
and Microsoft Teams. (12,13)
Nursing practice domains included
knowledge of the best practice. This was evidenced by Abdulrahman et al 2021,
who found that an educational program was successful in upgrading the
participant nurses’ skills concerning tracheostomy care. (14)
Nursing Practice is influenced by
age and night shifting. In critical care units, the frequency of night shifts
worked by nurses has an impact on the incidence of errors, which occurs at a
rate of 20.5%. (15)
In this issue of the Journal,
there is a cross-sectional study entitled (Nurses’ Practice regarding
Bedside Shift Reports in Critical Care Units at Governmental Hospitals,
Khartoum State) authored by Manal Elgassim Mohamed and her colleagues. The
study showed that only 24% of nurses performed Bedside Shift Reports (BSR)
correctly, 61% performed it improperly, and 15% did not perform it at all. This
revealed inadequate adherence to practicing BSRs, highlighting the urgent need
for competency-based training to improve the practice and develop high-quality
care during shift transitions.
References:
1.
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J, Jones M. The Role of Nurses in Healthcare Systems. J Health Care.
2020;15(3):123-130.
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related to safe motherhood among village women in Eastern Sudan: Ethnographic
study. Int J Nurs Stud. 2014;51(5):572-581.
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4.
International
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https://www.icn.ch/resources/publications-and-reports/icn-code-ethics-nurses.
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Saudi
Ministry of Health. Law of Practicing Healthcare Professions. [Internet].
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of the Perception of Individualized Nursing Care Among Nurses in Acute Medical
and Perioperative Settings. Nurs Rep. 2024;14(4):3191-3205. doi:
10.3390/nursrep14040232.
11.
American
Association of Colleges of Nursing. Domain 6: Interprofessional Partnerships.
AACN Essentials Tool Kit. Available from:
https://www.aacnnursing.org/essentials/tool-kit/domains-concepts/interprofessional-partnerships.
Accessed December 27, 2024.
12.
Schultz
MA. Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring Innovations in Nursing Practice:
State of the Science. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing.
2023;28(2).
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AM, Silvestre A, Narvaez RA. Telenursing: A Concept Analysis. Online Journal of
Nursing Informatics. 2023;26(3).
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Abdulrahman
EE, Musa MT, Eltayeb RM, Fadlalmola HA. Effect of an Educational Training
Program in Tracheostomy Care on Nurses’ Knowledge and Skills. Int J Nurs Educ.
2021 Apr-Jun;13(2):25.
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Asta
ML, Lo Presti S. Errors during the Night Shift: An Age Management Policy is
Needed for Nurses Over 55. Integr J Nurs Med. 2023;4(3):1-2.
DOI:10.31038/IJNM.2023431.