The Discipline of Nursing

The Discipline of Nursing

Roles for the baccalaureate generalist nurse are derived from the discipline of nursing. The roles of the baccalaureate generalist include:

• provider of care, • designer/manager/coordinator of care, and • member of a profession.

Nursing generalist practice includes both direct and indirect care for patients, which includes individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations. Nursing practice is built on nursing knowledge, theory, and research. In addition, nursing practice derives knowledge from a wide array of other fields and professions, adapting and applying this knowledge as appropriate to professional practice.

In the senior college and university setting, every academic discipline is grounded in discrete inquiry­based applications that are distinctive to that discipline. Scientific advances, (particularly in the area of genetics and genomics), changing demographics of patient populations, new care technologies, and patient access to health care information call for new ways of thinking and doing in the provision of health care. The academic setting provides a forum for contemplating physical, psychological, social, cultural, behavioral, ethical, and spiritual problems within and across disciplines. Faculty have a responsibility to facilitate the translation of knowledge from a liberal education base into the practice of nursing. Nursing faculty introduce nursing science and theories, and guide the student in developing an understanding of the discipline of nursing’s distinctive perspective.

Baccalaureate­prepared nurses provide patient­centered care that identifies, respects, and addresses patients’ differences, values, preferences, and expressed needs (IOM, 2003a). Patient­centered care also involves the coordination of continuous care, listening to,

8

communicating with, and educating patients and caregivers regarding health, wellness, and disease management and prevention. The generalist nurse provides the human link between the healthcare system and the patient by translating the plan of care to the patient. A broad­based skill set is required to fill this human interface role. Patient­ centered care also requires the development of a nurse­patient partnership. Patients, as consumers of healthcare services, and as integral members of the healthcare team, have an increasing role and responsibility for the mutual planning of care and healthcare decision making.

The fundamental aspects of generalist nursing practice are: direct care of the sick in and across all environments, health promotion and clinical prevention, and population­based health care. A defining feature of professional nursing practice is the focus on health promotion and risk reduction. Advances in science and technology will continue to emerge, which will help to predict future health problems. Nurses will design and implement measures to modify risk factors and promote healthy lifestyles. These same advances in science and technology also have allowed individuals to live longer and often with increasing numbers of chronic illnesses and conditions. With an increasing emphasis on cost­savings and cost­benefits, nurses will play a leading role in the provision of care.

Assumptions

The baccalaureate generalist graduate is prepared to: • practice from a holistic, caring framework; • practice from an evidence base; • promote safe, quality patient care; • use clinical/critical reasoning to address simple to complex situations; • assume accountability for one’s own and delegated nursing care; • practice in a variety of healthcare settings; • care for patients across the health­illness continuum; • care for patients across the lifespan; • care for diverse populations; • engage in care of self in order to care for others; and • engage in continuous professional development.

Place Your Order Here!