Professionalism in Nursing Prof W. B. Tshiamo 12 /02/2024 Learning Outcomes • By the end of the session, learners will be able to: • Describe the attributes of professionlism in nursing practice • Discuss the charecteristic of a nurse who demonstrates professionalism • Identify ethical principles that may be infringed in medication administration What is Professionalism • It encompasses a set of values that are critical to elevating the quality of patient care while improving the methods, standards, and judgments that guide nursing practices every day. • Working in professional environments can help nurses develop skills that are valuable at any stage of their career, from novice clinical roles to senior or expert leadership positions. Ideal Professionalis • Professionalism reflects the act of providing quality patient care while honoring the values of respect, advocacy, and responsibility. • Professionalism also extends to a nurse’s ability to communicate clearly and self-reflect on behaviors and actions, always striving for both professional and personal development. Attributes of Professionalism • Cognitive – The cognitive type of professionalism focuses on the ability to continually learn about professional conduct and apply this growing base of knowledge in work settings. • Ultimately, nurses who practice this skill should develop the key tools they need to prioritize and make decisions effectively • This is the basis of life-long learning Attributes of Professionalism • Attitude – The attitudinal dimension of nursing professionalism involves the attitudes and ideas that guide nurses as they perform their duties and advance through their careers. • Ideally, the attitudes of nurses should align with practical standards and the broader goals of their organizations. • A nurse’s willingness to be flexible and make compromises for the greater good has a major bearing on the ability to navigate professional challenges that lie ahead. Attributes of Professionalism • Psychomotor – The psychomotor aspect of professionalism in nursing promotes the idea that as professionals gain experience, they can do more than build their clinical skills. • They can sharpen their management skills and better understand the inherent obligations and commitments involved in the practice of nursing. Attributes of Professionalism • Over the span of their careers, nurses can implement proven methods to improve their self-discipline and self-learning skills e.g. • Nurses may apply these principles of professional conduct to become better leaders, guide actions using value judgments, and establish self-directed commitments to provide the highest level of patient care- self-reflection Application of Professionalism in Nursing • Care Comes First – Communication is key. Listen to others, and provide information and advice clearly so every patient can understand. • Make well-informed decisions that are best for the patient. Do not accept gifts for preferential treatment • Individual Treatment – Treat patients and colleagues as individuals with their own unique values, beliefs, and needs Application of Professionalism in Nursing • Work Together – Cooperate with team members and respect their contributions. Always treat everyone with respect. • Respect Dignity – Protect patient privacy. Never give client information to an unauthorized person, and preserve anonymity when citing patient cases in coursework, research, or other public documents. Application of Professionalism in Nursing • High Standards of Care – Be punctual. Acknowledge when a situation is beyond your professional scope. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. • Honesty and Integrity – Do not plagiarize coursework or professional assessments. Compile an accurate CV to reflect your education and work experience. Always aspire to the highest levels of personal and professional conduct. Application of Professionalism in Nursing • Uphold Reputation – Be aware that all actions—even outside of work—may have consequences- avoid Tik-tok • Conflict resolution – This involves a professional’s ability to diffuse a problem. It requires the nurse to consider the needs of everyone involved in the conflict, while communicating possible solutions with respect. Application of Professionalism in Nursing • Ethical thinking – This skill enables nurses to make value- based judgments that align with professional standards and moral codes, prioritizing the needs of patients and colleagues ahead of their own. • Adaptability – This demonstrates the capacity to combine new information with education, experience, and professional guidelines to re-evaluate a situation and make changes that lead to more effective solutions. Application of Professionalism in Nursing • Leadership – Leadership is founded on excellent communication skills, attention to detail, respect, and resourcefulness. Professionals commonly build leadership skills as they move on to more senior roles in which they can guide others to provide higher levels of care. • Collaboration – Working with others and being able to communicate and cooperate is crucial to developing an efficient work environment that places patient needs at the forefront. Application of Professionalism in Nursing • The development of professionalism in nursing is an ongoing process; there are always new and changing areas in which to improve- life-long learning • In the workplace, nurse professionals should self-reflect on their actions and integrate new, experience-based knowledge into their daily practices Application of Professionalism in Nursing • When it comes to education, advanced nursing degree programs are an excellent way to provide additional avenues to sharpen professional skills. What is Medication Administration? • The direct application of a prescribed medication—whether by injection, inhalation, ingestion, or other means—to the body of the individual by an individual legally authorized to do so. What is Medication Management? • Medication management is a strategy for engaging with patients and caregivers to create a complete and accurate medication list using the brown bag method • A complete and accurate medication list is the foundation for addressing medication reconciliation and medication management issues What is a Medication Error? • Any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of the healthcare professional, patient or caregiver Why are Ethical Issues Important in Medication Administration and Management? • Nurses are taught procedures so that they are less likely to make mistakes. Yet errors happen. • Several ethical issues may arise as a result of medication errors • Harm to patients, whether to disclose the error, erosion of trust, may impact on quality care. Ethhical Principles to Consider • Beneficence and Nonmaleficence • The principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence direct healthcare providers to do what is best for patients and avoid harm- (Pro Re Nata) PRN meds Ethical Principles • Principle of autonomy and right to self determination acknowledge patients’ rights to make their own choices and to take actions based on their personal views and perceived benefits- • voluntary notion of taking the medication, and freedom to accept or refuse it based on the given information. • Care is a dynamic process and clinical practice moves along the continuum between ‘autonomy’ and ‘paternalism’ Disclosure and Right to Knowledge & Informed Consent • Healthcare providers have an ethical obligation to disclose information that patients need for informed decision making- • The nurse has the ethical duty to acknowledge mistakes and voluntarily disclose them to the patient and family members • Lack of disclosure infringes justice Ethical Principles • Veracity • The principle of veracity requires healthcare personnel to provide comprehensive, accurate, and objective information in a manner that helps patients understand the information. Precautions to Consider • Prevention of harm and abuse; • Selection of effective medications with the least side effect and adverse reactions; • Creation of balance between the short- and long-term effects of medications Precautions to Consider • Consideration of the patient’s perspectives and personal values; • Provision of information and education to the patient and family members; • Development of PRN guidelines; • Teamwork and multidisciplinary collaboration; Precautions to Consider • Participation of the patient and family caregivers; • Continuous monitoring and follow up; • Disclosure and reporting of medication errors, side effects and adverse reactions. References • Vaismoradi M, Fredriksen Moe C, Vizcaya-Moreno MF, Paal P. Administration of pro re nata medications by the nurse to incapacitated patients: An ethical perspective. Clinical Ethics. 2022;17(1):5-13. doi:10.1177/14777509211034146 • https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-consumers-and-patientsdrugs/working-reduce-medication-errors
