The approximately 3 million nurses working today make up the backbone of the healthcare industry and are the largest single profession within the field. However, with an increasing population of patients in need of more care than ever before, there is still a nursing healthcare shortfall that must be overcome. Consistently ranked the most trusted profession in the United Kingdom year after year, nurses play an increasingly large role in providing care as well as in the administrative side of healthcare.
Read More : Macaron Packaging Boxes
As nurses take on greater responsibility, this blog article will look at the function of nursing and address the question, “Why is nursing important in healthcare?”
Most recently, the demands of an ever-more complex healthcare industry have resulted in a shift in the role of nurses, with those with a bachelor’s degree most suited to serve as care providers and patient advocates. Employers are increasingly realizing that persons with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree are best suited to meet the nation’s growing demand for nurses.
Moreover, if you need Nursing Dissertation help in your bachelor program, you can get help from online trustworthy services without any hurdle.
The Role of Nurses in Modern Healthcare
Nurses have historically provided exceptional care to the general public. Professional respect within the medical community, on the other hand, was earned over time by lobbying, organization, and, advancing the profession academically. Nurses were viewed as less integral members of a clinical care team 70 years ago (despite their many responsibilities), but they have fought for more recognition and now command much more respect and autonomy, working in increasingly collaborative relationships with physicians and other healthcare professionals.
To understand why nursing is so essential in healthcare today, we must examine what a registered nurse performs, from the relationships they build with patients to the ways they collaborate with other practitioners.
Nurses Spend More Time With Patients
Think about a recent doctor’s appointment. The first person you saw after checking in at the front desk was most likely a nurse. He or she probably made a small conversation while asking about your health and checking your vitals. That small conversation, however, was not intended to put you at ease or avoid silence.
Skilled nurses understand that spending the time to get to know patients can be incredibly beneficial in uncovering crucial health information — information that patients may not provide otherwise. After the doctor examined you, the nurse most likely returned to go over any prescriptions the doctor had prescribed and to ask if you had any other questions before helping you with your check-out.
Nursing as Patient Advocates
The time nurses spend with patients gives them unique insights into their patients’ wants and needs, behaviors, health habits, and concerns, making them essential advocates in their care. The UK Nurses Association refers to advocacy as a “pillar of nursing” and considers it one of the most fundamental reasons why nursing is essential in healthcare.
A nurse’s advocacy role can take on many different shapes. For example, while conversing with a patient’s family member, a nurse may discover a vital item that was not included in the patient’s notes and report it to the healthcare team. Alternatively, a nurse may have concerns that a medicine is not working as expected and contact the pharmacist to discuss.
Patient advocacy might also mean helping coordinate a patient’s care with another provider’s office or making sure that a patient has provided informed consent before undergoing a procedure.
The time nurses spend with patients in the hospital is even greater. In a recent study of the time-intensive care patients spent with at least one healthcare practitioner, around 86% of that time was with nurses, compared to just 13% with physicians. In the case of overnight hospital stays, the time spent with nurses was even greater.
Education as a Critical Function in Nursing
Low health literacy among healthcare populations is a challenge for the entire medical industry in the United Kingdom. Health literacy refers to one’s ability to understand fundamental health facts to make well-informed choices.
Part of what makes doctors so brilliant at what they do — their extensive scientific knowledge of the area of medicine — can make it difficult to communicate with patients about advanced medical language. Not to mention that some patients may be frightened by the medical community or unsure what questions to ask.
Nurses invest a significant amount of time and attention in essential healthcare education. This could include assisting them in comprehending a therapy or procedure, outlining drugs and side effects, the importance of proper nutrition and good hygiene, or explaining how a clinic operates (in the case of ongoing treatment).
Nurses Today Have Greater Autonomy Than You Might Think
If you’ve been reading about the nursing profession, you’ve probably heard that nurses now have more autonomy than they had previously. What does this mean? Especially in the case of hospital stays, nurses are often the first to uncover a problem, and while notifying the attending physician is standard protocol, there are times when nurses must act immediately to stabilize the patient.
In other cases, as part of the order set, a physician may specify when a nurse can act without seeking permission from the doctor. (For example, if a patient’s magnesium levels drop below a certain level, the nurse may administer magnesium without consulting the doctor.)
This autonomy requires nurses to have a thorough understanding of their scope of practice, as well as collaborative, trusting relationships with physicians and other key members of the care team. It is also why so many hospitals hire nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
To Sum Up!
Ultimately, nursing remains a crucial foundation of healthcare education and practice, always adapting to meet the ever-changing demands of a complicated healthcare setting. As nurses take on more tasks, their critical role as patient advocates, educators, and frontline caregivers becomes more clear. Nurses not only bridge the healthcare gap but also maintain the integrity and effectiveness of the healthcare system, thanks to their commitment to patient-centered care and ongoing professional growth. As the healthcare industry relies on nurses’ experience and commitment, guaranteeing their education and support is critical, much like the assistance provided by services like Operations Management Assignment Help to facilitate their critical role in healthcare operations.
