Online Companion: Fundamentals of Nursing Standards and Practice 2E
Frequently Asked
Questions
How does the nurse use creativity when giving care?
When the nurse uses critical thinking skills, there will also be creative thinking
since both types of thinking require assessment and result in new discoveries.
The current health care environment of "high tech" presents a challenge
to nurses to search for new ideas and methods to incorporate the nursing value
of "high touch" and caring. Each client the nurse cares for is an
individual and has unique needs. No single nursing care plan "fits all";
creative thinking is needed to individualize care.
What is the difference
between a medical diagnosis and a nursing diagnosis?
The nursing diagnosis results from the nurse's judgment about how the client
is responding to a health problem. The nursing diagnosis changes as the client's
response or health status changes. The nursing diagnosis labels a situation
in which the nurse is licensed and qualified to intervene. The medical diagnosis
focuses on the client's illness or disease and remains constant until a cure
is effected. The medical diagnosis identified conditions that the physician
is qualified to treat. For example, for a client who has hypertension, the physician
will focus on selecting drug therapy that will reduce the client's blood pressure
with a minimum of side effects. The nurse caring for this client will use actions
to educate the client about hypertension and about the effects and side effects
of the prescribed drug therapy. The nurse will provide information about lifestyle
changes that may be needed to reduce blood pressure. The nurse will assess the
client's response to the medical diagnosis and take action to assist the client
to make adjustments needed to treat the illness.
Is the evaluation
step used only at the end of the patient's illness and hospitalization?
The nursing process is dynamic and the steps within it are linked to each other
closely. The graphic in the text uses a circular diagram to illustrate the steps
of the nursing process. The evaluation step is used to determine if the goal
of nursing care has been met or unmet. If the goal has been met, the evaluation
will be to continue the nursing activities. If the goal is not met, the nurse
will reassess the client and consider modifying the plan of care. Evaluation
is an ongoing process; it is part of a continuous process of thinking during
care of the client.
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