Professionalism In The Medical Field
Professionalism is of the utmost importance when providing intimate care for vulnerable individuals, as seen in the field of nursing. While discussions are being frequently had regarding professional behavior in the caregiver role, literature has not carefully examined the use of professionalism as it relates to documentation in the electronic medical record (EMR). Communication via the EMR is becoming more widely used as technology develops and facilities make the transition away from paper charting. The EMR is currently the most direct way, other than face-to-face conversation, in which to share information between providers for a given patient. Because of this, it is essential that the information within the EMR is thorough, concise, and
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honest. My aim is to discuss the principles of professionalism in the nursing field and draw conclusions on the importance of carrying professionalism into written work in the EMR.
At the core of every nurses practice is the Nursing Code of Ethics, developed by the American Nurses Association to deliver thorough, just, and effective care to the patients they serve.
The nurse’s duty is to provide unbiased, informed care to those they serve. In providing such care, the nurse must be equipped with solid clinical judgement and moral standings. This foundation of care is shaped on the basis of identifying issues and what the individual can do to behave in a professional manner. “To consider ethical issues, some level of guidance about how to do so should be in place” (Epstein & Turner p. 2). The Nursing Code of Ethics identifies these guiding principles as central to their standards of behavior: advocacy, responsibility, accountability, and confidentiality. While “the ANA reviews and revises the code periodically… (these) remain constant” (Perry & Potter, 2017). These principles are made evident throughout nursing practice, including but not limited to: patient cares, communication with colleagues, patients, and providers, and documentation of all patient cares. Honest and efficient documentation of patient cares is of great importance throughout the nurse’s day as the electronic medical record provides all caregivers and providers with the most up-to-date and in-depth information regarding the patient’s current state. For this reason, it is essential to practice the guiding principles established by the ANA in all nursing …show more content…
procedures.
To maintain their integrity, nurses must carry themselves in a professional manner to earn the trust of those they care for and work with.
Following the fore-mentioned guiding principles, nurses can more closely align themselves to be the ideal caregiver. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing identifies the definition of professional nursing as “the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations”, as adapted from the American Nurses Association. To summarize, nurses have a large responsibility at multiple contact points in the full spectrum of care for individuals on a larger scale. Often, the public views the nursing profession through a narrow lens which focuses on grueling physical tasks. What the public fails to reflect on is the demanding and complex ethical and moral fronts that nurses face daily. Widely discussed throughout the ANA’s Nursing Code of Ethics, “Nurses must create, maintain, and contribute to morally good environments that enable nurses to be virtuous” (ANA p. 23). Additionally, qualities that make up a strong moral foundation for nurses are as follows: “…knowledge, skill, wisdom, patience, compassion, honesty, altruism, and courage” (ANA p. 23). A definition, or a code describing how we ought to act is pointless unless the individual makes the
choice to carry out the code’s mission. As morals and ethics vary among different cultures, the nurse is held responsible for identifying and meeting their culture’s ethical guidelines. Additionally, the nurse is also responsible for identifying differences between cultures and being respectful and unbiased towards the patient’s cultural wishes. This requires conscious dedication and intentional acts to provide sound care. The American culture places emphasis on the honesty and transparency in their care and in the communication between providers regarding their care.
As previously stated, roles within nursing require great responsibility, “a willingness to respect one’s professional obligations and to follow through” (Perry & Potter p. 293). A hefty obligation is honesty and transparency in care for the individual. Instances where nurses practice these standards includes essentially any opportunity they have to communicate with or about the patient and their health. For example, it is pertinent to be transparent when discussing prognoses, diagnoses, potential side effects of drugs, and what to expect during a procedure. Additionally, the necessity to be honest in documentation about a patient cannot be stressed enough. Providing false information not only breaches the Code of Ethics for Nurses, but ultimately all standards of professionalism the nurse holds. Most importantly, it can put the patient at risk for harm and be deemed as negligence. Ethical practice in nursing and healthcare in general call for the individual to first, do no harm to the patient. Morally, everything nurses do in relation to their professional positions must be done so with good intention at the forefront of their doings. Breaches in the standard of care and professionalism laid out by the ANA are not to be taken lightly. Cases of harm and negligence are both situations that could lead to termination of your position and revocation of your nursing license. Fidelity, or “the agreement to keep promises” (Perry & Potter p. 293) is equally stressed in nursing ethics. The promises kept include those referring to the intent and follow through of the interventions nurses provide. It is a promise that the nurse will advocate for the patient, be responsible for their ultimate care, hold themselves accountable and to a higher moral ground, while maintaining confidentiality in the intimate nature of the nursing career.
Professionalism is a universal trait demanded in any industry. When most think of “professionalism,” they imagine ties, tucked in shirts, dresses, and proper manners. In the nursing world, it includes those things, and then more. Nurses, of course, are held to the standard of what is “typical” professionalism such as showing up to work on time, following directions, and completing all required tasks throughout the day. In addition, nurses must do so in an emotionally demanding atmosphere where they are confronted with complex moral and ethical dilemmas. Professionalism in nursing comes down to humanism, which is the driving force of what nurses thrive on. The nurse strives to support the human in what can be a very mechanical process of healing that is the medical community. The main focus, and the bottom line, should always be the patient’s well-being. By first addressing personal moral standings, and how one professionally carry themselves, then can then begin to help the ones they have worked so hard to save- the patients.
Typically, there are two fields of thought that many consider when it comes to documentation. One, documentation is necessary to plot the progress of the patient and communicate changes in condition. Two, documentation is used by nurses as a means to protect themselves from legal action. The professional nurse will utilize both theories in their practice. As previously discussed, the patient comes first. Intention to document based on patient care should be the priority, and with a professional nurse would be as such. Only after the patient’s care is addressed, should documentation be carried out with a legal “protect yourself” ideation in mind. It is the nurse’s obligation to document with thoroughness, depth, honesty, and patient-centered care at mind. Proper documentation prevents unnecessary harm and treatment, can lead to better health outcomes, and provides a sense of consistency and understanding between providers, helping to deliver a smooth course of treatment.
In summary, at the forefront of any industry is the need for professionalism. In the healthcare industry, where individuals are tasked with intimate contact, professionalism is heavily emphasized. The nurse’s role requires a balance of professionalism with a humanistic touch to connect with patients. The nurse must not be so distant as to place a unbreakable barrier between the patient-nurse relationship, but not so lax as to present misunderstood boundaries to the patient. It is important to treat the patient-nurse relationship with a balance in order to instill trust in the patient so that the nurse is allowed to carry out their work. Professionalism, and the professional caregiver’s role has been widely discussed throughout the course of history. Of increasing importance in relation to professionalism is the tie that it has with moral and ethical practice with the patient as a priority. Current literature lacks the discussion of professionalism in nursing as it intersects with documentation in the electronic medical record. Falsification of documentation, while considered to be unethical, continues to happen in modern day practice. Inaccurate information in the electronic medical record can lead to miscommunications in care, unnecessary treatments, and ultimately poorer health outcomes. Placing a greater focus on morals and ethics in nursing education and daily practice may help to address shortcomings and ethical lapses in medical practices and procedures as they pertain to the nurse.
honest. My aim is to discuss the principles of professionalism in the nursing field and draw conclusions on the importance of carrying professionalism into written work in the EMR.
At the core of every nurses practice is the Nursing Code of Ethics, developed by the American Nurses Association to deliver thorough, just, and effective care to the patients they serve.
The nurse’s duty is to provide unbiased, informed care to those they serve. In providing such care, the nurse must be equipped with solid clinical judgement and moral standings. This foundation of care is shaped on the basis of identifying issues and what the individual can do to behave in a professional manner. “To consider ethical issues, some level of guidance about how to do so should be in place” (Epstein & Turner p. 2). The Nursing Code of Ethics identifies these guiding principles as central to their standards of behavior: advocacy, responsibility, accountability, and confidentiality. While “the ANA reviews and revises the code periodically… (these) remain constant” (Perry & Potter, 2017). These principles are made evident throughout nursing practice, including but not limited to: patient cares, communication with colleagues, patients, and providers, and documentation of all patient cares. Honest and efficient documentation of patient cares is of great importance throughout the nurse’s day as the electronic medical record provides all caregivers and providers with the most up-to-date and in-depth information regarding the patient’s current state. For this reason, it is essential to practice the guiding principles established by the ANA in all nursing …show more content…
procedures.
To maintain their integrity, nurses must carry themselves in a professional manner to earn the trust of those they care for and work with.
Following the fore-mentioned guiding principles, nurses can more closely align themselves to be the ideal caregiver. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing identifies the definition of professional nursing as “the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations”, as adapted from the American Nurses Association. To summarize, nurses have a large responsibility at multiple contact points in the full spectrum of care for individuals on a larger scale. Often, the public views the nursing profession through a narrow lens which focuses on grueling physical tasks. What the public fails to reflect on is the demanding and complex ethical and moral fronts that nurses face daily. Widely discussed throughout the ANA’s Nursing Code of Ethics, “Nurses must create, maintain, and contribute to morally good environments that enable nurses to be virtuous” (ANA p. 23). Additionally, qualities that make up a strong moral foundation for nurses are as follows: “…knowledge, skill, wisdom, patience, compassion, honesty, altruism, and courage” (ANA p. 23). A definition, or a code describing how we ought to act is pointless unless the individual makes the
choice to carry out the code’s mission. As morals and ethics vary among different cultures, the nurse is held responsible for identifying and meeting their culture’s ethical guidelines. Additionally, the nurse is also responsible for identifying differences between cultures and being respectful and unbiased towards the patient’s cultural wishes. This requires conscious dedication and intentional acts to provide sound care. The American culture places emphasis on the honesty and transparency in their care and in the communication between providers regarding their care.
As previously stated, roles within nursing require great responsibility, “a willingness to respect one’s professional obligations and to follow through” (Perry & Potter p. 293). A hefty obligation is honesty and transparency in care for the individual. Instances where nurses practice these standards includes essentially any opportunity they have to communicate with or about the patient and their health. For example, it is pertinent to be transparent when discussing prognoses, diagnoses, potential side effects of drugs, and what to expect during a procedure. Additionally, the necessity to be honest in documentation about a patient cannot be stressed enough. Providing false information not only breaches the Code of Ethics for Nurses, but ultimately all standards of professionalism the nurse holds. Most importantly, it can put the patient at risk for harm and be deemed as negligence. Ethical practice in nursing and healthcare in general call for the individual to first, do no harm to the patient. Morally, everything nurses do in relation to their professional positions must be done so with good intention at the forefront of their doings. Breaches in the standard of care and professionalism laid out by the ANA are not to be taken lightly. Cases of harm and negligence are both situations that could lead to termination of your position and revocation of your nursing license. Fidelity, or “the agreement to keep promises” (Perry & Potter p. 293) is equally stressed in nursing ethics. The promises kept include those referring to the intent and follow through of the interventions nurses provide. It is a promise that the nurse will advocate for the patient, be responsible for their ultimate care, hold themselves accountable and to a higher moral ground, while maintaining confidentiality in the intimate nature of the nursing career.
Professionalism is a universal trait demanded in any industry. When most think of “professionalism,” they imagine ties, tucked in shirts, dresses, and proper manners. In the nursing world, it includes those things, and then more. Nurses, of course, are held to the standard of what is “typical” professionalism such as showing up to work on time, following directions, and completing all required tasks throughout the day. In addition, nurses must do so in an emotionally demanding atmosphere where they are confronted with complex moral and ethical dilemmas. Professionalism in nursing comes down to humanism, which is the driving force of what nurses thrive on. The nurse strives to support the human in what can be a very mechanical process of healing that is the medical community. The main focus, and the bottom line, should always be the patient’s well-being. By first addressing personal moral standings, and how one professionally carry themselves, then can then begin to help the ones they have worked so hard to save- the patients.
Typically, there are two fields of thought that many consider when it comes to documentation. One, documentation is necessary to plot the progress of the patient and communicate changes in condition. Two, documentation is used by nurses as a means to protect themselves from legal action. The professional nurse will utilize both theories in their practice. As previously discussed, the patient comes first. Intention to document based on patient care should be the priority, and with a professional nurse would be as such. Only after the patient’s care is addressed, should documentation be carried out with a legal “protect yourself” ideation in mind. It is the nurse’s obligation to document with thoroughness, depth, honesty, and patient-centered care at mind. Proper documentation prevents unnecessary harm and treatment, can lead to better health outcomes, and provides a sense of consistency and understanding between providers, helping to deliver a smooth course of treatment.
In summary, at the forefront of any industry is the need for professionalism. In the healthcare industry, where individuals are tasked with intimate contact, professionalism is heavily emphasized. The nurse’s role requires a balance of professionalism with a humanistic touch to connect with patients. The nurse must not be so distant as to place a unbreakable barrier between the patient-nurse relationship, but not so lax as to present misunderstood boundaries to the patient. It is important to treat the patient-nurse relationship with a balance in order to instill trust in the patient so that the nurse is allowed to carry out their work. Professionalism, and the professional caregiver’s role has been widely discussed throughout the course of history. Of increasing importance in relation to professionalism is the tie that it has with moral and ethical practice with the patient as a priority. Current literature lacks the discussion of professionalism in nursing as it intersects with documentation in the electronic medical record. Falsification of documentation, while considered to be unethical, continues to happen in modern day practice. Inaccurate information in the electronic medical record can lead to miscommunications in care, unnecessary treatments, and ultimately poorer health outcomes. Placing a greater focus on morals and ethics in nursing education and daily practice may help to address shortcomings and ethical lapses in medical practices and procedures as they pertain to the nurse.