The Role of Nurses

The role of nurses today have expanded dramatically over the years. They don’t just provide basic cares but has become not only a bigger part of patient advocacy but an instrument in changing policies or creating new ones to continually improve the delivery of care. Among other things, nurses have become consultants in creating policies to maintain a clean and safe healthcare environment. Their responsibilities continually changes according to the field of their choice. The growth of the nursing field has contributed greatly to the changing role of nurses today. It necessitated nurses to return to school to acquire new knowledge and skills to be more effective in their changing roles (Blais & Hayes, 2011). I have been a nurse for a few years and my perception of my role as a nurse has changed with my experience. I took on more responsibility as my career progressed. I believe that it is essential for nurses to recognize the responsibilities that they need to shoulder in order to grow effectively as a nurse. What has impacted me the most are the patients. Taking care of different types of patients taught me to adapt and learn. Different patients have different needs. They come from different backrounds and their situations are varied. I learn valuable lessons from them that I won’t learn in any classroom. I use these lessons to improve my skills and overall understanding of patient care. What impacted me the least is the perception that nurses are just basic caregivers. These perceptions never stood in the way of my growth and improvement in the field. There can be numerous obstacles that might hinder or prevent me from progressing my education as a nurse. Having a young child does not make it easy, not to mention the added financial responsibility of having a child. Time can also become an obstacle under these circumstances. These issues can only become issues if I allow it. My situation is no different than anyone else before me that is currently enjoying a