Concept of Professionalism, Responsibility, Accountability of Nurse as Researcher - Research Proposal Example

Outline I. Introduction a. Current medical practices: b.Why research is necessary: II. Para Professional tests for nurse researcher III. Para.2. Translating nursing research into action: IV. Para.3. Specific prevention models and how it could be benefited by research: V. Conclusions. Concept of professionalism, responsibility, accountability of nurse as researcher Thesis statement: The role of a nurse as a researcher should instill latest standards of professional caring, sense of responsibilities and due accountability, both to the institution where (s)he works and also to the patient community,carers or surrogates of the patient. Introduction: a. Current medical practices: The profession of nursing has undergone sea changes since the time of its pioneering advocate, Florence Nightingale and her indefatigable and selfless services provided to the wounded soldiers during the Crimean War in 1854. However, in current medical settings, the aspects of medical care and client management have been overtaken by economic considerations that vitiate the institutional performance, values and ethical considerations of medical care and patient management. b. Why research is necessary: In today's medical settings patient care management form the virtual and ever increasing responsibilities of the nursing profession. Under such circumstances, the need for nursing research has become very necessary in order to address the following aspects: 1. How nursing research could improve provider-patient obligations and reinforce the elements of utmost care and attention that underpins it. 2. How new techniques, methods, strategies and other innovative aspects of nursing, could be gradually enforced into patient -tending profession in order to provide them with the levels and standards of personal attention and medication that they may be needing. 3. How research could bring about cost effectiveness and significantly lower the time, efforts and funds spend on patient care management 4. "Advocates of regulatory strategies argue that the nation has a social responsibility to ensure that everyone has access to good quality care, delivered as efficiently as possible." (Antos & Rivlin, 2008, p.9). 5. How research could enhance nursing efficiencies and contribute to a healthier, happier and harmonious social and community setting with enhanced benefits for all - the leaders, promoters, providers, patients and their careers and surrogates. 6. The role and responsibilities of the care leader would be to arrange for maximum comfort and attention to clients at least costs and efforts on their part. Para.1 Professional tests for nurse researcher: It is seen that the system which was developed in the 1970's as a teaching tool has now transformed into a major decision making and authoritative source for the practice of nursing. In the application of Neurman's Model, it is believed that there are mainly three stress causing aspects that may emanate from "intra personal, inter personal" or "extra personal" reactions to environmental stress. (Andrist, Nicholas & Wolf, 2006, p.245). In the context of nursing research, it is believed that introduction of new techniques or processes of heath care or introduction of new medication or interventions may provoke such reactions among patients, especially the older ones. This would in turn test the professionalism, responsibility and accountability of health care providers. However by use of Nueman's model there are benefits to be derived It propagates a system model propagated for optimum patient welfare and delivery of maximum beneficial health services. In the context of nursing research, this model believes that good health, sense of well being and integrated fitness are fundamental to the teaching of nursing student education. Para.2. Translating nursing research into action: Research entails pursuit of knowledge and understanding to be translated into action for the betterment of patients and careers. Research in the context of nursing could be better and efficient patient management, exploring and pushing back the frontiers of specialized awareness about diseases and their prognosis, diagnosis and treatment methods, and testing of new medications and interventions. While research is essential in nursing, the aspects of ethical and legal rights of patients need to be honored. The Neuman model in the context of research could be seen, inter alia, in terms "Dedication to the support, promotion and integrity of the Neuman Systems Model to guide nursing education, practice andresearch- Commitment to the advancement of nursing knowledge through analysis, evaluation and continued development of the model." (Neuman, 2008). Para.3 . Specific prevention models and how it could be benefited by research: There are several aspects and proponents in the Neuman's System model since it is fundamentally focused on patient comfort and well being. On the one hand, there is a projection of good health and on the other, there are issues of poor health and disease. The primary goal of nursing is to shift paradigms from illness to good health through nursing practices and interventions. The various efforts could be used through better use of professional competence, innovation, responsibility and accountability by careers. "Baccalaureate nurses must be prepared to meet information technology expectations for practice and future professional development. Therefore, educational programs must evaluate curriculum and student outcomes and address areas for improvement." (Fetter, 2008). In the area of patient three specific preventions, called 1. Primary actions or basic actions that reinforce pre-emptive aspects of the disease, or condition before the actual procedures, or medication are begun. It would be necessary to have a complete and comprehensive case history of the condition, and the best line of treatment need to be followed. The adverse impact of earlier unsuitable treatment also needs to be gauged and eliminated and the patient's psyche and physique must become receptive to new drugs or medications. 2. In the secondary stage, the actual preventive screening is carried out, if the benefits of research could be beneficial to the patient, it needs to be carried out with the consent and permission of the patient/ careers. The matter of nursing research assumes significance in the context of elderly patients having variety of diseases, or having chronic conditions that need to be controlled. "According to recent research, the bulk of health care spending and the lion's share of the increased cost of health care comes from patients with chronic disease and the increases in those disorders." (Arlingaus, 2007, p.6). 3. The tertiary stage is the post prevention stage when the patient may need to be advised on new innovative rehabilitation, or treatment needs to be administered. Conclusions: Thus it is seen that the hypothesis that research in nursing is essential to cope with the variety of diseases and its many manifestations, and disease control forms a significant part of nursing profession. However, it is felt that implementation of research should be fact based and cost effective. "Transferring new knowledge from research into practice is vital to the survival and growth of the nursing profession and is essential to evidence-based practice." (Pravikoff & Donaldson, 2001).But, as the same time the relative costs and benefits of research implementation have to be analyzed and evaluated to arrive at a rationale and judicious decisions, keeping the best interests of the patients in mind. References Andrist, Linda. C., Nicholas, Patrice. K., & Wolf, Karen. (2006). Application of the Neuman system model. A History of Nursing Ideas. 245. Retrieved November 07, 2008, from http://books.google.co.in/booksid=pJnYFMQLa_MC&pg=PA245&lpg=PA245&dq=Neuman+Systems+Model&source=web&ots=vd4R7Cwi2C&sig=3TDpO5LYQxGxeZ1KUZaDeWKCa7k&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=9&ct=result#PPA245,M1 Antos, Joseph. R. & Rivlin, Alice. M. (2008). Slowing the growth of health spending we need mixed strategies and we need to start now: Regulatory Strategies. Opportunity 08: Independent Ideas for our new President. 9. Retrieved November 07, 2008, from http://www.brookings.edu//media/Files/Projects/Opportunity08/PB_HealthSpending_Rivlin.pdf Arlingaus, Charles. M. (2007). Chronic care management and the cost of health care: Chronic care management not independent episodes. The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy. 6. Retrieved November 07, 2008, from http://www.jbartlett.org/files/misc/The_cost_of_health_care12.doc Fetter, Marylin. S. (2005). Enhancing baccalaureate nursing information technology outcomes: Abstract. International Journal of Nursing Educational Scholarship. 5 (1). Retrieved November 07, 2008, from http://www.bepress.com/ijnes/vol5/iss1/art3/ Neuman, Betty. (2008). Mission: The mission and purpose of the Nueman systems model trustee group. Neuman Systems Model. Retrieved November 07, 2008, from http://neumansystemsmodel.org/NSMdocs/mission.htm Pravikoff, Diane. S., & Donaldson, Nancy. E. (2001). Special section online journal publication: Abstract. The Online Journal of Clinical Innovations. 6. 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