Nursing is a rewarding career choice, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. One of these is dealing with basic care and comfort issues. But what exactly does basic care mean? And what should patients expect from their nurses?
We took a closer look at basic care and comfort in nursing, and the steps nurses can take to create the best outcomes for their patients.
Basic Care And Nursing
Basic care means providing the necessary medical treatment and assistance to ensure patient safety and well-being. This includes taking vital signs, administering medications (see also our article on prescribing medication), monitoring nutrition intake, and performing wound care.
Nurses provide basic care at home or in hospitals. They also take part in community health programs such as immunizations, blood drives, and cancer screenings.
Basic care requires nurses to be compassionate, empathetic, and understanding. The nurse-patient relationship is built on trust and respect, and patients rely on nurses to provide them with information, support, and guidance (see also ‘How Nurses Can Provide Emotional Support To Patients‘).
In return, they expect nurses to listen carefully, offer appropriate solutions, and treat them with dignity and compassion.
The following are some examples of basic care:
- Administering medication
- Monitoring vital signs
- Performing wound care
- Taking vital signs
- Assessing pain levels
- Providing emotional support
- Educating patients about their condition
Nursing Basics
Nurses must have a thorough knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathophysiology, disease processes, and normal human development.
They need to understand how each organ system works and how diseases affect the body’s systems.
They also need to know the basics of nursing theory, which helps them make sense of all the data they collect during patient assessments.
For example, if a patient has an abnormal lab test result, nurses use nursing theories to determine why this happened.
In addition to having a solid foundation in science, nurses must master clinical skills that help them deliver quality care.
These include critical thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, communication, leadership, teamwork, and professionalism – as well as an ability to comfort patients and their families.
Patient Safety
A nurse’s primary responsibility is to protect the health and safety of their patients. This involves ensuring that they receive proper nutrition, hydration, rest, and exercise. It also means making sure that they don’t get injured while receiving care.
To do this, nurses must follow strict protocols and procedures. They must also work closely with other healthcare providers to prevent errors and improve overall patient safety.
A nurse who doesn’t adhere to protocol could put the lives and well-being of patients at serious risk. This can be due to a failure to recognize symptoms of illness or the risk of missing important details when assessing a patient.
For instance, a nurse might fail to notice that a patient is experiencing chest pains, or that their heart rate is dangerously high (see also our guide to finding the brachial pulse). If left untreated, these conditions could lead to cardiac arrest or death.
Nurse Competencies
Nursing competencies are defined by the National League for Nursing (NLN) as “the set of behaviors, attitudes, values, and abilities that define what it means to be a registered nurse.”
These include:
- Compassionate
- Empathetic
- Responsible
- Professional
- Skilled
- Effective
- Ethical
Nurse Competency Model
The NLN developed a model called the Nurse Competency Model. This framework describes the core attributes of a competent nurse. It includes four categories:
- Knowledge
- Interpersonal Skills
- Practice/Application
- Caring
This model was designed to help nurses identify areas where they may lack competence. By identifying specific gaps in their knowledge, skills, and practice, they can then focus on improving those areas.
Nursing Education
Nursing education (see also our guide to becoming a nurse with a GED) consists of two main components: classroom learning and clinical experience.
Classroom Learning
Classrooms provide students with opportunities to learn about various topics related to nursing (see also ‘Best Laptop For Nursing Students‘). Topics covered range from basic biology to advanced medical concepts.
After completing this coursework, students will usually take courses in nursing specialties such as pediatrics, mental health, emergency medicine, and gerontology.
Clinical Experience
After completing their classroom studies, students enter the clinical phase of their training. During this time, they complete rotations in different settings. They may start out working in hospitals, clinics, or long-term care facilities.
As they gain more experience, they may move into community health centers, schools, or even private homes.
In addition to providing hands-on training, clinical experiences allow students to develop professional relationships with patients and families (see also ‘Why Is Family Involvement Important In Nursing? Here Are The Benefits‘). This helps them understand how to communicate effectively with others (see also ‘How Do You Effectively Communicate With Patients And Families?‘).
They also give them an opportunity to observe and evaluate the quality of care provided in different environments. This allows them to make informed decisions regarding which setting would best suit their needs.
Licensure Requirements
To become licensed as a nurse (see also ‘How To Become An IVF Nurse‘), you must first obtain your associate’s degree. After earning this degree, you must pass the NCLEX exam.
You can do so either before or after becoming a graduate student (see also ‘What Is A Nurse Extern?‘). If you have already earned your bachelor’s degree, you will need to wait until you finish your master’s program before taking the test.
Once you have passed the exam, you will receive a license to practice. Licensing requirements vary depending on whether you plan to work independently or within a hospital.
Providing Comfort In Nursing
The goal of nursing is to promote comfort for both patients and caregivers.
Patients are often uncomfortable because of illness or injury; they may be experiencing pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, anxiety, depression, or other symptoms.
Caregivers, on the other hand, are often uncomfortable because of stress, fatigue, frustration, anger, or sadness. These feelings can lead to burnout, emotional exhaustion, or compassion fatigue.
Nurses help alleviate these problems by offering support and encouragement to patients and caregivers. They also ensure that patients get adequate nutrition and rest.
They monitor vital signs and administer medications when necessary. Furthermore, they perform physical examinations and offer advice on self-care, as well as teach patients and caregivers about ways to manage their conditions.
This type of education is called patient or family-centered care, and it focuses on helping people feel better and live healthier lives, as well as emphasizing the importance of communication between nurses, patients, and caregivers.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are many aspects of nursing that require specialized knowledge and skills. However, if you choose to pursue this career path, you will find that it provides you with endless opportunities to improve the lives of others.