Foundations of Nursing 1
Subtopic:
Nursing Standards and Qualities of a Nurse
Learning Objectives
Understand and apply the ethical, professional, and personal qualities expected of a nurse.
Demonstrate behaviors that reflect punctuality, confidentiality, empathy, and integrity in patient care.
Analyze scenarios that illustrate key nursing standards such as fidelity, responsiveness, accountability, and emotional control.
Appreciate the role of traits like resourcefulness, cooperation, and cleanliness in ensuring quality healthcare delivery.
Qualities/Standards of a Good Nurse
Punctuality: Essential for the smooth running of the hospital and patient recovery.
Confidentiality: Ensuring patient information is not disclosed to outsiders.
Fidelity: Remaining faithful to commitments.
Empathy: Understanding and insight into patients’ feelings and behaviors.
Resourcefulness: Acting immediately during emergencies using available resources.
Alertness: Observing and appreciating what is being done and acting accordingly.
Tactfulness: Saying and doing the right thing with consideration for others’ feelings.
Faithfulness: Remaining loyal to patients, colleagues, and entrusted responsibilities.
Loyalty: Being loyal to patients, colleagues, and superiors.
Truthfulness: Being honest in word and deed.
Speed and Gentility: Acting quickly and politely, especially during emergencies.
Accuracy: Being correct and precise in actions.
Responsibility: Promoting health, restoring health, and alleviating suffering.
Respectfulness: Showing respect to self, patients, seniors, juniors, and authorities.
Courtesy: Being polite and considerate to others.
Integrity: Adhering to moral principles and being honest.
Justice: Ensuring equal and fair access to healthcare.
Caring: Providing care to meet patients’ physical, spiritual, and psychological needs.
Cooperation: Working with others to provide quality care.
Accountability: Being responsible for actions taken.
Responsiveness: Reacting quickly to situations, especially emergencies.
Consideration: Being thoughtful and kind to patients.
Poise: Showing dignity and composure while performing duties.
Intelligence: Demonstrating knowledge during procedures.
Emotional Control: Managing emotions like anger, irritation, love, or hatred.
Tolerance and Understanding: Realizing patients’ worries and providing sympathetic care.
Cleanliness: Maintaining personal and environmental cleanliness.
Scenarios
1. Punctuality
Scenario: Kato, a patient recovering from surgery, needs his vital signs monitored every few hours. Nurse Nalongo arrives at his bedside promptly each time, ensuring that all measurements are taken on schedule. Her punctuality helps the medical team stay on top of his recovery process, and Kato feels reassured knowing his care is being consistently monitored.
2. Confidentiality
Scenario: Nakato, a patient with HIV, is having a consultation with Nurse Kamya. Despite some family members inquiring about her condition, Nurse Kamya respectfully maintains confidentiality, not revealing any personal health information without Nakato’s permission. This ensures that Nakato’s privacy is protected and builds trust between her and the nursing team.
3. Fidelity
Scenario: Nurse Muwanga is responsible for ensuring that all of her patients receive their prescribed medications. One morning, she realizes she made an error in a previous shift. Instead of ignoring it, she reports the mistake and ensures the correct medication is administered to the patient. Her fidelity to her duties ensures patient safety and trust in her care.
4. Empathy
Scenario: Alex is feeling anxious before a major surgery. Nurse Namatovu sits with him, listens to his concerns, and reassures him with comforting words. She genuinely understands his fear and offers emotional support, letting him know that his feelings are valid and that the team will take great care of him.
5. Resourcefulness
Scenario: During an emergency, a patient’s heart rate becomes unstable, and the monitoring equipment malfunctions. Nurse Ssebunya quickly improvises by manually checking the patient’s vital signs and coordinating with colleagues to get new equipment. Her quick thinking ensures that the patient is monitored while the issue is resolved.
6. Alertness
Scenario: During a routine check-up, Nurse Kalema notices that a patient, Robert, seems unusually pale and weak, even though he wasn’t complaining of pain. Her alertness allows her to spot early signs of anemia, and she immediately notifies the doctor to take action, preventing the condition from worsening.
7. Tactfulness
Scenario: During a follow-up visit, Nurse Kamya needs to discuss a difficult diagnosis with Namaata. Rather than bluntly stating the news, she gently explains the situation with sensitivity, offering support and providing resources for coping with the condition. Her tact ensures the conversation is constructive and empathetic.
8. Faithfulness
Scenario: Nurse Lubega is assigned to care for a group of patients in a busy ward. Despite numerous distractions, she remains fully focused on the needs of her patients, ensuring they are comfortable and well taken care of. Her faithfulness to her patients is evident in her dedication to their well-being.
9. Loyalty
Scenario: Nurse Namatovu has been working with Dr. Lubega for years and has built a strong professional relationship. When a colleague suggests she might take a shortcut on a treatment protocol, she politely refuses, stating her loyalty to both her patients and the team’s standards of care.
10. Truthfulness
Scenario: Nurse Kalema discovers that a medication order was incorrectly written. Instead of trying to cover up the error, she informs the physician and follows the necessary steps to ensure the patient gets the correct treatment. Her truthfulness ensures patient safety and fosters a culture of honesty in the healthcare setting.
11. Speed and Gentility
Scenario: During an emergency situation, a patient begins to experience difficulty breathing. Nurse Namatovu swiftly administers the required intervention, yet remains calm and polite, offering comforting words to the anxious family members. Her speed ensures the patient’s safety, and her gentleness keeps the atmosphere calm.
12. Accuracy
Scenario: Nurse Kato is preparing a dosage of medicine for a patient. She carefully double-checks the prescription, ensuring the correct amount is drawn. Her accuracy prevents any potential medication errors and gives the patient the best chance for recovery.
13. Responsibility
Scenario: During his shift, Nurse Museveni notices that a patient's condition is deteriorating. He immediately takes responsibility, notifying the doctor, updating the family, and ensuring all necessary steps are taken to manage the patient’s care promptly and appropriately.
14. Respectfulness
Scenario: Nurse Byaruhanga always ensures that his interactions with patients, their families, and his colleagues are respectful. When Robert expresses concerns about his treatment, Nurse Byaruhanga listens patiently and validates his concerns, offering solutions that reflect respect for Robert’s autonomy and wishes.
15. Courtesy
Scenario: As Nurse Namatovu enters a patient’s room, she greets the patient politely and asks if there is anything she can assist with before starting the medical procedure. Her courtesy puts the patient at ease and sets a positive tone for the visit.
16. Integrity
Scenario: Nurse Kamya discovers that an equipment malfunction has caused delays in administering pain relief to a patient. She reports the issue to her supervisor and ensures it is resolved, demonstrating integrity by not covering up the situation, even when no one would have noticed the delay.
17. Justice
Scenario: Nurse Ssebunya is faced with multiple patients requiring urgent care. Rather than favoring certain individuals based on their background or status, he ensures that each patient receives equal attention based on the urgency of their condition. His commitment to justice guarantees fair treatment for all.
18. Caring
Scenario: Nakato, an elderly woman, is nervous about her recovery after surgery. Nurse Kato takes extra time to explain the steps of her post-operative care and gently checks on her well-being throughout the day, ensuring both her physical and emotional needs are met.
19. Cooperation
Scenario: During a busy night shift, Nurse Kalema cooperates with Dr. Lubega and Nurse Namatovu to ensure that all patients are seen, all medications are administered, and all medical procedures are completed on time. Their teamwork ensures the hospital runs smoothly, and patients receive the best possible care.
20. Accountability
Scenario: After making an error in a patient’s medication dosage, Nurse Museveni immediately takes accountability. He informs his supervisor, offers a detailed report, and participates in corrective measures to prevent such incidents in the future, demonstrating his commitment to safe care.
21. Responsiveness
Scenario: When a patient in the emergency room suddenly begins to show signs of shock, Nurse Lubega responds quickly, administering fluids and calling for additional support from the medical team. Her swift actions are critical in stabilizing the patient’s condition.
22. Consideration
Scenario: Nurse Kamya notices that a patient seems uneasy about an upcoming procedure. She takes a moment to speak with the patient privately, explaining the procedure again and addressing any concerns. Her thoughtful and considerate nature helps ease the patient’s anxiety.
23. Poise
Scenario: During a critical surgery, Nurse Namatovu remains composed and maintains professionalism despite the high-stress situation. Her poise helps keep the environment calm, and her confidence in her abilities ensures that the surgical team remains focused.
24. Intelligence
Scenario: Nurse Kalema is responsible for administering a new medication regimen. She demonstrates her intelligence by reviewing the latest guidelines, ensuring she follows all necessary protocols, and educating the patient about potential side effects in a clear, concise manner.
25. Emotional Control
Scenario: When a patient unexpectedly passes away, Nurse Namatovu remains calm, providing support to the grieving family while managing her own emotions. Her emotional control ensures she can perform her duties compassionately and professionally during a difficult time.
26. Tolerance and Understanding
Scenario: Alex, who is recovering from a serious illness, is frustrated with the slow pace of his recovery. Nurse Museveni listens patiently, understanding that Alex’s emotions are rooted in fear. He provides encouragement and reassurance, helping Alex understand that healing takes time.
27. Cleanliness
Scenario: Nurse Kamya consistently maintains high standards of personal hygiene, ensuring her uniform is neat and clean at all times. She also ensures that the patient’s room remains tidy, wiping down surfaces and following proper infection control procedures, promoting a healthy environment for both patients and staff.
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- History of Nursing
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- Nursing Standards and Qualities of a Nurse
- General Principles and Rules of All Nursing Procedures
- Hospital Economy
- Use of Personal Protective Equipment
- Routine and Weekly Cleaning of the Ward
- Waste Management and Disposal
- Isolation of Infectious Patients
- Causes of Infection
- Medical Waste Disposal and Management
- Cleaning Methods
- Carry out Adequate Feeding of Patients
- Perform Bladder and Bowel Care
- Passing a Flatus Tube
- Administration of Enema
- Ward Report
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- Ethics in Nursing Care
- Principles of Infection Prevention and Control
- Body Mechanics
- Bed Making
- Vital Observations
- Bed Bath
- Oral Care/Mouth Care
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