Building Professional Identity

Building Professional Identity Name: Institution: Nursing Bernice and Gertrude As a registered nurse one is bound to service by the ethics and more importantly the professionalism in their practice. Nursing calls for the right attitude towards all the aspects that surround the nurse and the patient as well as maintaining high standards, which show respect of self and those around. In the video titled (Nursing Bernice and Gertrude), there are a lot of flaws in the way the nurses carry themselves when together and when attending to the patients. Professional practices require all the nurses, registered or otherwise, to take up the responsibilities at the legal and ethical front. They should also be accountable for their actions and to the patients and their rights. The video shows two nurses that have total disregard of the patients’ needs and the lack of professional etiquette that come with the job. When on the night shift they would rather catch up on the videos posted on You Tube other than respond to the patients’ calls for assistance. Even when they finally respond, they dice with the choice of which one of them should respond to the call. They also have total disregard for the patients’ respect, telling her that they have to catch up watching their videos. They do not offer any assistance even when they respond to the patients’ calls. ANMAC National Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse In reference to the Nursing Bernice and Gertrude’, one of the domains that can be drawn from the National Competence Standards for the Registered Nurse, is the professional practice. As a registered nurse it is part of the requirements that, elements of legal and ethical responsibilities are taken seriously. This would require the nurses to be accountable and apply the knowledge base when treating the patients (Torr, 2010). It is also required of them to be sensitive to the rights of the patients as they dispense their duties. The registered nurses are required under the licence of their practice, codes and standards, to be competent as they provide care to the patients (Burton & Ormrod, 2011). This is something that seems lacking in the nurses from the video who seem all too casual about their commitment to the services they are offering the patents. On the contrary they are required to take caution when handling the patients, working closely with the patients so as to attend to the patients’ needs. In the video the nurses do not seem ready to help the patient with their needs. When they show up after much thought about responding to the call, they just stand there as the patient struggles out of bed. When asked to assist put some shoes the nurse is completely unwilling and she finally does, it is rushed and disrespectful to the patient (Watson, 1985). It is crucial to add that there are some aspects of the nurses’ mannerism that give away their commitment to the professionalism in this field. One of them is the code of dressing. While one of the nurses in the video is wearing the full uniform, the other is not. The aspect of respecting the patients and everyone else that is in the premises is crucial. Every other person has their own value and rights as a human being, as a professional nurse it is therefore important to recognize this and respect it. By extension the nurses should be very keen to attend to the needs of the patients (White, 2001). If anything the nurses in the video are outright disrespectful to the patients needs, with a tint of arrogance. It is very disrespectful to turn down patients or assist them with little or no regard of their health status (Mirr & Zwygart-Stauffacher, 2010). Competencies Part of the competence in this field is fulfilling the duties that have been stipulated in the standards and codes of ethics underline the responsibilities of the nurses, which is part of being a professional. It is the duty of the nurses to make the patients feel safe, but it is worthy to note that this should be done in accordance to the laws and standards that have been put in place. With reference to ...