Nursing: Essential Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes Essay Example

to diminish assessment errors, misunderstanding and conflicts, while poor communication can lead to litigation or result in harm to clients (Francis et al).Listening and attending, empathy, information giving and support in the context of a nurse-patient relationship are identified as essential communication skills in nursing (Timmins, 2007).

Critical Thinking and Reflection

As the nurses who participated in a study (Jones & Cheek, 2003) overwhelmingly advised, there is no such thing as a typical day for a nurse. Nurses face new situations everyday and it is important that they can adjust their knowledge and skills accordingly.

Critical thinking and reflection are essential skills because they can enhance nurses’ ability to solve problems and make sound decisions. Critical thinking skills enable nurses to identify multiple possibilities in clinical situations and alternatives to interventions; weigh the consequences of alternate actions; and make sound judgement and decisions (Brunt, 2005). Through reflection, nurses can examine their practice, explore feelings and reactions and connect new meanings to past experience (Brunt). Reflection can enhance self-awareness, foster professional satisfaction and growth and increase the possibility for change and improvement in nursing practice and therapeutic relationships (Thorne & Hayes, 1997).

Compassion and Respect

Compassion and respect are essential attitudes for nursing practice. Compassion has been described as the “wounding of the heart” or a “visceral reaction” to the experience of human suffering (Peters, 2006) and is essential for the establishment of good nurse-patient relationship. Patients expect nurses to be compassionate and compassion is one of the main criteria patients evaluate the quality of nursing practice (Graber & Mitcham, 2004). Respect is another essential attitude. Nurses are required to practise “in a way that acknowledges the dignity, culture, values, beliefs

and rights of individuals/groups” (ANMC, 2006).To deliver effective and non-discriminatory nursing care to clients, it is essential that nurses recognise and respect diversities in culture, values, beliefs, thinking, opinions and lifestyles (Ervin, 2005), and clients’ right to privacy, confidentiality and dignity.

Conclusion

All of the above are important knowledge, skills and attitudes that a nurse should possess. They are like bricks in a foundation. A wall will fall if a brick in its foundation is missing. A professional nurse must integrate these essential knowledge, skills and attitudes to deliver holistic care to the clients.

References

1. Australian Nursing & Midwifery Council (ANMC).
2. (2006). National Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse (4th edn. ). Retrieved April 4, 2008, from http://www.
3. anmc. org. au/docs/Competency_standards_RN. pdf Brunt, B. A.
4. (2005). Models, measurement, and strategies in developing critical-thinking skills. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 36 (6), 255-62. Retrieved April 6, 2008, from CINAHL database. Bryant, H.
5. (2007). Board's eye view. The need to treat patients with dignity and respect.Emergency Nurse: The Journal Of The RCN Accident And Emergency Nursing Association, 15 (8), 39. Daly, J. , Speedy, S.
6. & Jackson, D. (2006) Contexts of nursing: An introduction (2nd edn. ). Australia: Elsevier.
7. Ervin, N. E. (2005). 101 ways to improve nursing culture: respect diversity.
8. Michigan Nurse, 78 (8), 17. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from CINAHL database. Francis, K. , Bowman, S. & Redgrave, M. (2001).
9. Rural Nurses: Knowledge and Skills Required to Meet the Challenges of a Changing Work Environment in the 21st Century: A Review of the Literature.Retrieved April 9, 2008, from http://www. dest. gov. au/archive/highered/nursing/pubs/rural_nurses/1.
10. htm Graber, D. R. & Mitcham, M. D. (2004).
11. Compassionate clinicians: take patient care beyond
    

the ordinary. Holistic Nursing Practice, 18 (2), 87-94. Retrieved April 4, 2008, from CINAHL database. Grypdonck, M. (2008).