Nursing as a Profession Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Nursing as a Profession - Research Paper Example Information literacy describes the ability to find and gather critical and accurate information as required in any practice to provide quality services. This relates to skills needed to maneuver efficiently through the burst of data available and decisively acquire relevant information (Bonnel and Smith, 2010). In nursing, information is regarded as a key attribute that facilitates efficiency with regard to the scope of the duties. Nursing officers assist other medical practitioners in patient care interventions as directed and according to the plan of care. They also contribute to the collection of accurate healthcare information as well as maintaining accurate health care records. The general duties include attending to patient’s personal hygiene needs such as showering and toileting and assisting with patient mobilization and repositioning. In addition, nurses observe the patient's physical and psychological status, as well as responses during the course of treatment, which entails monitoring patients’ vital signs and recording them accordingly. The duty of care seeks to stress the need for selflessness among healthcare personnel, especially those involved in providing direct basic care to patients. Consequently, nurses are placed at a patient’s personal service through the expression of kindness, moral worth, and dignity of the self and others. This is irrespective of one’s cultural similarities and differences, thus placing more value on the accessibility of health care services to all.... Consequently, nurses are placed at a patient’s personal service through expression of kindness, moral worth and dignity of the self and others. This is irrespective of one’s cultural similarities and differences, thus placing more value on accessibility of health care services to all. Presently, information technology has found a home in most institutions in the society and the healthcare sector has had positive results with technological integration. Health care organizations are rapidly adopting and implementing health information technology such as the electronic health record systems. Electronic health recording aids in enhancing efficiency within the health provider’s organization. This translates to improved patient handling and effective treatment to ensuring appropriate patient management. This creates a smooth carryover of the patient by a new health care provider following referral for further management since the patient’s medical history is rea dily available. In addition, it reduces medical errors where the electronic prescribing applications would alert health care providers in case of any anticipated drug reaction. Cases of illegible handwriting have also been eliminated as progress notes are directly indicated in the electronic system. In addition to the efficiency, electronic records cut back on the risk of mix-ups in patient files where a patient is treated for the wrong condition. This is often the results of archival problems where leafs from patient files are pooled together before sorting. The use of electronic medical records saves hospitals and patients from this by securing the records appropriately that only the records of the required patient can be accessed, thus mix up are evaded (McGonigle and