NUR1101 Nursing in the Australian Healthcare Context 2024

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NUR1101 Nursing in the Australian Healthcare Context

March 22, 2024

Introductory essay

 The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) codes and standards outline expected behaviours for nurses and set forth certain qualities that improve professionalism. Reflecting on these qualities helps nurses identify inadequacies and motivates them to work continuously to strengthen their abilities. This essay will explore key qualities which are integral to nursing professionalism: critical thinking, effective communication, recognition of cultural safety and collaboration. By developing these qualities, nurses will establish a relationship with patients that is both professional and trustworthy and promote patients’ positive attitudes towards nursing care.

Critical thinking is essential in enhancing the quality of care. To start with, Karaca et al. (2023) stated that nurses with critical thinking skills can navigate the complex healthcare environment and practice safely. In addition, nurses can analyse information in an orderly way and make the best decisions to meet patient needs. More specifically, nurses should take evidence-based approaches when care is provided (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia [NMBA], 2016, Standard 1.1). Schreiber (2023) highlighted it is important that nurses adopt an evidence-based approach during medication administration, and question any vague notions of each step to minimize the risk of undermining patient safety. On the other hand, Allibone (2023) expressed concern that nurses make assumptions in the face of heavy workloads, which may counteract safety measures that are designed to reduce the rates of medical errors. It's clear that critical thinking remains indispensable and cannot be easily replaced by an added layer of precautionary measures.

It is necessary that nurses develop effective communication skills to engage with colleagues, patients, and patients’ families. According to Mehralian et al. (2023), communication is an important factor that affects care delivery. Nurses who maintain good communication with patients can deepen their awareness of patients’ concerns and make proper judgments on patients’ health conditions. Consequently, patients will demonstrate a willingness to participate in treatment plans and achieve positive outcomes. Moreover, Taylor-Smith et al. (2023) stated that when nurses deliver care, communication helps build a therapeutic relationship that facilitates patients’ recovery. Mehralian et al. (2023) also mentioned that communication problems can diminish patient satisfaction and undermine patient safety.

An additional factor that influences care delivery is collaboration. Zumstein‐Shaha et al. (2023) stated that patient needs in contemporary healthcare settings can be complex, and the focus of care delivery may vary across different teams. Care quality is challenging for any single profession to achieve alone. Ulrich (2021) emphasised that collaboration plays a critical role in the quality of care. Through teamwork, nurses and other healthcare professionals can learn knowledge outside their respective realms, and understand each profession’s responsibilities for care delivery. Al‐Ajarmeh et al. (2022) argued that knowledge and ideas are shared to enhance decision-making when nurses work collaboratively, which will both improve patient outcomes and boost nursing performance. Furthermore, a lack of collaboration in stressful work environments can lead to medical errors.

Recognition of cultural safety is indispensable for providing quality care to patients with diverse cultural backgrounds. McGough et al. (2022) highlighted that a lack of awareness regarding cultural safety can hinder patient engagement and lead to negative outcomes. De et al. (2022) mentioned interventions should be reckoned with patients' values and beliefs which influence patients’ perceptions towards health, illness, and treatment. Additionally, nurses should reflect on their attitudes towards cultural safety and provide reassurance to patients. It is the patient and their families’ decision whether the nursing practice is culturally safe for them (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia [NMBA], 2018, Code 3.2).

In conclusion, critical thinking, effective communication, collaboration, and recognition of cultural safety enable nurses to better understand clients’ situations and provide holistic care. Nurses should appreciate the importance of critical thinking in care delivery, given the negative impact of assumptions on patient safety. When nurses engage with patients. factors that affect communication, such as patients' emotional and physical states, language barriers, and environmental factors must all be considered. While collaboration can be beneficial, nurses must also be able to address issues independently, especially in the face of staffing shortages in hospitals. Minimizing preconceived ideas of different cultures during care delivery is no simple task. Respect for the cultural values of ethnic minority groups is crucial to their health promotion. The qualities mentioned above reinforce each other and contribute to nursing professionalism collectively. To deepen understanding of the qualities, nurses should sustain continuous learning of NMBA codes and standards.