Portfolio
Essay title: Portfolio
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Part I of this portfolio is an illustration of a professional nursing practice model applied to ambulatory settings.
Orems Self-Care Model: A Professional Nursing Practice Model
Person (client/patient) self-care deficits are the result of environmental situations.
3 systems exist within this professional nursing practice model
Compensatory system-nurse provides total care
Partially compensatory system-nurse & patient share responsibility for care
Educative-development system-client has primary responsibility for personal health, with nurse acting as a consultant
Self-Care Theory in the Ambulatory Setting
Nurses have always recognized the rights of clients of all ages to be both informed and active participants in care.
Prior to discussing “Self-Care” it is important for readers to understand that the role of the professional nurse is to promote & maintain healthy systems.
Currently, in the Ambulatory Setting nationwide, there is an added job/dimension for the RN of assisting physicians. This is an equally important support-role/job for the provision of overall care but should not be confused with the professional “nursing” role. To differentiate, this physician assisting role includes collecting data for the physician (to determine cause & effect), as well as, performing minor procedures (which supports the “cure” medical model).
Nursing models (such as Self-Care) are not directly or easily applied to a physician-centered model. Nursing models are client-centered.
Self-care is a universal requirement for sustaining and enhancing life and health. Competence in self-care determines quality of life and has an impact on longevity. Nurses assist clients to achieve competence in self-care. Health education (an example of a self-care service) informs, motivates and helps people adopt healthful life styles.
Self-care: “activities initiated or performed by an individual, family, or community to achieve, maintain or promote maximum health” (Steiger & Lipson, 1985. Self-care Nursing: Theory and Practice.).
Self-care is ongoing and a competence which is in continual development.
Informal self-care accounts for 75% of all health care in the US. In addition, of the remaining 25%, one-quarter of the those health problems seen by MDs could have been taken care of by individuals and families without professional help. (Levin, 1976).
The goal of self-care is to empower our clients and families.
Areas Applicable to Self-Care Theory
Direct Nursing Care (nurse has direct contact with client and/or family)
Providing care or teaching in the following areas:
Nutrition
Hygiene
Mobility
Medications
Behavior
Maintaining health and/or enhancing health with client/family:
Exercise & physical fitness
Nutrition and weight control
Stress management
Maintenance of social support systems
Environmental control
Areas not applicable to Self-care Theory
Indirect Activities
Obtaining equipment/supplies for patient procedures
Making appointments for patients
Completing patient paperwork
Assisting MD/NPs with patient procedures
Module Activities
Coordinating nurse and extender work flow, breaks, etc.
Checking module supplies
Checking crash cart
Ordering