Health is a basic human right and the new constitution guarantees all Kenyans the highest form of healthcare. However this remains just words in a book since Many Kenyans are dying from illnesses and conditions that are easily prevented and/or managed. They are dying because our government is yet to commit to ensuring every Kenyan receives quality accessible and affordable health care. You are probably wondering what I mean by by quality, accessible and affordable healthcare!
QUALITY HEALTH CARE
When you attend a health facility there are stipulated protocols on how procedures are done and when there is a shortcut or modification it exposes both the service provider and you to more risks than the one you came to correct. In our country more than 80% of hospitals are poorly staffed, poorly equipped and have no infrastructure in relation to current norms and standards to add pepper, more than half of the facilities that were upgraded from dispensaries/health center status to hospitals in the last -4 years are still just paper work in government offices, the staff equipment and infrastructure remained the same.
ACCESSIBLE HEALTH CARE
Every Kenyan must be able to access quality health care without challenges, i.e. We don't need to walk 20Km - 40Km to have access to a health facility. accessible health service can be achieved by ensuring roads are good and safe and the transport system are efficient e.t.c. The health facility must run for 24 hours every year, with enough staff to ensure it is efficient even at night. Citizens of Kenya this is your right to have all these in place just make the demand, health workers don't need to leave their workplace to help you realize these instead you go to the streets and demand for it as they continue working. We both loose if they go as we all loose our loved ones.
AFFORDABLE HEALTH SERVICE
The service being given should be affordable to the common Mwananchi. The BAMAKO INITIATIVE which Kenya is part of emphasizes on health care for all which should be of quality, accessible and affordable. Kenya is currently grappling with triple burden of diseases today i.e. 1) The infectious epidermic of yester-years (HIV/AIDS, TB,MALARIA) That is rapidly being overtaken by 2) Non- Communicable disease such as heart diseases, cancer, diabetes and injuries like accidents and assaults. 3) Mental illnesses that insidiously coming up e.g. depression, use of drugs of addiction and personality disorders. However the government focus is stuck in the 90's with unbalanced focus on infectious diseases necessitating an increase in people dying of NCD's and injuries every year. It was only in the last times of the previous government that the minister of health and his colleague the minister for public health had Cancer when they realized that this disease have reached the top of the chain. That's why we are seeing many private hospital making cancer centers. Ask yourself this "in treatment of non communicable diseases do we have accessible and affordable health care?" Don't forget the distance you have to travel to confirm your diagnosis such that by the time you are diagnosed of having cancer, it has metastasize already or you are dead. This is just a tip of an iceberg, it gets worse, drug supply chain management in Kenya has been very poor before KEMSA was developed. There was a year where we lost Ksh. 500 million in drug wastage. Current events shows that up to 30% of medicines in Kenya are counterfeit meaning that instead being protected we are being exposed to toxic and poisonous products as result of inefficient government monitoring system. I Have to congratulate KEMSA for picking up but still its not trying hard enough to ensure efficient and effective medical supplies, since most medical equipment in public hospitals are well beyond there lifespan e.g the only radiotherapy machine in the country is 1970's model that exposes patients to excessive radiation and is prone to frequent breakdown thus a risk to patients. Overall,Kenya has 16 doctors per 100,000 population,3 dentist, 8 pharmacist and pharmacy technology, 1 degree nurse, 32 diploma nurse, and 96 certificate nurse, 16 clinical officers, 4 public health officers and 18 public health technician per 100,000 population each. According to WHO we are chronically understaffed and something must be done so as to have efficiency and effectiveness of quality accessible and affordable health care.. the current health staff needed as per the new staff establishment is 114,023 only 39165 position are filled meaning 74858 position remain vacant. Despite ever-growing challenges in the health sector, government investment in health sector as reflected by its budgetary allocation to health has remained a paltry 5% since the 1990's. The recommended percentage for African countries is 15% of the national budget (Abuja deceleration, which Kenya is a signatory) All these challenges in the health sector have impacted negatively on health service delivery making millennium development goals realization just a mirage.
The fourth president of Kenya, His excellency Uhuru Kenyatta had a brilliant idea on reduction of child mortality and maternal deaths as we await to see the results, its just good on paper as the number of midwives is yet to be up scaled to a working number. We hope it will be done soon rather than later.
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Wednesday, 22 January 2014
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
A WORLD WITHOUT NURSES
Have you ever envisioned a world without nurses and ask yourself " WHAT WILL IT MEAN?" There are more than 7 Billion people in the world today but we have only 17 million Nurses, this number is already few compared to the population they are already serving every day. So ask yourself " In a world without nurses, WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?"
FEWER NURSES MEANS
Nurses are also getting older more than half the nurses in the world are over 40 yrs, 20% of nurses in the world will reach the age of retirement in the next 5 years. Many countries share the same problem, the critical shortage of nurses. The USA will need 1 million more nurses by 2020, Australian official estimate90000 will retire by 2020, in the United Kingdom around 180,000 are expected to retire within the next 10years.In Kenya we have a chronic shortage with more than half the nurses retiring soon since there has been no better solution despite the growing population. That is nearly half of the nurses.
In a world without nurses:
FEWER NURSES MEANS
- Your life could shorter. This is already experienced in third world countries especially Kenya where the life expectancy has been reducing drastically.
- You have higher chances of getting serious infections. Serious infections that are treatable and preventable will take our loved ones away from us.
- You may experience more complications from surgery or hospitalization. These are situation that no one ever appreciates since nurses prevent patients from these complications that would others wise do more harm or even kill the the patients.
- Less nurses could mean life and death for acute care patients. acute care patients need a nurse the most since they require round the clock care meaning that the fewer the nurses the higher the chances of death for this patients.
- Nurses care for people not conditions and they evaluate the whole person. The care from nurses focus on the whole well being of their patients, they don't just focus on the disease that has brought you to the hospital. Nurses view the patient in the bigger picture 'their life in general'
- Nurses Educate people. Nurse are constantly interacting with their clients and teaching them how to live healthy and better health seeking behavior.
- Nurses make prevention their priority. In a country that doesn't appreciate the few nurses they have means they don't appreciate that nurses prevent the expected from occurring.
Nurses are also getting older more than half the nurses in the world are over 40 yrs, 20% of nurses in the world will reach the age of retirement in the next 5 years. Many countries share the same problem, the critical shortage of nurses. The USA will need 1 million more nurses by 2020, Australian official estimate90000 will retire by 2020, in the United Kingdom around 180,000 are expected to retire within the next 10years.In Kenya we have a chronic shortage with more than half the nurses retiring soon since there has been no better solution despite the growing population. That is nearly half of the nurses.
In a world without nurses:
- who will care for your loved ones?
- who will manage people with chronic illness?
- who will look after you?
Sunday, 29 December 2013
DYSLEXIA
It is a chronic reading problem. People with a learning difference like
dyslexia may have trouble with reading, writing, spelling, math, and
sometimes, music.
Experts say dyslexia has little to do with recognizing the visual form of words rather, the brains of people with dyslexia are wired differently, making it difficult for them to break the letters of written words into the distinct sounds of their language.
It can occur at any level of intellectual ability.
These people are visual, multidimensional thinkers who are intuitive, highly creative, and excel at hands-on learning.
That is, they do well in the arts, creativity, design, computing, and lateral thinking.
Dyslexia tends to run in families, and researchers have identified the genes that may be responsible for the condition.
Symptoms
People with dyslexia may have problems reading, spelling, writing, and pronouncing words.
Here are some early signs that are characteristics of people with dyslexia:
* Underachievement. It may be early or late in crawling, walking, or talking; appears intelligent but doesn't read, write, or spell at grade level; may be seen as not trying hard enough; may not perform well on tests despite a high IQ.
* Motor skills. Will have poor handwriting or trouble writing or copying. Poor coordination; does not do well at team sports. Difficulty with motor-oriented tasks. May be ambidextrous; confuses left and right, and over and under. Learns best through hands-on experiences.
* Language and reading skills. That is, gets dizzy, headache, or stomachache when reading. Doesn't read for pleasure. Shows transpositions, additions, substitutions, or reversals in letters, numbers, and words when reading or writing. Spells phonetically and inconsistently. Difficulty putting thoughts into words. May not like maths Math/numbers.
Difficulty learning to tell time or being on time. Can do arithmetic but not word problems. Trouble grasping algebra or higher math. Poor memory for sequences. Thinks using images or intuition, not words.
* Behavior. May be disorderly or disruptive in class. Is easily frustrated about school, reading, writing, or math. May wet the bed beyond appropriate age. Shows dramatic increase in difficulties under time pressure or emotional stress.
* Vision. May complain of vision problems that don't show up on standard tests. May lack depth perception and peripheral vision.
The most consistent thing about people with dyslexia may be their inconsistency, their skills and abilities may seem to vary from day to day.
A dyslexic child who can spell a word one day may be unable to spell it the following day.
An assessment for dyslexia includes reading or writing while the tester looks for signs of dyslexia, such as adding, dropping, or changing words; pulling words from other lines; or reversing or transposing words and letters.
While not diagnostic in itself, body language may provide a clue.
A person with dyslexia may frequently clear his or her throat, tap a pencil, or fidget during the testing out of anxiety about performing the test.
Dyslexia is a disorder present at birth and cannot be prevented or cured, but it can be managed with special instruction and support. Early intervention to address reading problems is important. Parents must understand that children with dyslexia can learn normally, but probably need to learn in a different way.
When you realise this, immediately visit the hospital with the child to help manage it.
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Experts say dyslexia has little to do with recognizing the visual form of words rather, the brains of people with dyslexia are wired differently, making it difficult for them to break the letters of written words into the distinct sounds of their language.
It can occur at any level of intellectual ability.
These people are visual, multidimensional thinkers who are intuitive, highly creative, and excel at hands-on learning.
That is, they do well in the arts, creativity, design, computing, and lateral thinking.
Dyslexia tends to run in families, and researchers have identified the genes that may be responsible for the condition.
Symptoms
People with dyslexia may have problems reading, spelling, writing, and pronouncing words.
Here are some early signs that are characteristics of people with dyslexia:
* Underachievement. It may be early or late in crawling, walking, or talking; appears intelligent but doesn't read, write, or spell at grade level; may be seen as not trying hard enough; may not perform well on tests despite a high IQ.
* Motor skills. Will have poor handwriting or trouble writing or copying. Poor coordination; does not do well at team sports. Difficulty with motor-oriented tasks. May be ambidextrous; confuses left and right, and over and under. Learns best through hands-on experiences.
* Language and reading skills. That is, gets dizzy, headache, or stomachache when reading. Doesn't read for pleasure. Shows transpositions, additions, substitutions, or reversals in letters, numbers, and words when reading or writing. Spells phonetically and inconsistently. Difficulty putting thoughts into words. May not like maths Math/numbers.
Difficulty learning to tell time or being on time. Can do arithmetic but not word problems. Trouble grasping algebra or higher math. Poor memory for sequences. Thinks using images or intuition, not words.
* Behavior. May be disorderly or disruptive in class. Is easily frustrated about school, reading, writing, or math. May wet the bed beyond appropriate age. Shows dramatic increase in difficulties under time pressure or emotional stress.
* Vision. May complain of vision problems that don't show up on standard tests. May lack depth perception and peripheral vision.
The most consistent thing about people with dyslexia may be their inconsistency, their skills and abilities may seem to vary from day to day.
A dyslexic child who can spell a word one day may be unable to spell it the following day.
An assessment for dyslexia includes reading or writing while the tester looks for signs of dyslexia, such as adding, dropping, or changing words; pulling words from other lines; or reversing or transposing words and letters.
While not diagnostic in itself, body language may provide a clue.
A person with dyslexia may frequently clear his or her throat, tap a pencil, or fidget during the testing out of anxiety about performing the test.
Dyslexia is a disorder present at birth and cannot be prevented or cured, but it can be managed with special instruction and support. Early intervention to address reading problems is important. Parents must understand that children with dyslexia can learn normally, but probably need to learn in a different way.
When you realise this, immediately visit the hospital with the child to help manage it.
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PAIN ASSESSMENT
This is how to best evaluate and describe your pain.
Use the acronymn, SOCRATES.
SITE:
Where is the pain? At what site is the pain at its maximum?
ONSET:
When did the pain start? Was it sudden or gradual?
CHARACTER:
How is the pain like? Is it stabbing, or like a burning sensation? Is it like someone 'standing on your chest'?
RADIATION:
Does the pain radiate (or move) from one part of the body to another?
ASSOCIATIONS:
Are there any other signs and symptoms associated (that come along) with the pain?
TIME COURSE:
Does the pain follow any time pattern? It is recurring or intermittent?
EXACERBATING FACTORS:
Does anything make the pain worse? Do you need to take any food or assume any position to lessen the pain?
SEVERITY:
How bad is the pain? On the scale of 1 - 10, can you rate the pain?
Get the best from your Nurse practitioner or MO by giving the best pain assessment.
Use the acronymn, SOCRATES.
SITE:
Where is the pain? At what site is the pain at its maximum?
ONSET:
When did the pain start? Was it sudden or gradual?
CHARACTER:
How is the pain like? Is it stabbing, or like a burning sensation? Is it like someone 'standing on your chest'?
RADIATION:
Does the pain radiate (or move) from one part of the body to another?
ASSOCIATIONS:
Are there any other signs and symptoms associated (that come along) with the pain?
TIME COURSE:
Does the pain follow any time pattern? It is recurring or intermittent?
EXACERBATING FACTORS:
Does anything make the pain worse? Do you need to take any food or assume any position to lessen the pain?
SEVERITY:
How bad is the pain? On the scale of 1 - 10, can you rate the pain?
Get the best from your Nurse practitioner or MO by giving the best pain assessment.
Tuesday, 17 December 2013
ENSURING THE SAFETY OF PATIENTS AND DELIVERY OF QUALITY HEALTH CARE
Quality is the optimal balance between possibilities realized and framework of norms and values. Errors pervade our lives in our homes, on the roads and in our place of work. In the hospitals setting health workers are also affected by near errors and the consequences of these adverse events. These health care errors and poor quality health care have affected all our lives directly or indirectly. Health and health care are very important and are among the basic pillars for a countries economic gains. There are also profound economic cost to a society if policy and action do not deliver optimum well being thus the government investment to health is a right they owe to the people who vote them in.
Nursing, the largest health profession is on of the main areas the government should invest in to ensure the delivery of Safe and Quality health to its people. Care provided by Nurses has the capacity to save lives, prevents complications, prevents suffering and save money and in order for the government of Kenya and her citizens to understand how nurses execute their responsibilities and roles it is important to under stand what nurses do exactly. It is so sad when I hear that an elected leader in Kenya can describe the role of a nurse in the hospitals as just giving drugs and injections and i bet he/she can't even survive through one day in a school of nursing. Let me shed some light to this political leader on the reasons why the content of his/her cranium is 99% water. Even for that simple procedure as Drug administration a lot happens, does this leader even know the 6 rights of a patient before a nurse administer that medication does this leader appreciate the knowledge content needed for the safety of the 6 rights. Away from the politician lets go back to patient safety and quality nursing care, an American journalist and nursing advocate, Suzanne Gordon, offers this summary to describe what a nurse actually does to ensure quality and safety to a patient:
"Using their considerable knowledge, [nurses] protect patients from the risks and consequences of illness, disability and infirmity, as well as from the risk ans consequences of the treatment of illness. They also protect patients from the risks that occur when illness and vulnerability makes it difficult, impossible or lethal for patient to perform activities of daily living - ordinary acts like breathing, turning, going to the toilet, coughing or swallowing- Nurses (MScN, BScN, diploma and enrolled) are constantly participating in the act of diagnosis, prescription and treatment and thus make a real difference in the outcome of the patients" .
This acknowledges the fact that Nurses have the biggest role to ensure quality of health care and safety of patients. A combined statement from WHO, ICN (International Council of Nurses) and ICM (International Confederation of midwives in March 2007 declared that increasing nursing work force capacity, improving skill mix and creating a positive workplace environments is critical in the general health of all nations. Despite this nurses in Kenya are being forced to work with insufficient staffing, overwhelming workloads and and inadequate skill mix resulting in avoidable deaths and injury thus many nurses abandon the profession creating chronic shortage of nurses thus compromising the health of the whole community. Insufficient staffing and overwhelming workload is one of the major causes of stress on the nurses leading to many error with most ending up with the death of the patients. The only way to avoid this is by employing more workers and educating the community to practice preventive medicine. Inadequate skill mix or as i can call it career progression and addition of knowledge, this has been the worst area as the ministry hasn't been providing ways to motivate the nurses by having a clear path to career progression as many workers stagnate at the same job group thus the morale to work optimally. On addition of knowledge, nurse have been having horizontal knowledge progression for decades with the top management being rigid to encourage vertical knowledge progression as it is the trend in the scientific community (as you get fat get tall as well).
It is a high time the government starts to invest in nursing care since nursing does make substantial contribution to reduction in morbidity and mortality. Nursing interventions are cost effective through care and surveillance, education and interventions that prevent adverse outcomes and keep people well. Investing in nursing care provides returns of better care outcomes and less use of expensive health care resources. These benefits extends beyond the wall of health care setting since those who recovered from or avoided illness can contribute to national productivity through participation in the community and the workforce. Despite the significance of nursing towards the health of their community they fail to acknowledge the values that nursing bring to their lives. Their is a risk to the community of loosing their loved ones if a nurse i overworked beyond limits of safety, has insufficient experience, and less staff in the health facility. Thus the community should also be held responsible for the state of hospital near you because the community has the responsibility to ask for more workers and quality care in the health facilities that serves them. The leader especially the governor also has a responsibility to ensure that he has a healthy community with him any way he needs the numbers to be in that post so why not have accessible quality health care, why do they make health budgets that doesn't recognize the input from the nursing profession.
I have been talking about why we Kenyans need quality nursing care and the safety of the patients (our fellow community members). Now what do we require to so as to achieve all these according to the Australian Nursing Federation, 2009:
In order for us Kenyans to achieve the dream of better quality health care we are all responsible, the community, the health care workers and the leaders. If health care isn't safe and of quality patients die and this affect even the government itself as productivity reduces. I urge everybody to take the responsibility with the current health workers strike.
As I wind up, to help enlighten the community members, health is your right and you can also go to the streets or go to court and demand why you are not receiving the essential service. as a citizen you can push for the employment more nurses to ease the workload and enable delivery on quality care and safety of their family. When a patient dies due to health workers error we are hurt but your families suffer the biggest, you deserve better ask for it. The next time you go to a hospital and find a very long line, tell your leader to do something about it. The nest time your family member dies in a line since other dying patients were being attended to look for your leader, that's how much your vote costs. Push for establishments of modern facilities, equipments and resources. Services such as ambulance services no health will ask that for your its in your docket to ask your leaders for emergency services in your community, ask your leaders for radiology machines.
like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Nurses-and-Nursing-care/433363756750672
Nursing, the largest health profession is on of the main areas the government should invest in to ensure the delivery of Safe and Quality health to its people. Care provided by Nurses has the capacity to save lives, prevents complications, prevents suffering and save money and in order for the government of Kenya and her citizens to understand how nurses execute their responsibilities and roles it is important to under stand what nurses do exactly. It is so sad when I hear that an elected leader in Kenya can describe the role of a nurse in the hospitals as just giving drugs and injections and i bet he/she can't even survive through one day in a school of nursing. Let me shed some light to this political leader on the reasons why the content of his/her cranium is 99% water. Even for that simple procedure as Drug administration a lot happens, does this leader even know the 6 rights of a patient before a nurse administer that medication does this leader appreciate the knowledge content needed for the safety of the 6 rights. Away from the politician lets go back to patient safety and quality nursing care, an American journalist and nursing advocate, Suzanne Gordon, offers this summary to describe what a nurse actually does to ensure quality and safety to a patient:
"Using their considerable knowledge, [nurses] protect patients from the risks and consequences of illness, disability and infirmity, as well as from the risk ans consequences of the treatment of illness. They also protect patients from the risks that occur when illness and vulnerability makes it difficult, impossible or lethal for patient to perform activities of daily living - ordinary acts like breathing, turning, going to the toilet, coughing or swallowing- Nurses (MScN, BScN, diploma and enrolled) are constantly participating in the act of diagnosis, prescription and treatment and thus make a real difference in the outcome of the patients" .
This acknowledges the fact that Nurses have the biggest role to ensure quality of health care and safety of patients. A combined statement from WHO, ICN (International Council of Nurses) and ICM (International Confederation of midwives in March 2007 declared that increasing nursing work force capacity, improving skill mix and creating a positive workplace environments is critical in the general health of all nations. Despite this nurses in Kenya are being forced to work with insufficient staffing, overwhelming workloads and and inadequate skill mix resulting in avoidable deaths and injury thus many nurses abandon the profession creating chronic shortage of nurses thus compromising the health of the whole community. Insufficient staffing and overwhelming workload is one of the major causes of stress on the nurses leading to many error with most ending up with the death of the patients. The only way to avoid this is by employing more workers and educating the community to practice preventive medicine. Inadequate skill mix or as i can call it career progression and addition of knowledge, this has been the worst area as the ministry hasn't been providing ways to motivate the nurses by having a clear path to career progression as many workers stagnate at the same job group thus the morale to work optimally. On addition of knowledge, nurse have been having horizontal knowledge progression for decades with the top management being rigid to encourage vertical knowledge progression as it is the trend in the scientific community (as you get fat get tall as well).
It is a high time the government starts to invest in nursing care since nursing does make substantial contribution to reduction in morbidity and mortality. Nursing interventions are cost effective through care and surveillance, education and interventions that prevent adverse outcomes and keep people well. Investing in nursing care provides returns of better care outcomes and less use of expensive health care resources. These benefits extends beyond the wall of health care setting since those who recovered from or avoided illness can contribute to national productivity through participation in the community and the workforce. Despite the significance of nursing towards the health of their community they fail to acknowledge the values that nursing bring to their lives. Their is a risk to the community of loosing their loved ones if a nurse i overworked beyond limits of safety, has insufficient experience, and less staff in the health facility. Thus the community should also be held responsible for the state of hospital near you because the community has the responsibility to ask for more workers and quality care in the health facilities that serves them. The leader especially the governor also has a responsibility to ensure that he has a healthy community with him any way he needs the numbers to be in that post so why not have accessible quality health care, why do they make health budgets that doesn't recognize the input from the nursing profession.
I have been talking about why we Kenyans need quality nursing care and the safety of the patients (our fellow community members). Now what do we require to so as to achieve all these according to the Australian Nursing Federation, 2009:
- An adequate number of Nurses
- An appropriate skill mix (proportion of MScN to BScN to Diploma to enrolled nurses)
- Nurses who are educationally and clinically prepared
- A manageable workload for nurses
- Provision of sufficient resources to enable nurses to deliver the best possible care
In order for us Kenyans to achieve the dream of better quality health care we are all responsible, the community, the health care workers and the leaders. If health care isn't safe and of quality patients die and this affect even the government itself as productivity reduces. I urge everybody to take the responsibility with the current health workers strike.
As I wind up, to help enlighten the community members, health is your right and you can also go to the streets or go to court and demand why you are not receiving the essential service. as a citizen you can push for the employment more nurses to ease the workload and enable delivery on quality care and safety of their family. When a patient dies due to health workers error we are hurt but your families suffer the biggest, you deserve better ask for it. The next time you go to a hospital and find a very long line, tell your leader to do something about it. The nest time your family member dies in a line since other dying patients were being attended to look for your leader, that's how much your vote costs. Push for establishments of modern facilities, equipments and resources. Services such as ambulance services no health will ask that for your its in your docket to ask your leaders for emergency services in your community, ask your leaders for radiology machines.
like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Nurses-and-Nursing-care/433363756750672
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
WHAT IS NURSING? WHAT DOES A NURSE DO?
I remember very well the time i decided to join nursing school, the number of people who asked, "why don't you go to medical school?" dismayed me. It was very clear many people are unaware of exactly what nurses do. I think that it's important that a Registered Nurse is identifiable and for Nurses to lift their heads up and even put RN before their names. I believe that when the public can identify nurses, they will be one step closer to understanding that nursing is a unique profession with its own responsibilities that needs exceptional skills.
WHAT IS NURSING
Nursing in our beautiful country, Kenya, has several challenges one of them though minor is that many people don't know who is a nurse? and what exactly do nurses do? and i strongly believe that the way we present before our patients carry big points towards them respecting us and understanding what our roles. I will start by describing what nursing is, who is a nurse and what do nurses do?
Nursing includes a range of specialties and definition that vary in different countries. in general a nurse is someone who has formally been educated and highly trained to care for the sick or disabled. nursing includes several fields of medicine, including the prevention of disease, caring for and monitoring as well as advising pregnant mothers e.t.c.
according to the International Council of Nurses (ICN);
Nurses strive to achieve the best possible quality of life for their patients regardless of disease or disability by utilizing clinical judgement to protect, promote and optimize health, prevent illness and injury, alleviate suffering and advocating good health care for individuals, families, communities and populations.
WHAT DOES A NURSE DO?
These are some of the issues many people are faced with since most if not all don't understand what a nurse does. A nurse is a health care profession who is focused on caring for individuals, families and communities ensuring that they attain, maintain and/or recover to optimal health and functioning. In the past nurses were known as the "handmaiden" for doctors. However , much has changed since the mid 1800 and since the mid 1950s. Nurses are skilled profession with separate distinct professional function from physicians.
Physicians still write orders but nurses are expected to know when an order, a medication, a dosage e.t.c. is wrong and to be able to effectively communicate to a physician the reasons the nurse cannot follow the order as given. For example, there are big differences in the amount of medication given by mouth, versus by injection, versus by intravenous. A nurse has the legal responsibility to know it's wrong of a doctor mistakenly orders a dose higher than medically advisable to give
Physicians still write orders. But, nurses are expected to know when an order, a medication, a dosage, etc., is wrong and to be able to effectively communicate to a physician the reasons the nurse cannot follow the order as given. For example, there are big differences in the amount of medication given by mouth, versus by injection, versus by intravenous. A nurse has the legal responsibility to know it's wrong if a doctor mistakenly orders a dose higher than medically advisable to give by a particular route of administration.
Nurses are capable of assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating care independently of physicians, and they provide support from basic triage to emergency surgery.
Nurses may practice:
Back to what Nurses actually do. Basically a nurse is supposed to see the restoration of normal physiology in the clients they are taking care of, how you ask- human normal physiology comprises of ;
Something that many people forget even the clients and the relatives is that Nurse are not angels, they are humans full of emotions just like any other human being and these emotions can burst anytime, yes it is not appropriate if it bursts when at work but most of us Nurses really try to avoid these. People forget that Nurses have families that are looking up to them for support but they have sacrificed their time to fully care for the clients. Nursing is a very high stress job and one can easily breakdown. I usually say that here in Kenya the level of nursing is as high as any other place in the world, but the environment and nature of the job makes us easy predators to stress breakdown and negative emotions not forgetting Nurses are not paid well enough to forget the problem they have at home or rather to separate the problem they have at home from job. when they are at work and the are thinking on where next they will get the cash to solve this problem and that problem at home completely distracts their attention at the work place, one just want to finish what they are doing quickly and go somewhere else to look for money.
The media also should be able to bring out what exactly is on the ground for the people to see, before they take medical malpractice as an agenda to fight on each day. In our hospitals there few if no supplies, e.g a scenario where you are supposed to be dressing a wound aseptically but even the bd pack itself doesn't all the things it need so you will have to use your head and use what you have and still maintain aseptic status and if the field is compromised you have to continue using the bd packs as they ain't enough or you may be using the only and the last one available. Am not against telling kenyans the truth about some negligence in our hospitals but first exhaust all your possibilities before publishing a story. get the story from both parties. I CONDEMN ACTS OF MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE BY HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND I DO NOT IN WHATSOEVER WAY SUPPORT IT. If some one is professionally incompetent they should be uprooted from the system.
WHAT IS NURSING
Nursing in our beautiful country, Kenya, has several challenges one of them though minor is that many people don't know who is a nurse? and what exactly do nurses do? and i strongly believe that the way we present before our patients carry big points towards them respecting us and understanding what our roles. I will start by describing what nursing is, who is a nurse and what do nurses do?
Nursing includes a range of specialties and definition that vary in different countries. in general a nurse is someone who has formally been educated and highly trained to care for the sick or disabled. nursing includes several fields of medicine, including the prevention of disease, caring for and monitoring as well as advising pregnant mothers e.t.c.
according to the International Council of Nurses (ICN);
- Nursing encompasses autonomous and collaborative care of clients of all ages, families, groups and communities, sick or well and in all wetting.
- Nursing includes the promotion of health, prevention of illness and the care of ill, disabled and dying clients
- Nursing involves advocacy of client's rights, promotion of a safe environment, doing research, participating in shaping health policy, in-patient and health systems management and education i.e. always progress your knowledge and skills and to educate their clients. This are some of the key roles of a nurse.
Nurses strive to achieve the best possible quality of life for their patients regardless of disease or disability by utilizing clinical judgement to protect, promote and optimize health, prevent illness and injury, alleviate suffering and advocating good health care for individuals, families, communities and populations.
WHAT DOES A NURSE DO?
These are some of the issues many people are faced with since most if not all don't understand what a nurse does. A nurse is a health care profession who is focused on caring for individuals, families and communities ensuring that they attain, maintain and/or recover to optimal health and functioning. In the past nurses were known as the "handmaiden" for doctors. However , much has changed since the mid 1800 and since the mid 1950s. Nurses are skilled profession with separate distinct professional function from physicians.
Physicians still write orders but nurses are expected to know when an order, a medication, a dosage e.t.c. is wrong and to be able to effectively communicate to a physician the reasons the nurse cannot follow the order as given. For example, there are big differences in the amount of medication given by mouth, versus by injection, versus by intravenous. A nurse has the legal responsibility to know it's wrong of a doctor mistakenly orders a dose higher than medically advisable to give
Physicians still write orders. But, nurses are expected to know when an order, a medication, a dosage, etc., is wrong and to be able to effectively communicate to a physician the reasons the nurse cannot follow the order as given. For example, there are big differences in the amount of medication given by mouth, versus by injection, versus by intravenous. A nurse has the legal responsibility to know it's wrong if a doctor mistakenly orders a dose higher than medically advisable to give by a particular route of administration.
Nurses are capable of assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating care independently of physicians, and they provide support from basic triage to emergency surgery.
Nurses may practice:
- clinics
- cruise ships
- hospice facilities
- hospitals
- industry (occupational health settings)
- long-term care facilities
- military facilities
- pharmaceutical companies (for example, as researchers)
- physician offices
- private homes
- retirement homes
- schools
- schools
- camps
Back to what Nurses actually do. Basically a nurse is supposed to see the restoration of normal physiology in the clients they are taking care of, how you ask- human normal physiology comprises of ;
- Respiration - Involves ensuring that your client is perfusing to the recommended reference values. is the breathing normal or abnormal.The dangers of hyperventilating and hypo ventilation. Circulation is an important component of perfusion and it should be normal, if not a nurse must work toward returning all these irregularities back to normal using the several skills acquired during their training. a nurse should be able to note any changes concerning respiration and circulation and articulating its occurrence with other systems in the body.
- Nutrition - this is a very important component that many patient don't put into consideration. The body immunity depends on good nutrition thus ensuring your client is well fed speeds up recovery. using scientifically proven ways or as i like calling it evidence based practice certain feeds are recommended for client in certain conditions. Nutrition also provide the patient with the energy to do other important physiological functions such as respiration. Ensuring you client is well fed is one of the keys to quick recovery. Nutrition also involves the digestive system i.e. is the system able to digest the given food to components needed by the body and this involves also the liver since sometime as nurse we opt not to use the normal alimentary canal to deliver our feeds due some scientifically proven reasons.
- Excretion - This one is a must know for all nurses and it includes defecation, micturation, sweating in others words all the processes that lead to excretion of unwanted substance from the body. The most vital here is micturation as it assess the the renal function. Your client must remove urine 1-2 L per day. When your patient is on oral feeds ensure that they are defacating . Other organs like the lungs also help to remove these harmful waste like carbon dioxide from the body. most organ involved in excretion help to maintain a balance in the body, this process is called homeostasis.
- Movement - this involves the muscle especially in long stay clients since a nurse should help them return to their activity of daily living thus their muscle movement must always be checked. Involving a physiotherapist and an occupational therapist to assist in these long stay clients is helpful.
- Reproductive - the reproductive functions and area your clients must be respected and injuries to this area may lead to very serious psychological problems.
- Sensitivity - this now speaks of the nervous system
- Growth - applies mostly to children where growth is very important and should be monitored
Something that many people forget even the clients and the relatives is that Nurse are not angels, they are humans full of emotions just like any other human being and these emotions can burst anytime, yes it is not appropriate if it bursts when at work but most of us Nurses really try to avoid these. People forget that Nurses have families that are looking up to them for support but they have sacrificed their time to fully care for the clients. Nursing is a very high stress job and one can easily breakdown. I usually say that here in Kenya the level of nursing is as high as any other place in the world, but the environment and nature of the job makes us easy predators to stress breakdown and negative emotions not forgetting Nurses are not paid well enough to forget the problem they have at home or rather to separate the problem they have at home from job. when they are at work and the are thinking on where next they will get the cash to solve this problem and that problem at home completely distracts their attention at the work place, one just want to finish what they are doing quickly and go somewhere else to look for money.
The media also should be able to bring out what exactly is on the ground for the people to see, before they take medical malpractice as an agenda to fight on each day. In our hospitals there few if no supplies, e.g a scenario where you are supposed to be dressing a wound aseptically but even the bd pack itself doesn't all the things it need so you will have to use your head and use what you have and still maintain aseptic status and if the field is compromised you have to continue using the bd packs as they ain't enough or you may be using the only and the last one available. Am not against telling kenyans the truth about some negligence in our hospitals but first exhaust all your possibilities before publishing a story. get the story from both parties. I CONDEMN ACTS OF MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE BY HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND I DO NOT IN WHATSOEVER WAY SUPPORT IT. If some one is professionally incompetent they should be uprooted from the system.
Sunday, 26 May 2013
PARTICIPATING IN SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE
International conference should be instructive and lots of fun but it can also be alarming and lonely. For nursing career development it now almost essential that you participate in scientific conferences. Most school of Nursing don't emphasize on how to make the most of the opportunity as part of its curriculum. Today we gonna talk about how you can organize yourself and make the experience scientifically productive and enjoyable. In essence you should travel, see places, meet new people, make friends and identify one or two ideas that you can apply in your work or research.
There are many reasons why you must participate in international conferences most of which are very obvious, such as, eduction. as Nurses we must be in constant pursuit for knowledge. various issues change with time (medical-legal issues, ethics issues, new technology, better ways of approach to care e.t.c.).
Here are some of the major reasons why you should participate:
One last thing, a conference should be a healthy mixture of the social and the scientific, and should provide stimulation and renewal, but if you have the choice of a large international conferences and a small on focused on your area of interest, always go for the small one. also you must know that international conference can be addictive.
There are many reasons why you must participate in international conferences most of which are very obvious, such as, eduction. as Nurses we must be in constant pursuit for knowledge. various issues change with time (medical-legal issues, ethics issues, new technology, better ways of approach to care e.t.c.).
Here are some of the major reasons why you should participate:
- Education - update your knowledge. we learn from other, we learn from our mistake, we learn from other peoples mistakes. listening to other peoples work and listening to their brilliant ideas and sharing what you have to offer is one of the ways you can update your knowledge fast. Scientific materials presented at the conference may be a couple of years ahead of the journals and five years ahead of text books.
- Inspiration - Hear new ideas and meet professional leaders. Networking especially on intellectual basis can make your career move to the next level.
- Evaluation - scientific conference can help you review your own work and plan for the future
- Presentation - after conducting a research results must be analyzed and presented somewhere. you can use the journal but a scientific conference is the most effective way of making a great impact since big name and world leaders in medical science attend these conferences, those are the people you need to hear what you have and if they are interested in your work, your career grows.
- Recreation - don't forget you supposed to have fun while you are there, relax and enjoy the company and culture around the meeting.
One last thing, a conference should be a healthy mixture of the social and the scientific, and should provide stimulation and renewal, but if you have the choice of a large international conferences and a small on focused on your area of interest, always go for the small one. also you must know that international conference can be addictive.
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