LESSON 7
THE ROLE OF THE PRACTICAL NURSE
7-1.
INTRODUCTION
a. The practical nurses' role has expanded to team leadership and patient
teaching. Leadership is defined as influencing individuals or groups to take an active
part in the process of achieving agreed-upon goals. Nursing leadership may be defined
as a process of interpersonal influence through which a patient is assisted in the
establishment and achievement of goals toward improved well-being.
b. Teaching refers to activities by which specific objectives or desired behavior
changes are achieved. It is an interactive process between the teacher and one or
more learners. Patient teaching is inherent to the role of nursing by virtue of the nurse's
position at the bedside. Shorter hospital stays which require patients to manage
convalescence at home, and emphasis on health promotion and health maintenance
rather than on treatment alone, have increased the need for health teaching by nurses.
Section I. TEAM LEADERSHIP
7-2.
TEAM NURSING
a. In 1953, Eleanor Lambertson and her colleagues proposed a system of team
nursing to overcome the fragmentation of care resulting from the task-oriented
functional approach. Team nursing responds to the needs of both the patient and the
staff. Team members are stimulated by the team leader to learn and develop new
skills. The team leader instructs the team members, supervises them, and provides
assignments that offer them potential for growth. The following facts define team
nursing:
(1) It is direct patient care accomplished by a specific group of nurses and
allied health care workers.
(2)
It is accomplished by using the nursing process.
(3) It allows for comprehensive, holistic nursing care when the team
functions at a high level of efficiency.
(4) It is composed of a team leader who coordinates patient care and
supervises team members, and team members who are responsible for total care given
to an assigned group or number of patients.
(5)
It requires cooperation and effective communication with all staff
members.
MD0906
7-2
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