Art And Science Of Nursing

By Author: Henry Ford
Total Articles: 189
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Nursing, an art and a science, is a very critical career that deals directly and on a day to day basis with the patients (Speedy et al, 2005). Nurses interact with patients and play an important role in the latter’s health recovery. As an art, the nurse impacts a feeling of empathy to the patient. This is sort of a natural ability to want to care for, encourage and show compassion to the patient. It is not part of the curricular taught in the nursing schools. As a science, nursing incorporates the technical aspect (Eydenberg, 2008).This is the theory taught of what nursing is all about. It is the knowledge-based aspect that normalizes nursing as a profession (Hildegard, 1988). As such, outstanding nurses develop more of the art in addition to the technical aspect (Taylor et al, 2007).

Example of a Scenario
A nurse takes care of a patient and administers drugs as required. However, it is observed that the patient suffering from hypertension refuses to take medication. The claim is that the drugs smell and test horrible. The patient further insisted that the medication was not needed. It is worth noting ...
... that hypertension is a serious condition that can steadily damage vital organs in the body such as heart, kidney, and brain and can prove fatal if unchecked (Weir, 2005). It is important that the patient starts taking medication early enough and as often as required to manage the condition. This becomes tricky to the caretaker considering that it is his or her duty to ensure that the patient takes the medication. According to Eisenberg, Hilliard and Gutheil (2005), of late there have been numerous controversies as regards the patients’ rights to refuse or fail to follow medication instructions. Regardless of the case, it is recommended professionally that the physicians and nurses need not to automatically override the “treatment refusals, [but rather] examine the underlying reasons for refusals” by the patient before the next course of action is taken (Wilder et al, 2007, p.1). This scenario presents professional challenge to nurses because they have to take care of the patient and in the best way possible. It the duty of the nurse to ensure that the patient takes medication as required but the nurse is also bound by professional and ethical standards that may limit the options available. The nurse must consider all the options available and take only those options that are ethical and in line with medical standards.

What to Do
In such a state of dilemma, a caregiver can devise different methods and means to address the issue. However, it should be noted that dealing with adults is not the same as dealing with children when administering medication. For children, the drugs can be added to food or flavoured drinks or the drug can be attractively colour coated and flavoured to improve efficacy. Adults normally have the prerogative and independent ability to decide as to whether or not to take the drugs and controversy may arise when forced to take. It is legal for a client to refuse medication. After all, other than the taste, most drugs are known to cause side effects that could be unpleasant or even harmful to the patient (Beevers et al, 1999). For example, hypertensive drugs like the alpha blockers can cause dizziness and a faster heart beat rate. Diuretics may lead to gout on prolonged use in addition to lowering the body’s potassium levels and causing general body weakness. Beta blockers can cause lack of sleep, fatigue and even the dreaded impotency in addition to slow heart rate. ACE inhibitors’ side effects are even worse; a dry lasting cough, skin rash, loss of appetite and in some cases prolonged use can lead to kidney damage.

This means that there are legal and ethical issues that arise in the course of administration of administration of drugs to the patient. The nurse must therefore explore other means to get the drug to the body of the patient without his or her knowledge because the wellbeing of the patient is place in the hands of the nurse. The nurse should even considered another way to assist the patient manage hypertension if the administration of the drug fails but this should be the last option in his or her list. The patient can be advised to watch what they eat. Habits like alcohol consumption, smoking, should be avoided. Eating high fatty foods and too much salt should be discouraged while proper eating habits should be encouraged.It is healthier to feed on whole cereals, fresh vegetables or fruits, or take vitamin supplements. Exercising to keep fit is highly encouraged and getting involved in favourite activities that can keep away boredom and help avoid emotional stress (Whittaker, 2001). However, the care giver needs to rely more on the advice given by the physician. Therefore, before the nurse opts for the above course of action, he or she should considering other forms of drug administration. The drug may be give to the patient in form of injection.It is not a must that the patient understands that kind of drug he or she is being injected with so long as the nurse understands the benefit of the drug to the patient. A disadvantage occurs where the drug exists in only one form, that is, the tablet. Most important, the nurse should take it upon his or her duty to make the client understand the importance of taking drug to alleviate their conditions. The nurse should use their counselling kills to make the patient understand how the drug will alleviate their condition. The patient should be put to critical thinking as to what they expect on refusal to take medication, (Potter& Perry, 2007). It is a case of dilemma where the patient has the right to refuse medication yet it’s the health practitioners’ responsibility to act in the patient’s best interest, in which is reinstating the individual’s health in this circumstance. It’s is obvious that a patient’s refusal to take medication can interfere with the relationship between the nurse or care-taker and the patient.

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