The 4 fundamental nursing principles are those precepts on which the activity of the nursing staff should be based. Adherence to these precepts guarantees quality nursing care, with professionalism and human sensitivity.
Unlike many other professionals, the nursing staff does not work with objects or papers but with people. This is why not only the technical aspects for the execution of the tasks must be taken into account, but also the knowledge of the human being, empathy, respect and understanding of pain and illness..
Seen in a general way, this concept, besides being obvious, seems simple. However, its complexity is such that it becomes the object of extensive study during the training of nurses. It is even a mandatory topic in the review of nursing technical committees during periodic staff evaluations..
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Every nursing professional committed to his task must respect the following 4 principles without restriction and without exceptions:
- Respect for people's individuality.
- Satisfaction of physiological needs.
- Protection of patients against external agents that can cause disease.
- Contribution to the prompt restitution of the sick person's health so that they can return to their daily life as soon as possible.
The depth of each one is enormous, as well as its impact both on the relationship between the nurse and the patient and on their recovery..
Each patient is an individual being, with their own fears, perceptions and attitudes towards life. Individual differences are of such magnitude that different people react in very different ways to the same disease, situation or condition.
That is why, at all times, you must have respect for what patients say, their suggestions and above all their feelings and their modesty..
Every sick person is in a defenseless state, feels vulnerable and weak. If to this is added the cancellation of individuality, the consequences on the recovery and evolution of the patient can be dire.
In this sense, an essential part of respecting individuality is addressing the patient by name.
In many health institutions it is common to hear about "the hernia patient", "the lady in bed 10" or "the one who is admitted to coronary artery disease". There is nothing worse than disrespecting the individuality of the patient and negatively influencing their recovery.
An important point to consider in the care of any patient is that they are first of all human beings; people with their own beliefs, strengths and weaknesses, which at some point could come into conflict with the beliefs and positions of those who assist them.
That is why assuming the position of judge or issuing any type of comment in relation to religious positions, political preferences, sexual orientation or any other issue not related to the patient's illness should be avoided at all costs..
After all, a health event is simply a hiatus in most people's lives. They will not stay in the health center forever, and it is not up to the staff who treat them to influence in any way their way of seeing the world..
Its mission must be limited to providing the best possible care, with the highest standards of professionalism and without judging in any way the positions that as an individual that person has before the world and society..
Although it may be obvious to say so, a fundamental premise of nursing is to ensure that patients can meet their physiological needs throughout the duration of the hospital stay.
"Physiological necessity" is understood to be any process that is essential for the individual to remain alive, which in some cases cannot be directly controlled by the patient, either due to the severity of the disease or due to limited mobility..
In this sense, it is the inescapable responsibility of every nurse to ensure that the patient can:
- Breathe properly.
- Hydrate according to your needs.
- Receive adequate food for their condition.
- Carry out an adequate evacuation of your waste in the best hygiene conditions.
- Have access to body and oral hygiene.
- Mobilize alone or with assistance within the limits imposed by their condition.
- Receive emotional support.
- Feel protected.
Ensuring that each patient meets their vital needs can be a very demanding and demanding task, especially in critical areas such as the operating room and intensive care, where practically all vital functions are assumed by healthcare personnel.
Nursing care is not simply limited to the realm of the patient himself, which is complex enough. Failure to consider the surrounding environment would render any direct care of the patient useless.
That is why the nursing staff is always alert to control the physical, chemical and biological environment of the patient, so that it remains free of all risks to their physical integrity and health..
Protection measures against external agents are so wide and varied that it would be almost impossible to list them all, especially since they radically change from sick to sick and from situation to situation.
However, they can be grouped into categories, each one aimed at protecting the patient in a certain way..
They range from washing the hands of each person who comes into contact with the patient to the sterilization of the instruments and equipment used for their care, through the use of masks, gloves and other barrier material as necessary..
Hygiene care also includes the direct sphere of the patient. Therefore, care must be taken that clothes, towels, pillows and clothing in general are clean. The same happens with the bed itself, night table, dining table and resting chair..
Everything should be as clean as possible. Areas should be disinfected regularly and the necessary measures to limit the spread of infections should be taken into account at all times.
This includes the administration of medications, blood transfusions, vaccines and any other type of treatment aimed at restoring the patient's homeostasis..
The use of antibiotics and vaccines indicated by doctors is particularly important, since they constitute the main lines of defense against countless infections.
It is important to note that the administration of all medications, especially those for parenteral use, must be carried out according to the strictest biosafety protocols. In this way, contamination of the material and the spread of intra-hospital infections are avoided..
Although it may not seem like it, every patient is exposed to various risks within the hospital environment, and it is the responsibility of the nursing staff to minimize them.
In this sense, special care must be taken when handling needles, scalpels and all kinds of sharp-pointed material. The idea is to dispose of it safely once its use is finished in order to avoid accidents.
On the other hand, the temperature of thermal blankets, immersion baths, cold cures and any other type of physical medium must be controlled; otherwise patients could suffer burns or contact injuries.
Even mobilization in bed is critical. A person who lies on his back without moving for a long time (more than 2 hours) begins to generate lesions known as pressure ulcers.
A fundamental part of nursing care is to mobilize patients who cannot do it on a regular basis, modifying the support points and using both mattresses and anti-bedsore pads in order to prevent such injuries..
In addition, they must educate family members and caregivers so that they are able to regularly mobilize the patient in an adequate manner, something that will be very useful once the patient is discharged, especially if there are residual mobility alterations..
This is perhaps the broadest principle of all, as it encompasses endless options. For many people, the work of the nurse is limited simply to placing the treatment indicated by the specialist and to mobilize, bathe and clean the patient. However, there is nothing further from the truth.
Nurses and male nurses are the eyes and ears of physicians on hospital wards. These professionals are the ones who know the patient deeply, know what encourages them, what hurts them and what worries them, and they provide this information to the caregivers so that they can act accordingly..
Thus, based on the information provided by the nursing staff, the medical team can determine if a particular patient requires, for example, special nutritional support (because they have been losing weight) or mental health support (if they went from being a talkative person to being quiet and secluded).
In their daily work, the nursing staff supports each patient, encourages them, encourages them to move forward and comforts them when they feel pain, depression or sadness. The nurse's hand is the balm that accompanies the sick every minute they spend in the hospital.
Every word, every cure, every injection, every clinical sign that is detected puts the patient one step closer to being cured.
To define the scope of this principle would be to limit it, since it is essentially infinite. Every nursing professional knows that, and they will do everything in their power to allow the speedy recovery of each of the patients under their care..
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