Task 1 Professional Accountability ESSAY

Task 1 Professional Accountability ESSAY

Running head: Professional Accountability
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our patients. We cannot give a patient false hope and make them feel that everything will be
alright, when the outcome may not be ‘alright’. Nightingale states that we should stay away from
chattering hopes and advices, “…because she determines them to offer false hope and hollow
advice” (Cherry, 2019). Cleanliness is a huge component when it comes to nursing care. When a
patient has been in the hospital for an extended period, we tend to ask one another, “When did
this patient last have a bath, or a complete bed change?”. Nightingale expresses in her theory
that, “…health depends on this principle”, that a patient’s well-being, and outcome can be
improved with the cleanliness of their surroundings (Cherry, 2019).
These theories combined, make for well-rounded, patient-centered care. As a nurse, I
have personally witnessed myself and others implement this theory daily. I find myself leaving a
patient’s room with a question, “Are you doing alright, is there anything else I can get for you at
this time?”. Personally, I want the patient to have the confidence to tell me what they need, since
I am here to make them comfortable during times that may be stressful. This theory speaks to my
heart, and it has guided me in many ways in performing exceptional nursing care.
Nursing Figures
When a person thinks about nursing, they tend to remember their science classes back in
grade school and recall Florence Nightingale. In school, we are taught that Nightingale was the
pioneer of hand washing and hygiene practices in British army hospitals. She defines nursing as,
“…an art requiring an organized, practical, and scientific training” (Cherry, 2019).
Nightingale led a team of nurses during the Crimean War, and with her experiences
during her work she gained an immense knowledge that would trickle down into her nursing
practice. As previously stated in this essay, Nightingale created a theory for nursing practice

Professional Roles and Values

Task 1 Professional Accountability ESSAY