Once in a nursing college, students are expected to meet certain objectives at the end of each level. To begin with, a first-year student should be able to assess clients while taking into account cultural, physical, developmental, and psychosocial factors. On the same note, a student should come up with individualized nursing diagnoses and care plans for clients founded on evidence-based knowledge (Kostrzewski, 2007). However, this should adhere to the nursing process as well as scientific principles. Moreover, students should be able to prioritize care and if necessary, implement a nursing care plan using available resources. Furthermore, students should be able to use available technology in enhancing safety and quality of nursing care (Harrington and Terry, 2008). Similarly, it is expected that students will collaborate with tutors and other members of staff to achieve quality client care, as well as maintain accountability of nursing care.
Once students proceed to their second year, they are allowed to operate under minimal supervision. On the same note, students are expected to identify clients’ responses to care and the psychological or cultural factors underlying the responses. In addition, they will evaluate and revise nursing care plans if necessary as long as all is done relying on evidence-based knowledge (Kostrzewski, 2007). Furthermore, nursing students should be able to explain therapeutically to the client, family, and health team members the nursing care plan and any changes that might be needed. On the same note, students are supposed to create awareness about cost reduction and efficient utilization of resources.
Once one has graduated from the associate degree nursing (AND) program, the expectation remains more or less the same though supervision is greatly reduced. Professional nurses are expected to enhance effective communication among colleagues as well as clients. In this regard, they are supposed to exhibit professionalism and develop a friendly and trustworthy relationship that includes verbal, listening, writing, and sign skills (Harrington and Terry, 2008). Similarly, given the challenges that nurses usually face at their workplaces, they are expected to exhibit high critical thinking ability while carrying out their day-to-day activities like assessment, planning, and evaluation. While placing the client at the center of their activities, nurses are expected to enhance teaching and learning among colleagues regarding risk reduction and health promotion. By and large, nurses are expected to prioritize, coordinate and delegate the delivery of nursing care to satisfy the needs of clients and their families (Mertig, 2003).
On the same note, nurses are supposed to carry out their activities within the legal and ethical framework. In addition, they are expected to take responsibility for their personal actions. As a result, every action taken at any given time should put into consideration the nursing code of ethics as well as the legal repercussions. Most importantly, it should be noted that clients have the final say about their personal information. Consequently, nurses are expected to ensure that clients’ medical information is kept secret unless expressly authorized by clients to act otherwise (Mertig, 2003). However, it is important to note that nurses can share information with other health care team members to ensure that clients get the best care. On top of that, nurses are only supposed to guide clients in the decision-making process and respect any decisions that are made by clients.
References
Harrington, N., & Terry, C. L. (2008). LPN to Rn Transitions: Achieving Success in Your New Role. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Kostrzewski, D. L. (2007). Evaluation of an Associate Degree Nursing Program Delivered by Interactive Television. Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest Publishers.
Mertig, R. G. (2003). Teaching Nursing In an Associate Degree Program. New York: Springer Publishing Company.