Matters of the heart

The heart of the matter

We are growing so fast in this technological age, it has becomes a hinderance in patient care. For example, productivity, and meeting deadlines often contribute to the quality of care delivered to patients. Caring comes from the heart and patients matter.

Nurses are affected in a multitude of ways, long hours, heavy patient loads and high expectations.This method of patient care breeds fatique, discouragement and the I quit attitude.

Who is responsible

Employers have a responsibility to their employees. This responsibility includes caring for their employees enough to ensure safe work environments, adequate training and scheduled off days, strategies to ensure vaction and sick time off. Decreasing stressful situations if the employee has adequate time on the books for vactions or family time. When nurses are scheduled off the employer should limited phone calls to that nurse. This will allow the nurse to rest and recover from the previous days worked.

On the other hand the employee should be responsible for ensuring that the work is completed, clear and accurate. The employee is also responsible for timely documentation, and reporting off to the on coming nurse. Follow up is the key to smooth transitions in patient care.

Conclusion

Nurses are important for the care and management of patients, it is important to establish trust with them. Patients must be allowed to maintain involvement in their care. When discussing patient plans of care involve them. In order to meet the needs of the patient, nurses must intentionally listen and provide a caring word so that the patient will be willing to partake in the recommendations of the doctor.

Patients are important and it does become matters of the heart.

Carolyn Coleman-Grady, RN, PHN, BSN