Critical Role in Healthcare Across Different Settings Essay Example

Introduction:

Nurses play an essential role in healthcare, providing a wide range of services to promote health and prevent illness. They are present in various healthcare settings, such as primary healthcare, aged care, acute care, and rural and remote care. In each of these settings, nurses perform different roles and functions to provide quality healthcare to patients. This essay will discuss the role of nurses in different healthcare contexts, using peer-reviewed literature from the past five years to support the points made.

Primary Healthcare:

Primary healthcare is the first point of contact for patients seeking medical attention. Nurses in primary healthcare settings perform various roles, such as health promotion, disease prevention, and early intervention. Nurses in this context provide health education to patients, assess their health status, and provide care for chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension. Nurses in primary healthcare also perform immunizations, health screenings, and provide referrals to specialist healthcare providers when necessary (Gardner et al., 2019).

Research shows that nurses in primary healthcare can improve patient outcomes. For instance, a study by Azzopardi-Muscat et al. (2019) found that nurses in primary healthcare settings can improve the management of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension by providing education, monitoring, and medication management. The study also found that nurses in primary healthcare settings can reduce hospitalizations and emergency department visits by providing appropriate care to patients.

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Aged Care:

Aged care is another healthcare setting where nurses play a critical role. Nurses in aged care provide care to elderly patients with complex care needs, such as dementia, palliative care, and chronic diseases. Nurses in this context perform various roles, such as medication management, wound care, and assistance with activities of daily living. They also provide emotional support to patients and their families, especially those in palliative care (Levett-Jones et al., 2019).

Research shows that nurses in aged care can improve patient outcomes by providing quality care. For instance, a study by Manzano-Garcia et al. (2018) found that nurses in aged care can improve the quality of life of elderly patients with dementia by providing person-centered care. The study also found that nurses in aged care can reduce the use of psychotropic drugs by providing alternative approaches to managing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.

Acute Care:

Acute care is a healthcare setting where patients receive short-term treatment for severe illnesses or injuries. Nurses in acute care provide care to patients with critical care needs, such as those with respiratory failure, sepsis, and stroke. Nurses in this context perform various roles, such as medication management, wound care, and assisting with procedures such as intubation and mechanical ventilation. They also provide emotional support to patients and their families during times of crisis (Chang et al., 2019).

Research shows that nurses in acute care can improve patient outcomes by providing timely and effective care. For instance, a study by Iyengar et al. (2019) found that nurses in acute care settings can improve patient outcomes by providing timely and appropriate interventions for sepsis. The study also found that nurses in acute care settings can reduce mortality rates by identifying and managing sepsis early.

Rural and Remote Care:

Rural and remote care is a healthcare setting where patients face unique challenges due to geographical and social isolation. Nurses in rural and remote care provide care to patients living in remote and rural areas, where access to healthcare services is limited. Nurses in this context perform various roles, such as health promotion, disease prevention, and emergency care. They also provide education and support to patients and their families to manage chronic illnesses (Campbell et al., 2019).

Research shows that nurses in rural and remote care can improve patient outcomes by providing accessible and culturally appropriate care. For instance

Conclusion:

In conclusion, nurses play a critical role in healthcare across different settings, including primary healthcare, aged care, acute care, and rural and remote care. Nurses in each of these contexts perform different roles and functions to provide quality healthcare to patients. The roles of nurses in healthcare are diverse and include health promotion, disease prevention, early intervention, medication management, wound care, and emotional support.

Research shows that nurses in each of these contexts can improve patient outcomes by providing quality care. For instance, nurses in primary healthcare can improve the management of chronic diseases, reduce hospitalizations and emergency department visits. Nurses in aged care can improve the quality of life of elderly patients with dementia, reduce the use of psychotropic drugs, and provide emotional support to patients and their families. Nurses in acute care can improve patient outcomes by providing timely and appropriate interventions for severe illnesses and injuries, reducing mortality rates. Nurses in rural and remote care can improve patient outcomes by providing accessible and culturally appropriate care to patients living in remote and rural areas.

Therefore, nurses are essential members of the healthcare team, and their contribution is vital in providing quality healthcare to patients across different contexts. It is essential to recognize and support the roles of nurses in healthcare and invest in training and development programs that will enable them to provide quality healthcare to patients. Critical Role in Healthcare Across Different Settings Essay Example