«Core Competencies for Nurses» - Free Essay Paper

Nurses are critical caregivers, who are expected to provide high-quality care to ensure better health outcomes. They work closely with patients, significantly influencing the quality of care delivered in hospitals (QSEN Institute, 2014). The Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) initiative has six competencies, which aim at improving the qualification of nurses in the provision of quality and safe care. I work for Hospice Care, where patients and their relatives expect nurses to deliver quality care. The QSEN competencies that I can implement in that setting include encouraging patient-centered care, ensuring the quality of services, promoting teamwork, practicing evidence-based care, focusing on patient safety, and embracing nursing informatics.

In my workplace, nurses can promote patient-centered care by developing effective relationships between nurses, patients, and their families. In the Hospice Care setting, I cannot claim to be independent and fail to involve patients in decision-making and the implementation of procedures. Additionally, as a nurse, I need to ensure that I approach the needs of patients holistically respecting and educating them on whatever procedure will be administered to them. Evidently, promoting functional relationships among all stakeholders and consumers of health care improves the quality of care and ensures better health outcomes (American Nurses Association, 2015).

Delivering quality nursing care is paramount in the Hospice Care setting since nurses do not only deal with physical, but also emotional needs of patients. The hospital management always needs to make sure that the ratio of nurses and patients is always according to the standards. Arguably, the situation of fewer nurses attending to many patients compromises care and leads to burnout causing the poor delivery of nursing services (Aiken et al., 2012). Improving staffing and staff appraisal can certainly ensure better service provision to terminally ill patients.

Teamwork among nurses is very critical when it comes to patient care. In the Hospice Care setting, no nurse can claim to be independent in her work. All need to collaborate through better communication and work in harmony with physicians to ensure better service delivery to clients. In any health care setting, improved patient treatment outcomes are the ultimate goal, and the Hospice Care setting is no exception. Additionally, my fellow nurses need to implement theoretical nursing models, which ensure teamwork at the working place.

Nurses can also apply QSEN competencies by practicing evidence-based nursing. To do this, they can make sure that they are up-to-date with the current guidelines regarding the care of patients. In Hospice Care, nurses must also ensure that they make decisions based on experience and the present relevant research available. Evidence-based practice is critical for the safety of patients, nursing profession, and even students who are preparing to become competent nurses (Dearholt & Dang, 2012). Implementing this practice can help nurses to be the key players in the Hospice Care setting than just relying on orders from physicians.

In addition to the practices above, nurses must always keep the safety of patients in check. Most Hospice Care patients are bedridden and need the attention of nurses and proper care to feel respected. The latter can achieve it by helping the former perform activities that they cannot do on their own. For instance, nurses can help them get out of bed, assist with personal hygiene, always turn them to avoid the development of bedsores, and seek help from other nurses and physicians where necessary.

Lastly, in the Hospice Care setting, nurses can implement the QSEN initiative by documenting patient’s information for further research. Documentation is central in nursing. Information forms a baseline for subsequent care.

In conclusion, nurses must always ensure quality service delivery. The Hospice Care setting is one such place that requires the maintenance of high standards of care. Ensuring the quality of services guarantees improved healthcare outcomes.