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Finding The Significance of the Written Word in Nursing

The significance of writing and reading in the field of nursing is something that never occurred to me other than doing charts for patients or reading what doctors orders are. But with further research, I found that good writing is important and that the different kinds of writing that I will do is dependent on how well I want to communicate with all those around me. For example, nurses are involved in continuing education as technology advances in medicine. There are many pharmaceutical companies that have dinners and such to showcase a new drug which is a form of reading and writing for nurses interested in administering it to their patients. And if I want to advance in my career, any kind of management position requires a lot of reading and writing. I have learned is that reading and writing come up a lot in the field and having a good foundation of writing and reading is a necessity in being a nurse and providing the best care for your patients. The American Journal of Nursing, "Writing nursing history., The American Journal of Nursing, Vol. 33, Nov 2 (1933): 146-147.Print. Website: http://journals.lww.com, Oct. 29, 2013. The article Writing Nursing History was written by Miss Stewart, giving praise to a nurse that had turned in an essay of the history of nursing, it was also to promote the importance of knowing how to write a proper essay for the future nursing students. Miss Stewart a Professor of Nursing Education Teachers College at Columbia University as well as a student of nursing history, read a Short History of Nursing by author Adelaide Nutting-Lavinia Dock. This document encouraged her to create a contest where nurses wrote a short essay about the history of nursing and turned it in for the chance to win a prize of $100. She found that out of all of the essays had a lot of grammatical errors. Some of the essays she read were just copied work from other authors about nursing history. She talked about not being sure if they had not understood the contest or if they just didnt know how to write a proper essay. Her

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article ended with a Stewarts hope that the history of nursing new nursing students would become more interested in the history of nursing, and that the study would encourage a scholarly pursuit of the topic. Written for a student nursing population, what I gained from this reading is that nurses and educators who read the article should be prompted to focus more on the ability of writing as it permits to nursing. I found this article interesting because it gave an educational example of writing in the field of nursing. Although it wasnt in an educational setting, the contestants were to write an academic essay on the topic of nursing history. This article was all logical, to showcase not only the accomplishments of the winner, but to bring interest to the topic of nursing history. Also, it brought up the interesting fact that many of the essays that were turned in were not original works, showing that the research on the topic wasnt done properly. Many of the essays had simple grammatical errors that should have been noticed before being turned in, proving that many nurses at the time didnt know how to write a proper essay or how to edit their own work. The article was really interesting because it wasnt just historical, but it that it described how writing and reading in the field of nursing wasnt something that was taken seriously when completing a nursing education. The only problem was figuring out who authored it? I found it in the archive of The American Journal of Nursing, but there was not citation. So I was left to guess that maybe it was Miss Stewart because she was the contest creator. I included this article because it embodied the assignment that we were given, and it included history. I find history fascinating, especially when it pertains to the field that I am studying. Learning about the history of nursing was very educational and something that I had never thought about. I was able to learn through an example of writing in the history of nursing how it has changed and evolved over the years. I see now how reading and writing are intricately involved in the field.

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LaSala, Cynthia Ann, "Creating Workplace Environments that Support Moral Courage." OJIN; the Online Journal of Issue in Nursing, 15, 3 (2010): Manuscript 4. Website: www.nursingworld.org Nov. 4, 2013. An article titled Creating Workplace Environments that Support Moral Courage written by Cynthia Ann LaSala addresses nursing staff and nursing management. In the article, LaSala details situations that arise in the field of nursing that may force a staff member to question themselves or other staff members. LaSala states that nursing is about doing what is best for the patient regardless of the risk to the health provider. She states that creating a moral guideline that nurses can follow and will allow them to feel that they are doing the best for the patient. LaSala gives steps to be implemented in the workplace so the staff feels heard, safe, and supported. Some topics presented were, defining moral Reasoning, what ethical care in nursing is, nursing competence, creating organizational structures that support moral courage, mission, vision, and values, modes of care, structural empowerment, shared governance. It is mentioned having safe and effective communication, teaching different types of culture, and having a strong leader. LaSala further states that it is up to the nurses in every position to take responsibility in creating environments that promote moral courage. Concluding her article by stating that a staff that gives guidelines and supports moral courage embraces the challenge of transforming the workplace professionally, and that if not, the staff is more likely to suffer from bullying, harassment, and sabotage. LaSala has written an article that includes all the rhetorical appeals, she is very logical in her approach, giving a written guideline for management in hospitals to follow in order to create a morally supportive workplace. The issue of moral reasoning can be very emotionally charged depending on the situation and who is involved. The article describes a job where peoples lives are on the line and that being emotionally driven is a liability to all people involved. LaSala herself has many credentials: one,

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she has served for over four years on the Ethic Advisory Board for the American Nurses Association Center for Ethics and Human Rights. It is suggested that she is more that qualified to present guidelines regarding the issue of moral reasoning and knows the effects if this issue is not taken seriously. She also knows how important it is that the staff know they are in a safe, supportive environment and that they can speak up if something is not right without chastisement or worry that they will lose their job. I chose this article because it highlights the growing problems in the field of nursing, bullying, harassment, sabotage, and termination. There is a shortage of nurses and this is one of the reasons why. When events happen where someone is questioning him or herself, and whether or not they did the right thing when trying to save lives, a heavy responsibility may ensue with huge ethical concerns. This is something that I wanted to read and write about because I may have to deal with it when going into the field of nursing. It is also something that I need to ask myself if I can deal with when thinking about whether or not it is worth the cost and time spent in getting a degree. I have read many articles about bullying and the effects it can have on a staff, but I liked this article because it was presenting a solution to the problem. Rocker, Carol F, "Addressing Nurse-to-Nurse Bullying to Promote Nurse Retention." OJIN; The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 13, 3 (2008): 1-5, Print. Website: www.nursingworld.org Nov. 3, 2013. Carol Rocker a nurse for over 30 year she wrote an article called Nurse-to-Nurse Bullying and how to Promote Nurse Retention written for higher level nurses to identify and stop this behavior. She provides a graph showing what constitutes bullying and how to deal with employees that are bullying and those who are victims. She states that many nurses that are subject to bullying are the newer student nursing staff. The behaviors of bullying include; innuendos, criticism and resentment, humiliation in front of others, undervalued efforts; and teasing. She explains that newer students feel a

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great pressure to fit in. Behaviors of those who are or have experienced bullying include; solation, fear of going to work, stress-related illness, and suicide. Rocker provides strategies to prevent and support victims of workplace bullying by creating group activities, pressuring for further research on the issue, and most importantly educating the staff on bullying behavior. She states that if you are a part of a staff that is safe and supportive that its important to celebrate with them. Also, for workplaces that have suffered from bullying issues in the past to celebrate the decrease of issues. Rocker states in closing that creating strict policies against workplace bullying is vital in controlling and preventing it. Rocker addresses a very emotional occurrence in the nursing community not only for those that are experiencing it, but those in management who are responsible for stopping it. It is a shocking fact that bullying can become so severe that nurses are getting sick or even committing suicide. Rocker takes a very logical approach in addressing how management can identify, address, and prevent the issue of bullying. Rocker feels that this issue is one of the main reasons leading to the shortage of nurses. She goes on logically state that it is up to the hospital and management to create strict policies about bullying behavior. Rocker has been a nurse for over 30 years and is currently completing a Doctoral Health Administration degree at the University of Phoenix, where her dissertation is about the health and wellness of the healthcare workers. Rocker is more than qualified to present strategies that hospitals can implement today to prevent bullying behavior. I also found this article to be important for me to read and summarize because it is about the troubling issue of bullying in nursing. I like how the author describes the behaviors to look for in those who that are committing acts of bullying and the victims who are experiencing it. I thought the subject important to bring to light and discussed especially if people are going to the extent of committing suicide to escape bullying. When speaking to two nurses that I interviewed, they both said they have witnessed it, but never experienced it for themselves. I am happy that I have read all the articles about

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this issue because I know now that it is something that is being addressed and if experienced myself, I know there are policies and procedures to prevent and stop it from happening. I can only hope that by the time I am ready to go into the hospital workplace that policies for prevention have been established and that the staff are morally supportive. I feel that having this information going into a job interview would be good in order to discern the type of workplace environment that is the kind I want to enter into. Sanford, Kathleen D. "Overview and Summary: Nurse Advocates: Past, Present, and Future." OJIN; The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 17, 1 (2012). Website: www.nursingworld.org Nov, 3 2013. Kathleen D. Sanford wrote an article called Nurse Advocates: Past, Present, and Future, in which Sanford has summarizes past issues in nursing as well as advocates that have help change and shape nursing into something that we know as nursing today. She starts by citing an article read by author Louise Selanders and Patrick Crane called, The Voice of Florence Nightingale on Advocacy. This work outlines all Nightingale did in the creation of nursing as a career, not just a public service. It told how Nightingale also paved the way for equality for women, overcoming gender bias, and how she was a crusader for human rights. Sanford spoke about how advocacy can have many meanings when it is applied to the field of nursing. Sanford summarizes a few other articles as examples of advocacy today. One, Patient Advocacy in the Community and Legislative Arenas, by Mary Maryland and Rose Gonzalez, points out how it is important for nurses to take part in the political aspect of our healthcare system: to speak up. This article is very important in light of the changing healthcare system today. Sanford states that it is important to not just be a voice for healthcare workers but for our communities. Sanford also writes a summary of the article, Advocating Globally to Shape Policy and Strengthen Nursings Influence, by David Benton. This article shares stories from five different nurses and their work to improve nursing

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standards in developing countries. These stories show that we have a very high standard of patient care in America and how this care is spreading to third world countries around the world. Sanford closes her article by stating a nurses role in transforming healthcare by increasing value in our care delivery systems. She writes specifically to the nursing community on how important their roles are in the community, to their patients, and to other countries around the world. Sanfords article was interesting and logical because it specifically talks about the different aspects of advocacy in nursing and what it means to be a nursing advocate. The article borders on the emotional side when she speaks about the nurses that have so much passion with what they do that they want go to other countries to advocate the evolution of a higher standard of care there. She mentions the political aspects that take place in nursing and getting involved in the shaping of our healthcare systems and policies. This is a logical point, but politics always raises a lot of emotion, especially with the fact that our current healthcare system is changing and a lot of healthcare workers are worried about how it will affect their healthcare plans. Sanford is a very credible person in the field, currently the vice president for the Catholic Health Initiatives. She is a principal investigator for research on the use of virtual technology and she is a nursing coach. I felt this article was preeminent because of the issue with healthcare, and the importance of nurses speaking out on behalf of how they would like to see change come to the current healthcare system. When I interviewed Mrs. Amott she mentioned it as one of her fears how it may affect her benefits. One of the reasons I want to go into the medical industry is my I hope for amazing benefits, but that might be changing and its important to me to be aware of the changes that take place when continuing my education and whether or not it will still be worth it. It may come up in my career that I may be an advocate for future issues in nursing and I feel it important to remember the voices of the past and what they have said so that I can be a voice of the future.

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Mcgovern, Andrew, Nursing Is Much More Than A Career (cover story). Nursing Standard, 21.3 (2006): 40. Academic Search Premier. Web 4 Nov. 2013. The article Nursing is Much More than a Career was written in a student magazine, Nursing Standard, for a student focus, this article shared examples of two nurses in the field and their experience of getting to where they are today, written by Andrew Mcgovern. He spoke about how nursing is one of the largest healthcare professions and how nurses play a vital role in the care of patients of all ages. In the first story, he stated something very interesting nurses are the most visible and recognizable symbol of the health service. Mcgovern states that a person must be willing to work hard and that each day presents different challenges and rewards. He ends by stating that he loves what he does and is proud to be of service to people and gain their trust to help them though some of the hardest times of their lives. His other story was written about a nurse Kiera Jones of Wales, England. Although working in a surgical ward in Wales, Jones found the work unsatisfying. A friend encouraged her to look into a community post. Jones discovered that nursing people in the last days of their lives in their homes was what she wanted to do. She stated that she loved knowing that when she comes home at night she knows she did her best at making a difference in the peoples lives. Having written in a nursing magazine for nursing students or students that were considering a degree in healthcare, Mcgovern summarizes his career. He seems very satisfied about what he does for a living. Mcgoverns article is logical and emotional, when he writes about the various avenues that nursing can take a person and the variety of different settings one can work in. He relates how nursing makes him feel, that he makes a difference in peoples lives and how that feeling is so amazing and emotional. Mcgoverns article doesnt mention how long he has been a nurse, but it is clear that he is working in the field and that he has the credentials to write about different areas of nursing and counsels people on the various avenues that nursing can take.

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I found this article useful because I would want to be a surgical nurse. When interviewing Mrs. Amott, she said that that was the area she originally wanted to go into. She went onto say that after she fainted because of the smell of burning flesh, she decided to look into another area of nursing, and found bed side nursing to be what she wanted. I think it is wonderful to know that when I get a degree, I will not be stuck just doing one thing. If I find that I dont like a certain area of nursing, I know that I can move to another until I find my fit. This is the main point of Mcgoverns article, the fact that nursing is so diverse that one can do so many different things. I feel that having this information is important when researching what exactly I want to do with my nursing degree. KIRKHORN, LEE-ELLEN C., and NORAH M. M. AIRTH-KINDR, Letter-Writing As An Expression Of Nursing Care. Nursing Education Perspectives, 31.2 (2010): 116-117. Academic Search Premier, Web: 30 Oct. 2013. This article is about commendation letters Lee-Ellen Kirkhorn and Norah Airth-Kindree write examples of how nursing can extend outside of the care giving aspect. In this article there is a written by a nurse for the student population at the University of Wisconsin. She originally wrote it to the family of a woman who had passed under her care. She wanted to express to the womans family what a positive, living influence she had been on her. She stated that their mother had helped her though a tough time in her career and give her communication advice that she could apply to her job. She thanked the family for the time that she had had with their mother in the last days of her life and how she thought the woman had been a wonderful mother and someone that she would always remember. The article was written to highlight the hand written word. So many of our communications today are through email or text, that the writers of the article felt it important to show how someone taking time to write a hand written letter can be so much more moving. Especially when the family is dealing with a loss of a life. Kirkhorn and Airth- Kindree stated how it is a therapeutic tool for both parties involved in the grieving

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process. The article concluded with how the letter served as a learning tool for both future students and the effect that patients can have on them and the families involved, to learn the extent of care nurses give. This article served mainly as an example to students and families. It is very emotional to lose a person that so many people look up to. The family was emotionally touched and educated by learning the process that goes into caring for people in the last days of their lives. This article is meant to show emotionally and logically what goes into being a caregiver for anyone who is dying. It is a logical way the writers portray it to the student community, to encourage students to put more time in their communication with not only the patients, but their families as well. The authors to bring back the hand written word because it shows how much more meaning it has for someone to sit and write a letter as opposed to sending an email, or extending a kind word. Kirkhorn and Airth-Kindre have presented logically and emotionally the effect of the written word. Both women authors are teachers at the University of Wisconsin, as well as RNs in the field of nursing. Being educators, they know the significance that writing can have not only on the student population but the quality of care given by future students they are teaching. I included this article because it gives not only an example of writing in the field of nursing, but a different form of healing that is involved with nursing. I had never thought about extending the healing outside the hospital to the families that are involved and what a toll it can take on them emotionally. So much about nursing focused on the patient, but there also needs to be a focus on the families that are involved as well. I feel that I can use and remember this as an example so that when I am a nurse I can be sensitive to the families one of the hardest things that comes up in nursing. The nurses that I interviewed mentioned that families are one of the hardest things to deal with on a daily basis. I feel remembering this article will help me empathize more with them and what they are going

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though. I also felt it important to include because it is about the hand written word, I feel the authors are right about the disconnection that we have started in society now through email and text. I think its not only the time spent writing a letter, but the fact that its your own words in your own writing that makes the letter more meaningful. Because of this article, I am going to send thank you letters to the nurses that I interviewed to show appreciation for the time they spent with me. Having the opportunity to do all of this research was very overwhelming at first, but now I see the importance of it being applied to the field. I was under the assumption that writing would rarely come up in nursing. After interviewing and doing this research, I think reading and writing depend on the individual nurse and how they apply these tools to his or her career. If I decide to go into a management position in nursing or as an educator, I know now that there will be many different forms of writing that I will need to master. In the field of nursing, continuing education will be expected and reading and writing will be involved. On a daily basis, summarizing and charting are a very integral part of communicating between other staff and the doctors. I found the history of nursing somewhat fascinating. Ive thought about reading an autobiography on Florence Nightingale. I have learned that she wasnt just a crusader for nursing, but for the equality of women everywhere. I wonder how much she must have gone through to make strides for women all around the world, and how women can apply her equality standard today with other issues. Researching these topics has made me ask how I can be an advocate for what I believe. How I can change the world one caretaker at a time for the better? I can focus on myself and be an example to other healers of what quality care means to me and to others that will be involved in what I do.

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