Nursing Why Should and How

Nursing Why should and how can nurses recognize that nursing resources are insufficient to meet patients' needs? It is necessary for nurses to recognize when nursing resources are insufficient to meet a patient's needs in order to treat them to the best of their ability. Without certain resources, nurses may not be able to complete required tasks (Miller, 2008).Therefore, it is important for them to discover what resources are currently scarce in their place of work.

Then, nurses need to determine how quickly these resources should be obtained in accordance with how essential they are to patients' health (Miller, 2008). Also, according to studies, there is a reported relationship between a lack of resources and negative patient outcomes (Miller, 2008). The tangible explanations for this relationship seem to mainly be the insufficient amount of patient surveillance and loss of time for nurses to take care of patients. Nursing resources can be determined as deficient by nurses analyzing whether lacking resources are becoming detrimental to patients' health (Miller, 2008).

If it is discovered that a nurses' lack of time to treat a patient led to the patient's decline, minimal resources should also be considered (Miller, 2008). This is because typically, nurses could save time with particular resources which, if obtained, could aid nurses in patient care (Miller, 2008). In cases where patients' health is beginning to be affected, resources are required quickly as without them the demise of patients may occur (Miller, 2008).

How can nurses be flexible in providing care where resources are limited? Nurses can be flexible when providing care in places where resources are dwindling by allowing themselves to change who they are treating frequently (Miller, 2008). This way, if resources are not available to treat a patient momentarily and the patient is not in dire need of care, the nurse can move on to another patient until the resource is available (Miller, 2008).

Nurses can also help each other out by attempting to coordinate with each other when they will require certain resources throughout the day and perhaps by making a schedule. Flexibility will still be key as the day may not go according to schedule just like most of the nursing world (Miller, 2008). Understanding is essential when it comes to flexibility with resources as well.

It is important to for nurses to be aware that everyone is or should be trying their best to perform in an environment where resources are limited (Miller, 2008). That being said, tasks may be made difficult as a result, but being aware can alleviate unwanted frustration for nurses (Miller, 2008). Nurses should attempt to reduce any frustration or anger they have for the difficulty the loss of resources causes and the time it may take to retrieve them (Miller, 2008).

Aggravation can create problems in a nurse's line of work so understanding the scarcity of resources and being flexible because of this will greatly benefit the nurse. Why it is nurses' responsibility to report to relevant persons when the level of resources risk compromising the quality of care? It is nurses' responsibility to report to the correct persons when dwindling resources are affecting patients' health and the quality of care (Miller, 2008).

Nurses accept this responsibility when they become a nurse as it is an aspect of treating a patient properly (Miller, 2008). Considering a nurses' job revolves around providing care for those in need, not reporting dwindling resources is a direct violation of the sole purpose of being a nurse and is irresponsible (Miller, 2008). Another reason nurses should be sure to inform their superiors of a detrimentally low amount of supplies is in order to save their jobs.

If a patient's health worsens or if they decease due to missing resources, the hospital may be blamed or sued by the family (Miller, 2008). Once this happens, the hospital may search for the culprit who did not report the deficiency. A nurse could lose his or her job by not taking the time to let the correct people know of lacking resources and more importantly could cause a patient's death (Miller, 2008).

It is for these reasons that scarce resources should be taken extremely seriously and nurses should act cautiously and then inform the proper people of the issue so a solution can be formulated. How can nurses advocate for patients and their rights when resources are insufficient to meet care needs ? Advocacy for patients by nurses.