NURS 440

Self-Assessment of Nursing Standards

ANA Standard (Look)
Standard 7: Ethics
The registered nurse
practices ethically.

Brief Description (Elaborate)

The registered nurse is to
practice ethically. There are
many circumstances that nurses
have to make decisions that
will affect patient outcomes.
These actions have to be made
with moral, virtue and justice.
They are a reflection of the
nurse, the organization and the
nurses peers. When a nurse
works with a standard of ethics,
they are held accountable for
their actions and they are
expected for every situation to
make their decisions by what is
right and as an advocate for
their patients best interest. I
am not surprised that ethics is
one of the nursing standards for
practice. I think that being an
ethically person makes you
highly respected for being able
to not act out of greed or
selfishness. To be ethical means
to see reason in what is right. I
think that having a higher

Activities that Helped you

Meet the Standard (Analyze)
Nurses have to make ethical
decisions everyday at work.
While in the nursing program I
have associated many of my
own experiences to explore my
own ethical thinking. While in
the clinical setting, I have
assisted with nurses advocating
for their patients with doctors
and social workers in order for
these patients to get the help
and care that they need. The
nurse did not have to go out of
her way to help these patients,
but she used her ethics for
advocating and doing the right
thing. Seeing how nurses make
these ethical decisions and
actions so naturally in the
clinical setting set a good
example of how I will exhibit a
standard of ethics when I
become a registered nurse.

Plan to Meet Standard(Revise)

My approach to meeting this
standard, as a nurse, is to make
my decisions based on what is
best for the patient. Patient
centered care reminds everyone
that they are the priority while
they are in the hospital. I will
advocate for my patient to all
health care teams to ensure that
all their needs are met while in
the hospital and that they have
the appropriate references for
when they are discharged. I
was raised to be an ethical
person and it was one of the
standards that my parents held
for me to be growing up. I am
anticipating that transitioning
my daily ethics into the nursing
role should come naturally.

Standard 8: Education
The registered nurse
attains knowledge and
competence that reflects
current nursing practice.

Standard 9: EBP and Research

The registered nurse
integrates research
findings into practice.

education increases awareness

of ethics.
The standard of education in
nursing reflects that all nurses
have obtained a high level
schooling in order to have the
title of a registered nurse. A
minimum of a two-year
associate degree is required to
become a registered nurse.
Most hospitals are now
requiring furthering this
education to a four-year,
bachelorette degree, in nursing
in order to be hired in.
Hospitals are encouraging their
nurses to continue their
education by offering
incentives such as tuition
reimbursement for nurses to go
back to school. By having a
nursing staff that is highly
educated, it is a reflection of
the importance that the
organization places on it.
Evidence based practice and
research is an important
standard for nursing. Being up
to date on the latest research
improves patient outcomes. I
am not surprised at all that

The biggest way that I am

meeting the nursing standard of
education is from being
enrolled in the Bachelorette
nursing program here at Ferris
State University. This program
has challenged me with
activities, group work, projects,
assignments and clinical
experiences in order to lay a
foundation for my overall
nursing experience and
education. From the very first
semester here at Ferris, we
were put right into the clinical
setting and practicing patient
care. Nursing classes laid a
foundation that I could apply in
the clinical setting.

My plan to reach the education

standard of nursing is to
graduate as a nurse and pass
my boards in order to be a
registered nurse. After this, I
plan to go back to school to
obtain my Masters degree in
nursing. I am going to wait a
year after graduation to go back
to school so that I can have
time to decide what area of
nursing that I want to peruse. I
am a firm believer in education
continuance and I would like to
find a hospital or organization
that has similar beliefs and will
encourage, and reimburse me
for advancing my education.

As a student, I have met the

standard of evidence based
practice and research in nursing
by taking classes dedicated to
finding reliable research
articles such as COHP 450. It is

Throughout my profession as a
nurse, I will continue to
incorporate evidence based
practice and research into my
personal practice. More and
more trials and studies are

nurses are held to this standard.

Nurses are required to be
knowledgeable of current
research being done and the
outcomes of clinical trials.
Nurses have to have a desire to
use the best proven methods for
their practice.

Standard 10: Quality of

Practice
The registered nurse
contributes to quality
nursing practice.

important to know that the

being conducted everyday that
information that you are
is going to change the way that
reading is from a reliable
we will practice medicine and
source. I have also written
provide patient care.
many research papers while in
Understanding the importance
the nursing program. One
of this and keeping an open
example of a paper that I have
mind to change will overall
written which is located in my
increase patient outcomes.
portfolio, is about techniques
used reduce patient falls.
Patients have a right to receive
As my time working as a
While it is important to hold
quality practice from qualified
nursing assistant, I worked
yourself to standards of nursing
individuals. Some things that I along side nurses in an effort to quality, taking the nurse boards
think are included in a quality
prevent catheter associated
will assure that we are qualified
practice include safety,
urinary tract infections
to hold the registered nurse
compassion, protecting the
(CAUTIs) on our floor. One of
position. By taking the
patient from harm. Quality also
the ways that we did this was
NCLEX, it will prove that we
includes using evidence based by using quality measurements
hold the knowledgeable level
practice and valuing the
and protocols for patients with for nursing quality. As a nurse,
importance of research. Nurses catheters. Some of this included I will never intentional put my
will incorporate the nursing
checks and proper cleaning of
patient in a dangerous position
process and incorporate new
the catheter every shift as well
or subject them to a procedure
knowledge to advance the
assessing the patients need for
or practice that I feel
nursing practice. Having a
having an indwelling catheter
incompetent doing. For new
standard of quality for nursing
placed. I have also written a
procedure, I would always have
practice holds everyone
health assessment and risk
a senior nurse overseeing me to
accountable for their actions
reduction paper while in the
ask questions and make sure
and their treatment on patients.
nursing program which
that I am providing the patient
Having a standard for quality of
captured the importance of
with the standard of nursing
practice with nurses increases
having a standard for quality in
quality that they deserve.
the improvement of healthcare
nursing practice.

Standard 11: Communication

The registered nurse uses
a wide variety of
communication skills in
all areas of practice.

Standard 12: Leadership

The registered nurse
demonstrates leadership in
the professional practice
setting and the profession.

and the safety of patients.

Communication plays a huge
role with nurses. In the hospital
setting, each patient has a care
plan made up from
personalized multidisciplinary
teams. As the patients primary
advocate, the nurse is often
times the one who is in charge
of communicating with all of
the patients different care teams
to make sure that they are all on
the same page with care. The
nurse also has huge reference
for referrals or resources for the
patient.
Leadership in nursing helps
guide the coordination of care
for patients. A leader has to be
able to creatively and
effectively deliver messages
and incorporate interventions
towards a clear goal or vision.
Leaders have to be excited and
have a passion for their work.
Being a leader in nursing
means to be involved in
committees, counsels, and open
with administration. While
leaders have to be decisive,

So far in the program, I have

used the nursing standard of
communication in the clinical
setting by reporting any patient
condition changes to the
appropriate staff and also by
communicating to the patient
about their care. Talking with
the patient decreases any
unnecessary anxiety associated
with simply not knowing.
Every time I pass medications,
I communicate with the patient
what I am giving them and I
answer any further questions
that they may have.
In the program we have to take
on a leadership role in clinical
where we take turns making
patient assignments for our
fellow classmates. This teaches
us what it is like to take on a
charge nurse role in the clinical
setting. I have also shadowed
with the charge nurse and
further learned what her role
entailed. Charge nurses are a
reference for other nurses on
the floor as well as help to
contacting doctors, ordering

Communication is a huge part

of the nurses role. I will
always advocate for my patient
by communicating to the
appropriate multidisciplinary
teams the pertinent information
in order for my patient to
receive the best care possible. I
will also communicate with
other fellow nurses any
information that I have about
their clients and also
communicate with clients about
what is going on with their plan
of care.
In my career as a nurse, I will
incorporate nursing leadership
skills that I have learned in
class and throughout my life. I
have experienced first hand
what it is like to work under
effective leadership versus
working under ineffective
leadership and with that I will
incorporate what I have learned
to make a difference in the
work place.

they also have to be open to

accepting constructive criticism
and suggestions from peers.

Standard 13: Collaboration

The registered nurse
collaborates with
healthcare consumer,
family, and others in the
conduct of nursing
practice.

Standard 14: Professional

Practice Evaluation
The registered nurse
evaluates her or his own
nursing practice in
relation to professional
practice standards and

Because health care involves

multidisciplinary patient
centered care, the nurse is held
at a standard for collaboration
with these different care teams,
the patient, and the patients
family. This includes having
common overall goals for the
patient and in decision making.
The nurse is responsible for
documenting referrals and a
continuity of care if needed.
Collaborating includes
partnering with others in order
to reach positive outcomes.
Nurses should continually
evaluate themselves and their
nursing practice. They should
also openly accept constructive
criticism and make changes in
their practice in order to reach
goals. Most hospitals have
annual or biannual peer reviews
set up on the units to go over

supplies or contacting the

pharmacy when necessary. The
charge nurse also attends daily
check ins with the rest of the
hospital staff to report staffing
needs and patient placements.
As a nursing student, I had the
opportunity to talk to a
respiratory therapist who told
me all about what they did and
I learned what a great resource
that they are to nurses. I also
make an effort to collaborate
with the patient and their
family about care. They often
make suggestions about how
they do things at home that
make providing that patient
care here at the hospital a lot
easier.

I have previously partaken in

peer reviews while working as
a nursing assistant in the
hospital. Together my manager
and I discussed areas that we
thought I could improve and
from there I actively made
efforts to reach those goals.
Another way that I have been

As I graduate into the nursing

role, I will always maintain the
importance of collaboration
within the healthcare setting.
There are many healthcare
teams that are required to
provide the necessary patient
care. For example, if my patient
is having a hard time keeping
his oxygen saturation up, I
know that I can page
respiratory to take a look.
Collaborating with all teams,
the patient and the family will
assure that the best possible
care is provided.
As a registered nurse, I will
continually have self
evaluations of my skills and
performance. I will always
incorporate constructive
criticism in my practice and
strive to reach goals that will
make me a better nurse.

performances.
guidelines, relevant
statutes, rules, and
regulations.

Standard 15: Resource

Utilization
The registered nurse
utilizes appropriate
resources to plan and
provide nursing services
that are safe, effective,
and financially
responsible.

Standard 16: Environmental

Health
The registered nurse
practices in an
environmentally safe and

There are many factors that

influence nursing practice and
patient outcomes. One of these
includes resource utilization.
Having resource utilization as a
nursing standard means that
nurses will use all resources
necessary that they have
available in order to improve
patient care and outcomes.
They will also assist patients
and their families to resources
that they could utilize. Nurses
are also needed to inform
patients and their families
about risks and benefits of
treatments, care, or procedures.
Florence Nightingale paved the
way for the importance of
patient care and environmental
health. Hand hygiene is a huge
way to practice this. Making
sure that the patient is in the

involved with using the nursing

standard of professional
practice evaluation would be in
lab. I was required to get
checked off on nursing skills to
assure that I was competent to
preform them in the hospital
setting.
One example that I
incorporated the nursing
standard of resource utilization
would be contacting the case
manager to help come up an
appropriate discharge plan for a
patient. I knew that the case
manager would have many
resources that my patient would
find beneficial. In one of my
papers about reducing patient
falls, the biggest way that was
found to decrease falls was by
using bed alarms for high fall
risk patients.

I have incorporated the nursing

standard of environmental
health in my person practice by
preforming hand hygiene
before and after entering a
patient room. As a nursing

In my future as a registered
nurse, I know that my personal
resources will start off pretty
small. This is why I will ask
other nurses what they would
do or who they would call in
order to make things happen.
The longer you are nurse you
get to know more people which
will grow your network of
resources.

In my future as a registered
nurse, I plan on incorporating
the nursing standard of
environmental health in my
practice by ensuring that my
patients are in the safest

healthy manner.

safest environment possible is

assistant and in the clinical
environment possible and doing
also the nurses responsibility.
setting as a nursing student I
everything within my power to
This might even be reporting an also make sure to clear a path
do so. I will never willingly
unhealthy environment that the before getting a patient up to go
subject my patients to
patient states they live in at
to the bathroom. This includes
preventable encounters with
home.
moving chairs or furniture,
pathogens though hand hygiene
opening the bathroom door and
and the use of sterility for
placing the hat in toilet and
invasive procedures.
turning on the light prior to
getting the patient up to make
sure that I have created the
safest environment that I could
for that patient to ambulate.