Compare and contrast the chosen specialty (from step 1) to another specialty of nursing practice that you have studied. Chose at least 2 of the following points to discuss and support your views with scholarly evidence:
- Focus of nursing interventions
- Family and client relationships
- Nursing autonomy
- Scope of professional responsibility
- Nursing roles
B. Discuss how nurses working in your chosen specialty (from step 1) impact the health and wellness of vulnerable populations
- Give a specific example from the news or the literature of nurses in the specialty impacting the lives of people in vulnerable populations. Select an example that occurred in the past 30 years.
- Example: providing triage or other services after Hurricane Katrina
Your initial post should be 2-3 paragraphs long and follow the requirements outlined in the discussion rubric. Please add to the discussion in your peer responses with informative responses, instead of posts similar to “great idea! I really agree with you.” The initial post and the peer responses have different deadlines. Make sure that your discussion adheres to these deadlines.
APA guidelines and plagiarism prevention matter in discussion posts just like with other scholarly assignments. Cite all references appropriately using APA format.
Specialty 1: Critical Care Nursing Specialty 2: Pediatric Nursing
- Focus of nursing interventions: Critical care nursing focuses on the care of acutely ill or unstable patients who require intensive monitoring and interventions. The interventions in critical care nursing often involve advanced technical skills, such as managing life support equipment, administering complex medications, and providing invasive procedures like intubation or hemodynamic monitoring. The primary goal is to stabilize and improve the physiological condition of the patient.
On the other hand, pediatric nursing specializes in providing healthcare to infants, children, and adolescents. The focus of nursing interventions in pediatric nursing revolves around promoting growth and development, managing age-specific health issues, and providing family-centered care. Interventions may include administering vaccines, conducting health assessments, and providing education and support to parents and caregivers.
- Family and client relationships: Critical care nursing often involves rapid and high-stress situations, where the primary focus is on the patient’s immediate health needs. While family involvement and support are important, the intensity of the care provided in critical care settings may limit the time available for establishing deep relationships with patients and their families.
In contrast, pediatric nursing places significant emphasis on building strong relationships with both the child and their family. Pediatric nurses work closely with parents and caregivers to provide comprehensive care that addresses not only the child’s physical needs but also their emotional and developmental well-being. Developing trusting relationships is crucial in pediatric nursing to ensure effective communication, compliance with treatment plans, and successful outcomes.
- Nursing autonomy: Critical care nurses often work collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams, including physicians, respiratory therapists, and pharmacists. While critical care nurses have a high level of autonomy in making clinical decisions and implementing nursing interventions, they often operate within the framework of established protocols and guidelines due to the complexity of the patient’s condition and the need for coordinated care.
Pediatric nurses also work in collaboration with various healthcare professionals to provide holistic care to children. However, they may have more autonomy in decision-making and care planning compared to critical care nursing. Pediatric nurses often act as advocates for their patients and their families, ensuring their needs are met and their voices are heard in the care process.
- Scope of professional responsibility: Critical care nursing requires nurses to have a comprehensive understanding of pathophysiology, pharmacology, and critical thinking skills to manage complex patient conditions. Their responsibilities include monitoring vital signs, interpreting diagnostic tests, administering medications, providing wound care, and coordinating care between multiple disciplines. They play a crucial role in managing life-threatening emergencies and preventing complications.
In pediatric nursing, the scope of responsibility extends to providing age-appropriate care, health promotion, preventive care, and addressing the unique physical and psychosocial needs of children. Pediatric nurses assess growth and development milestones, administer vaccinations, provide anticipatory guidance to parents, and support families in coping with childhood illnesses or chronic conditions.
Overall, both critical care nursing and pediatric nursing require specialized knowledge and skills, but they differ in terms of the focus of interventions, relationships with families and clients, autonomy, and scope of professional responsibility.
As for the impact of nurses in critical care nursing on vulnerable populations, one notable example from the past 30 years is the response of critical care nurses after the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Following the hurricane, many critically ill patients were left without access to medical care, medications, and essential equipment. Critical care nurses from various parts of the country volunteered their time and expertise to provide emergency care and support in makeshift medical facilities and evacuation centers.
These nurses played a crucial role in triaging patients, managing acute conditions, providing life-saving interventions, and coordinating care with other healthcare professionals. Their efforts significantly impacted the lives of vulnerable populations affected by the disaster, ensuring access to critical care services and improving health outcomes in a challenging and resource-constrained environment.