Professional Nursing Practice and The Nursing Process – Key Concepts Flashcards

A set of Question and Answer flashcards covering key concepts from the Professional Nursing Practice and Nursing Process lecture notes.

What did Florence Nightingale define as the goal of nursing in Notes on Nursing (1858)?

To put the patient in the best condition for nature to act upon him.

Which nurse is associated with founding nurse midwifery and serving rural communities after WWI?

Mary Breckenridge (1881–1965).

Who was the first African American woman to earn a nursing license?

Mary Eliza Mahoney (1845–1926).

Which nurse coined the term public health nurse and advocated for public school nurses?

Lillian Wald (1867–1940).

What is the ANA Social Policy Statement 2010 definition of nursing?

Protection, promotion and optimization of health and abilities; prevention and relief of illness and injury; alleviation of suffering; advocacy in care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.

How does the World Health Organization define health?

A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease.

What is health promotion aimed at?

Potential for wellness and targeted alterations in habits, lifestyle, and environment to reduce risks and enhance health.

How is wellness defined in these notes?

Equivalent to health; proactive self-care activities aimed toward physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being.

What are the four components of wellness?

Capacity to perform to the best of ability; ability to adjust and adapt; reported sense of well-being; feeling that everything is together and harmonious.

List the nursing aims in health care delivery.

Promote health; maintain health and wellness; prevent illness; prevent and manage illness and complications; restore health; support transitions to palliative care.

Which documents guide nursing practice?

ANA Social Policy Statement; Nursing Standards of Practice; Code of Ethics for Nurses; Standards of Professional Performance.

What population trend is noted for 2030 in the notes?

Racial and ethnic minority populations in the United States are expected to triple.

What is Healthy People 2030 focused on?

Goals to improve national health, reduce disparities, improve health equity and literacy, and promote collaboration across agencies.

What does Health Information Technology (HIT) include?

Technology for health care information management such as ICD-10, EHR, telehealth, and data management.

What does ICD-10 stand for?

International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision.

What does EHR stand for?

Electronic Health Record.

What is Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)?

Best practices derived from valid and reliable research, integrated with patient preferences and clinical judgment.

What are EBP bundles?

Standardized sets of evidence-based practices that measurably improve patient outcomes.

What does QSEN stand for and what does KSAs mean?

Quality and Safety Education for Nurses; KSAs are knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

What is the core idea of Interprofessional Collaborative Practice?

Multiple health professionals working with patients, families, and communities to deliver best practices.

What is critical thinking in nursing?

A purposeful, insightful, reflective, and goal-directed cognitive process used to develop conclusions and solutions.

What is metacognition in nursing?

Examining one’s own reasoning to refine thinking and clinical judgment.

What are the five steps of the Nursing Process?

Assessment; Diagnosis; Planning; Implementation; Evaluation.

What is the difference between a nursing diagnosis and a collaborative problem?

A nursing diagnosis is identified and managed by nursing; a collaborative problem requires monitoring and interventions by multiple disciplines.

What does NIC stand for and why is it used in planning?

Nursing Interventions Classification; provides standardized nursing interventions for planning care.

What is discharge planning and why is it important?

An essential process to facilitate the transition from acute care to community or home care; begins on admission and is required for Medicare/Medicaid.

What are the basic levels in Maslow’s hierarchy from bottom to top?

Physiologic needs, safety and security, belongingness and affection, esteem and self-respect, self-actualization.

What is the role of a nurse as coordinator of care transitions?

Oversees transitions across care settings, coordinating with staff, managers, and other professionals to ensure safe transfer of care.

What is the purpose of planning in the nursing process?

To prioritize needs, establish attainable outcomes and goals, and determine nursing actions with standardized interventions (NIC).