lecture 1

Skills to be Practiced in NSC:

  • Infection control principles and practices (handwashing, PPE).

  • Interview techniques and communication for data collection.

  • Ensuring client safety, including the use of restraints.

  • Proper body mechanics and lifting techniques.

  • Transfer and ambulation of patients.

  • Basic hygiene tasks like bed baths and oral care.

  • Feeding techniques, documentation, and reporting methods.

Nursing’s Role and Definitions

  • Nursing: A therapeutic relationship enabling clients to attain optimal health through assessing, caring for, and treating health conditions via supportive and palliative means.

Broad Domains of Nursing Practice:

  • Helping role

  • Teaching and coaching function

  • Diagnostic and patient monitoring function

  • Adapting to rapidly changing situations

  • Administering and monitoring therapeutic interventions

  • Ensuring health quality

  • Competencies in organizational and work roles

Health Definitions

What is Health?

  • Definition: State of being free from illness or injury.

  • Health allows individuals to cope with daily demands effectively.

  • WHO definition: "A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

Eight Dimensions of Wellness:

  1. Physical: Need for activity, nutrition, and sleep.

  2. Social: Sense of connection and belonging.

  3. Emotional: Coping with life and relationships effectively.

  4. Spiritual: Finding purpose and meaning.

  5. Intellectual: Recognizing and expanding creative abilities.

  6. Career: Achieving satisfaction from work.

  7. Financial: Satisfaction with financial situation.

  8. Environmental: Occupying stimulating and supportive environments.

Distinction Between Illness and Disease:

  • Illness: A subjective experience associated with a loss of health.

  • Disease: An objective state measurable by medical science.

  • Continuum: Health and illness can be visualized as a spectrum.

Considerations for Health and Wellness:

  • Factors influencing perceptions of health and wellness.

  • Impact of family or friends' illnesses on group dynamics.

Health and Well-being Self-Assessment

Rate on a scale from 1-10:

  • Self-Worth: Sense of personal value.

  • Self-Image: Perspective on abilities and personality.

  • Self-Confidence: Trust in one’s abilities and judgment.

  • Self-Respect: Pride in oneself.

  • Self-Belief: Confidence in one's capabilities.

  • Self-Esteem: Overall confidence in worth and abilities.

Healthy Aging and Self-Care

Seven Pillars of Self-Care:

  • Knowledge and mental well-being

  • Physical activity

  • Healthy eating

  • Risk avoidance

  • Good hygiene

  • Health literacy

  • Self-awareness and agency

Healthy Living Recommendations:

  • Eat healthy, stay hydrated, quit smoking, reduce alcohol intake, exercise regularly, manage stress, maintain brain health, ensure adequate sleep, foster connections, pursue hobbies, attend to dental health, engage with nature, schedule regular check-ups.

Public Health Initiatives and Strategies

Examples:

  • Taxation on cigarettes and sugary beverages.

  • Smoke-free laws.

  • Nutritional labeling and restrictions on trans fats.

  • Support for physical activity through urban planning and policy.

  • Campaigns such as Heart Truth and Go Red for Women, promoting active living.

Historical Approaches to Health in Canada

  • Indigenous Health Theories: Focus on balance across emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental health dimensions.

  • Labonte’s Multidimensional Health Concept (1993): Integration of health definitions across various domains - social, environmental, and health determinants.

Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986)

Key Points:

  1. Health is a societal responsibility, aiming for equitable access and sustainable resources.

  2. Prerequisites for health include peace, shelter, education, food, income, and social justice.

  3. Strategies include creating supportive environments, strengthening community action, and promoting personal skill development.

Safety in Practice

Objectives:

  • Identify categories of risks to patient safety and specific risks at various developmental stages.

  • Assess and maintain a safe healthcare environment, including client allergies and comfort.

Factors Influencing Safety:

  • Patient and health care provider factors

  • Task and technology-related factors

  • Organizational factors affecting the health environment.

Client Safety Risks

  • Falls (90% of incidents)

  • Procedure-related accidents

  • Equipment-related accidents due to malfunction or misuse.