Chapter 2 Notes: The Student Nurse as a Person (Key Points)
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Physiologic: Basic survival needs such as ; sex is not necessary for individual survival but is necessary for humankind.
Security and Safety: Shelter and freedom from harm and danger.
Love and Belonging: Need for affection, feelings of belonging, and meaningful relations with others.
Self-esteem: Need to be well thought of by oneself as well as by others.
Self-actualization: Need to be self-fulfilled, learn, create, understand, and experience one’s potential.
Your Physical Health and Well-Being
Physical health is the absence of disease, pain, or abnormal conditions; it changes as the body adapts; prevention is the best way to ensure good health; you are a role model for patients; minimize problems via regular physical exams and dental checkups.
Diet (Basics): Daily performance is directly affected by what you eat; start each day with a balanced breakfast; avoid snacks with high sugar content; learn your ideal weight and maintain it; avoid crash diets and diets that exclude variety.
Diet (Guidelines): Follow USDA and HHS guidelines for diet and activity – Dietary Guidelines for Americans; follow a healthy eating pattern across the lifespan; focus on variety, nutrient density, and amount; limit calories from added sugars and saturated fats and reduce sodium intake; shift to healthier food and beverage choices; support healthy eating patterns for all.
2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: Follow Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
Rest and Sleep: Restful deep sleep is better than tense light sleep; to ensure quality sleep, relax before bed, avoid eating or drinking before retiring, sleep in a comfortable bed, and adjust temperature and ventilation.
Rest and Exercise (Schedule): Take scheduled rest breaks to increase endurance; nap, reduce, or eliminate physical and mental activity; plan a scheduled program of specific exercise to keep the body working efficiently; use a full range of body activities; select a sport or exercise that matches or slightly exceeds your ability.
Oral Hygiene and Dental Health: Keep teeth clean and breath fresh; regular dental checkups uncover problems.
Personal Hygiene: Cleanliness affects image and may affect susceptibility to infection or disease; follow policies regarding makeup, fragrances, nail length and polish; basic personal care includes skin, hair, hands, and nails.
Clothing and Uniforms: First impressions matter; a uniform is a symbol of your vocation; posture improves appearance, performance, and energy level; body language reflects how you feel physically and about others.
Smoking: Smoking is bad for health; smoke is an irritant in air or on clothes; nurses who smoke may convey unspoken approval of the habit; consider programs to help nurses stop smoking.
Chemical Dependence: Use and abuse can lead to loss of family, job, and self-respect; illegal use or possession can be grounds for license denial, suspension, or revocation; rehabilitation programs exist (e.g., NIDA).
Personal Illness: Avoid contaminating the clinical environment or exposing coworkers and patients to transmissible diseases; sexually transmitted infections require health education and accurate information to promote health for self and others.
Your Emotional Health
Mental and emotional health are required to provide compassionate care; healthy coping with stress improves interactions and life/work success.
Mentally healthy students: see a need to act and act responsibly; can act independently; ask questions and request help; accept constructive criticism; keep an open, analytical mind.
Mentally healthy students (cont.): see positive aspects and promote them; are open, caring, and respectful; work to maintain mental health by understanding self, assessing personality, examining values/beliefs/prejudices, and coping with stress effectively.
Understanding Yourself: Look at yourself objectively; understand yourself to help others; limit self-concerns during work; self-awareness is lifelong.
Personality: A collection of behaviors and attitudes that sets one person apart; develops gradually; interacts with others’ personalities; not the same as character.
Personality (cont.): To change traits, study yourself as if you were someone else; use others as role models; seek input from respected people.
Personal Values and Beliefs: You will encounter people from diverse backgrounds; accept differences regardless of opinion; examine prejudices that might affect care.
Prejudice: An attitude of rejecting differences in favor of one’s own values; learned behavior; nurses should incorporate cultural sensitivity to improve communication.
Stress: A condition of tension between forces; not all stress is harmful; types include physical, psychological, economic, social.
Stress (cont.): Stress requires a response and produces a bodily reaction; the most effective control is to release tension before it escalates; consider a self-assessment (stress index) and counseling if needed.
Relaxation: Manage stress with combined physical and mental relaxation; progressive relaxation, guided imagery, group sessions, and a self-care plan.
Problem Solving: Poor problem-solving leads to frustration and low self-esteem; apply critical thinking and follow a system: understand problem, determine cause, select solution, take action, evaluate results.
Problem Solving (cont.): Define the problem, set realistic objectives, gather facts, seek advice, examine alternatives, allow for changes; choose the best solution, take responsible action, evaluate outcomes, modify if needed; practice improves skills.
Your Career
Skills for Career Development: Begin career planning well before graduation; employers seek clinical skills, foundation skills, workplace competencies, ability to work with diverse backgrounds, and ability to use resources, computers, and equipment.
Continuing Education: Planned learning after formal certification/degree; may be required to renew a nursing license; career plans should be written with goals and timeframes; provides focus.
Portfolios: A collection of documents showing performance and accomplishments over time; ongoing activity; keep up-to-date; divide portfolio into four sections.
Review and Practice Questions (Key Takeaways)
Q1: True or False? You can minimize health problems through regular physical examinations and dental checkups.
A1: True. Rationale: Catching problems early reduces severity.
Q2: To ensure quality sleep, which is correct?
Options include: exercising before bed; hot chocolate before bed; sleeping in a comfortable bed; turn up the heat and close windows.
A2: C. Sleep in a comfortable bed. Rationale: Relax before bed, avoid food/drink before bed, and control temperature/ventilation.
Q3: True or False? Mentally healthy students always act responsibly and independently.
A3: False. Rationale: They act responsibly/independently when duties are clear or when asked, and they ask questions and request help.
Q4: The best time to begin a career plan is:
Options include: after gaining work experience, before you graduate, after choosing a specialty, in 5 years.
A4: B. Before you graduate. Rationale: Planning ahead yields more rewarding careers and better job outcomes.