1) WHAT I NEED TO KNOW
From growing up in a family of nurses, one being my mother, I have always had the influence to become a medical professional. Just like any kid, I had numerous dream jobs that seemed to change every week. One week I might have wanted to be a lawyer, another week a teacher, but in the back of my mind the medical field was always what I came back to. Still, I am not quite sure which specific field I will be involved with or job description I may hold, but I know that I will be taking care of patients in some way. With this preferred career path and an internship that plays into that, it was clear to me that my research must be centered around the relationship between a patient and caregiver. The curiosity and need I have to help people recover drove my research. This topic is important to me because I need to know that there is a way to help people beyond giving simple medical care - I want to impact people in a bigger way. With these answers, it will prepare me for my future career as a nurse practitioner. I will be able to use my research to become a better medical professional.
2) WHAT I KNOW OR ASSUME
Other than a basic assumption, I did not know much about my topic. Before researching, I assumed that nurses can impact a patient’s recovery in more ways than just delivering medicine. It is just human nature to listen to the ones you trust. I thought if a caregiver has a strong relationship with the patient, his or her recovery will be quicker than that of a patient whose relationship with his or her caregiver is strictly giving medications. Holding trust for a caregiver should strongly motivate the patients to recover. This idea was applied to my research.
3) THE SEARCH
My topic is not a very explored section of medicine, resulting in a difficulty when trying to find experiments and other research projects to use in my project. Because of this, I had to find sources with conclusions that I could tie into my topic, instead of it relating directly. I was able to connect my topic to my sources, but the best resources I had were my mentors. I had a new mentor every week of my internship, but they all had their own individual answers that were able to correlate to my essential question. The answers I received from my mentors, compared to what I found online, gave me more of an understanding of what exactly I was trying to find. For example, one of my sources connected how a nurse can offer patients confidence and entertainment, resulting in a thriving life in the community. This community life will then result in a faster healing process. My essential question wasn’t directly answered, but I could still use that source to make connections. The main theme I learned from my research is that nurses can affect lives in many ways, not just in how fast the recovery process is for patients.
1. Why did you decide to become a nurse?
"It is overall a very good profession: it is easy to get a job, there is a good pay, and taking care of people."
I relate to every answer my nurses gave - these are all of the reasons that I want to be a nurse as well.
2. Do you ever think about going back to school to earn a higher degree?
"I am happy where I am, I have been here for a few years. I don't plan on going back."
As of right now, I do not want to stop at my Bachelor's degree - I want to go on to earn my Master's.
3. What is your daily routine that you partake in here at the hospital?
"A number of things are the same each day at work: I come here and take my patient report, I introduce myself to my patients, give them their medication, assist them with their morning care, and do assessments."
While a list of small actions are repetitive, I have seen throughout the weeks of my internship that you can never know what to expect - every day is different.
4. Many things are repetitive about your job, but what makes each day unique?
"Every day I have different patients with different diagnoses that require different medications."
I only go to my internship once a week any yet I can tell that while some of the patients symptoms may be the same, their personalities account for almost all of the variation throughout the days.
5. Are their any issues or concerns with your practice?
"I'm not very good with the computer. If I could change something, it would be the amount of recording on the computer. I would rather give the patients more of my time but I am too busy charting."
The computer charting is very tedious and time-consuming. I understand that it is necessary for multiple reasons, such as accuracy and for liabilities, but it is easy to see that it definitely takes the attention away from the patients.
6. In your opinion, which qualities will a good nurse display?
"A good nurse will be kindhearted all the time, respectful to the patients, and responsible enough to maintain their privacy."
I think these characteristics are necessary because a nurse that cares about his or her patients is more likely to take better care of those patients.
7. Off the top of your head, around how many days does a patient stay on this floor?
"It depends on their issues, but on average I would say 1-5 days."
I have seen patients stay for up to a few months at a time, and I have also seen patients leave after 1 day. This is yet another factor that makes each work day different.
8. Do you believe that a support system is beneficial to a patient's recovery?
"Oh yeah, of course. The more people a patient has around them, it is good for them."
I agree - I think that patients are more likely to recover quicker when he or she is supported.
9. Do you believe that the quality of care that a nurse or other caregiver gives to the patient has an effect on a patient's recovery?
"Yes, of course."
I agree to this as well because if a patient sees that his or her nurse does not care about the recovery, the patient will not be motivated to fight against whatever sickness is preventing him or her from leaving the hospital. On the other hand, a nurse can be part of the support system that the patient has which can motivate recovery.
10. What is your favorite part about being a nurse?
"I like bedside care:washing them, feeding them, handing out medicines. I don't like the computers at all, I would rather be in there with them."
I am not a fan of the time-consuming charting on the computer either - I prefer to be with the patient and see their medical history first hand.
4) WHAT I DISCOVERED
While I still agree with what I assumed before starting my research, my thoughts regarding my essential question have evolved. Before researching I focused on how nurses can affect the recovery of a patient, but my thoughts were too narrow for my findings. I know now that nurses can change not only the quickness of a recovery, but also the relationships and outlook on life from then on. This new view on my research has given me an expanded view on my future. The reason I aspire to be a nurse is because I want to change peoples’ lives - now, I know that I can do this is more than one way and that gives me a sense of hope for the career that I will hold. To conclude, I was able to support my theory regarding the relationship between a caregiver and a patient affecting the recovery of said patient, but I see now that there are many other ways to affect someone’s life. Nurses will always be a factor regarding how a patient feels.