Ch1 Roles & Functions of the nurse

Addressing the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of the client.
Ex: Assessing the client, giving medications, & patient teaching.

Using interpersonal and therapeutic communication skills to address the needs of the client, to facilitate communication in the healthcare team, and to advise the comminity about health promotion and disease prevention.
Ex: Counseling a client, discussing unit staffing needs at a meeting, providing HIV education at a local school.

Assessing and diagnosing the teaching needs of the client, group, family, or community. Once the diagnosis is made, nurses plan how to meet these needs, implement the teaching plan, and evaluate its effectiveness.
Ex: Preoperative teaching, prenatal education for siblings, & community classes on nutrition.

Supporting clients' right to make healthcare decisions when they are able to voice their opinions and protecting clients from harm when they are unable to make decisions.
Ex: Helping a client explain to his family that he does not want to have further chemotherapy.

Counseling clients on health-related issues through the use of therapeutic communication skills.
Ex: Counseling a client on weight-loss strategies

Advocating for change that enhances health. The nurse may use counseling, communication, and educator skills to accomplish this change. Change may be advocated on an individual, family, group, community, or societal level.
Ex: Working to imprice the nutritional quality of the lunch program at a preschool.

Inspiring others by setting an example of positive health, assertive communication, and willingness to improve.
Ex: Florence Nightingale, Walt Whitman, Harriet Tubman

Coordinating and managing the activities of all members of the team.
Ex: Charge Nurse

Coordinating all care delivered to a client.
ex: Coordinator of services for clients with tuberculosis

Incorporating research into practice to provide the most appropriate care, to identisy clinical problems that warrant research, and to protect the rights of research subjects.
Ex:Reading journal articles, attending continuing education, seeking additional education.