NR 222 Week 1 Content Questions

Student Name

Chamberlain University

NR-222 Health & Wellness

Prof. Name

Date

Content Questions

Directions

This document explains the expectations for completing the NR 222 content questions. Students are responsible for submitting comprehensive responses to the assigned graded questions by 23:59 PM Mountain Time (MT) on the due date. Collaboration with designated group members is required, but each student must submit their responses to the correct dropbox in Canvas.

The assignment should comply with APA 7th edition formatting, which includes a cover page and a reference page. Responses must integrate at least two scholarly, peer-reviewed sources published within the past five years. Most of the work should reflect the student’s own understanding and analysis, with direct quotations limited to no more than 10%. Proper in-text citations are mandatory, as plagiarism will be penalized. Additionally, the Turnitin similarity index must not exceed 24%. For additional clarity, students are advised to review the assignment rubric and instructions provided by the instructor.

Content Questions

Provide a brief overview of historical and contemporary influences in nurses promoting health.

a. How does nursing during the Civil War compare to today’s nursing practices and priorities?
During the Civil War, nurses focused primarily on caring for soldiers by providing immediate wound care, infection management, and emotional support. They often worked in makeshift hospitals or directly on battlefields, with limited medical resources. In contrast, modern nursing emphasizes evidence-based practices, patient safety, preventative care, and advanced treatment methods. Today’s nurses not only provide bedside care but also engage in health education, advocacy, research, and leadership roles, demonstrating a significant expansion in both responsibilities and scope.

b. What advantages do nurses today have?
Nurses today benefit from advanced research, medical innovations, and improved technology that inform best practices. Access to electronic health records (EHRs), diagnostic equipment, and evidence-based guidelines empowers them to provide safer and more effective care. Additionally, ongoing professional development opportunities and interdisciplinary collaboration strengthen the nursing profession.

c. What differing demands do they face now?
Unlike nurses of the past, contemporary nurses face increasingly complex patient needs, a higher prevalence of chronic diseases, and the challenge of integrating technology such as telehealth and informatics into daily practice. They must also navigate workforce shortages, ethical dilemmas, and growing cultural diversity in healthcare settings, which require adaptability and cultural competence.

What is the difference between managing health and managing illness? How does this shift in philosophy affect nursing?

Managing health focuses on maintaining physical, mental, and social well-being through prevention, lifestyle modification, and health promotion strategies. In contrast, managing illness involves treating disease and restoring health after an acute or chronic condition develops.

This shift toward health management changes nursing by emphasizing proactive care, patient education, and empowerment rather than reactive treatment. Nurses are increasingly tasked with guiding patients in disease prevention, self-care practices, and wellness maintenance, which extends their role beyond hospital settings into community and public health domains.

Identify the differences between primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention and identify which level of prevention interests your group the most and why.

Our group is most interested in primary prevention because it directly supports the role of nurses as health educators. By teaching individuals to adopt healthier lifestyles, we can reduce long-term risks and enhance community well-being.

Discuss the role of ethics in the nursing profession, including how the Code of Ethics for Nurses is integrated into the Nursing Practice Act.

Ethics in nursing provides a moral foundation that helps nurses distinguish right from wrong when making patient care decisions. The Code of Ethics for Nurses, established by the American Nurses Association (ANA), emphasizes patient dignity, advocacy, and integrity. The Nursing Practice Act, which varies by state, outlines the legal framework for nursing practice. Together, these frameworks guide nurses in upholding ethical and professional responsibilities, ensuring accountability while protecting patient rights.

Summarize the steps of the nursing process and relate nursing assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation to health and wellness.

The nursing process is a systematic, evidence-based method of providing patient care. Its five steps are:

1. Assessment – Gathering patient data, such as history and current health status.

2. Diagnosis – Identifying patient problems and potential risks.

3. Planning – Developing goals and strategies for care.

4. Implementation – Carrying out planned interventions.

5. Evaluation – Measuring outcomes to determine effectiveness.

In relation to health and wellness, this process ensures that nurses provide holistic, individualized care while promoting disease prevention and patient empowerment.

Discuss the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice related to health promotion activities and identify ways that the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses supports the role of nursing in health promotion.

The ANA Scope and Standards of Practice outline the professional responsibilities of nurses in promoting patient-centered, equitable care. These standards emphasize collaboration, advocacy, and respect for diversity in health promotion activities.

The ANA Code of Ethics supports this by reinforcing nurses’ duty to advocate for health equity, patient autonomy, and community well-being. By integrating ethical principles with professional standards, nurses can effectively lead in health promotion initiatives.

Discuss how a healthcare provider might tailor healthcare for cultural diversity.

Healthcare providers must embrace cultural competence, which involves acknowledging and respecting patients’ cultural beliefs, traditions, and health practices. This may include offering interpreter services, understanding dietary restrictions, and adapting treatment plans to align with cultural values. Providers can use models like Campinha-Bacote’s model of cultural competence, which emphasizes awareness, knowledge, skills, encounters, and desire, to ensure culturally appropriate care.

Pick a possible disparity that can create barriers in caring and communication with patients.

One critical disparity is limited access to healthcare services, often caused by lack of insurance, low income, or geographic isolation. Populations facing this disparity often experience higher morbidity and mortality rates, as they are less able to receive preventive care or timely treatment. Nurses play an essential role in advocating for policies and programs that address these systemic barriers.

Discuss communication barriers and techniques to overcome barriers.

According to Norouzinia et al. (2015), communication barriers include heavy workload, language differences, cultural misunderstandings, and patient discomfort. Family interference or gender differences may also complicate nurse-patient communication.

Strategies to Overcome Barriers:

• Providing cultural sensitivity and communication workshops.

• Utilizing interpreters and translation technologies.

• Designing patient-centered care environments that encourage trust.

• Encouraging open dialogue and active listening.

These approaches enhance understanding and improve patient outcomes.

Discuss/review family forms in the 1950s and compare to the family forms today.

In the 1950s, the typical American family consisted of a male breadwinner, a female homemaker, and children. Gender roles were rigid, and family units were highly traditional. Today, family structures are more diverse and dynamic, with single-parent households, blended families, same-sex couples, and dual-income families being common. These changes affect how families view and engage in health promotion.

a. Discuss individual family dynamics and possible biases that would impede patient-centered care.
Family dynamics significantly shape health behaviors. However, biases such as stereotyping or assumptions about family roles may impede patient-centered care. For example, assuming only mothers are caregivers may overlook other family members’ involvement. Nurses must practice self-awareness and cultural humility to minimize these biases and ensure equitable care.

References

American Nurses Association. (2021). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. ANA.

Norouzinia, R., Aghabarari, M., Shiri, M., Karimi, M., & Samami, E. (2015). Communication barriers perceived by nurses and patients. Global Journal of Health Science, 8(6), 65–74. https://doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v8n6p65

NR 222 Week 1 Content Questions

Potter, P. A., Perry, A. G., Stockert, P. A., & Hall, A. M. (2021). Fundamentals of nursing (10th ed.). Elsevier.