Nursing Reflective Journal Analysis

Reflective Journal: Goal Setting + Art and Science of Nursing The nursing profession is made of two important components, both science and art. The science part of nursing is more apparent, especially when one first begins their profession as a nurse. This is because the science of nursing is what a nurse must know in order to perform interventions correctly. For example, a nurse uses the science aspect when applying a central line dressing by following the policies and procedures. Nurses must also know how to follow diagnostic criteria and use critical thinking when caring for a patient. Another example would be a nurse caring for a patient with heart failure. The nurse must remember specific interventions such as elevating the patient’s legs, administering medications, and diet modifications for the diagnosis. Thus saying, the science of nursing is easily practiced and very important for each nurse to know. …show more content…
An additional component within the art of nursing is the act of doing. This focuses on the application of science-based information in order to provide quality care for the patient. One example of the art of nursing is a nurse who considers the options he or she can take in a certain action in order to respond appropriately to the patient. Thus, the specific action the nurse takes will promote positive changes toward the patient’s health. When I first began nursing school, I more focused on the art aspect because I did not have enough practice with the skills of the profession. Some examples of what I first learned in nursing school included how to communicate with patients, and what is the best ethical decision to take in certain situations. These examples are just as important, if not more when working in