NR 393 Week 3 Discussion Reflection on Careful Nursing (Graded)

Sample Answer

Reflection on Catherine McAuley’s Model of Careful Nursing

The model developed by Catherine McAuley during the pre-Nightingale era remains relevant to present nursing practice. Attentive nursing focuses on actions and decisions that contribute to physical, emotional, and spiritual health; “health-directed living,” one of the founding elements of attentive nursing, calls for both patients and nurses. Health-directed living was often actualized in the era of McAuley using moral guidance and compassionate concern; the nurse served as a leader and promoter of a judicious, healthy lifestyle.

McAuley’s practice focused on patients’ wholistic well-being insofar as she genuinely believed healing extended into the spiritual and emotional realms of care, which she said nurses were uniquely prepared to promote. Professional nursing today, therefore, attests to the stipulated notion of health-directed living, as previously evident; it is now inducted into general health promotion approaches underpinned by evidence-based practice.

In my clinic, health-oriented living has always been the number one item on my agenda. I educate the patients on preventive care, for example, proper nutrition, exercise, and stress management, always taking into consideration the specific needs of the patient and the cultural setting they come from. Working in multidisciplinary teams to set up patient-centered framework care plans, which include health needs of both a physical and mental nature, nurses became direct advocates of health-oriented life.

In tune with McAuley’s vision, this comprehensive approach will enable patients to make informed decisions that enhance their quality of life. Besides all this, a health-oriented lifestyle is the basis of the nurse-patient relationship because it allows one to earn the trust of a patient and promote open communication. It reflects McAuley’s perception of nursing as a caring and teaching profession that is a source of a healing environment created by an action of every nurse.

The idea of health-oriented living, if put into practice at work, helps in inspiring the patients to adopt activities that enhance well-being. The fact that health-oriented living is still relevant today emphasizes how McAuley’s philosophy connects historical and modern-day practices, thus reminding nurses that thoughtful, health-focused care is at the core of our profession. It is this dedication that will enable us to safeguard McAuley’s legacy and carry her vision forward for our patients’ evolving needs now.