In response to two peers, address the following about their roles in global health and priorities: Support or critique your peers’ claims with your own investigations into the literatur

Jana Discussion:

Hi everyone,

            My name is Jana Layton, and I am currently pursuing my master’s degree in Executive Nurse Leadership.  I chose this track because I have recently taken an associate clinical manager position within my hospital’s pediatric operating room unit, and I have realized that I enjoy being a part of my department’s leadership team.  I enjoy being able to influence the flow of the unit, staff satisfaction, patient care practices, and unit operations on a daily basis. 

            I began my career at the bedside on a med-surg unit, but then transitioned to a medical intensive care unit in a downtown trauma hospital.  This job was incredible, and I learned so much, but the number of night shifts I was required to work was not conducive to a quality family life for me.  For this reason, I moved into a pediatric operating room setting and have never looked back.  This job was so different from the bedside nursing I was used to, but I have come to really enjoy working in this busy setting.

            The universal right to health care was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, and when summed up, basically states that all humans have the right to live in standards that provide for adequate health and well-being of themselves and their families.  This includes the right to medical care and security in times of sickness, disability, and other circumstances outside of their control (Holtz, 2022).  This right does not encompass purely medical access but also basic preconditions for health.

            An article by Kwame and Petrucka (2022) beautifully sums up how nursing influences universal healthcare access.  It is one thing to grant everyone access to health services, but if equity in access to care services is not addressed, then that benefit cannot be fully appreciated by each citizen.  A main component of nursing care is the duty to respect human rights and to treat each human with dignity, equality, and respect while recognizing cultural rights and individual differences.  While each person may have the ability to attain healthcare services, he or she may not take advantage of these services if care is not respectful, easily accessible, high-quality, or person-centered.  Studies have shown that in African hospitals, some patients have not been treated with respect, have been discriminated against, ignored, and intimidated.  These patients then declined to seek proper care in the future, although this was a universal right of theirs.  Nurses arguably spend the most time with patients and have a duty to advocate for their patients’ needs.  For this reason, nurses must advocate for patient-centered care, which focuses on the unique needs and preferences of each patient.  Kwame and Petrucka (2022) argue that “nurses have the power to define when and how the involvement of patients is going to happen in clinical routine care situations in nursing practice.”  Nurses are a primary provider of patient-centered care and can be strong advocates when they embody the core nursing values of professionalism, compassion, trustworthiness, and integrity.  Studies have shown that patient-centered care which focuses on preserving human dignity leads to increased patient disclosures, reduced lengths of stay in hospitals, and patient empowerment of their own health (Kwame & Petrucka, 2022). 

            The right to healthcare is only as beneficial as the ability to attain this care is accessible and effective.  Nurses and nurse leaders must strive to respect the basic human dignity of each individual and respect the rights of their patients in their daily practice.

 

References

Holtz, C.  (2022).   Global Health Care Issues and Policies, 4th ed.  Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Kwame, A., & Petrucka, P. M.  (2022).  Universal healthcare coverage, patients’ rights, and nurse-patient communication:  a critical review of the evidence.   BMC Nursing, 21(54).   https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-022-00833-1

Christine Discussion:

Hi guys,

My name is Christine. This is my fourth class here in the MSN program at SNHU. My experience in nursing includes working as a staff nurse with adults on a Medsurg/tele unit at a local community hospital. After that, I accepted a staff nurse position in the operating room at Boston Children’s Hospital. I then transferred to the post anesthesia care unit where I am currently a nurse now and love it. The role I plan to play in healthcare after I complete my MSN degree in Nursing Education includes teaching simulation lab or lecture at a local college. The significance this role has on the healthcare team includes the education of our future nurses.

            Everyone has a different worldview of the “right to healthcare.” My worldview of the “right to healthcare” means that everyone deserves access to healthcare, which relates to health equity. Health equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). When communities come together, they may be able to prevent health disparities. Organizations, employers, healthcare systems and providers, public health agencies, and policy makers may work together to develop policies, programs, and systems based on a health equity framework and community needs (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Therefore, my view of the “right to healthcare” means everyone deserves equal access to healthcare, supporting health equity.

Reference

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, July 1).  What is health equity? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved April 10, 2023, from  https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/whatis/index.html

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