Prior to starting the Accelerated Nursing Program here at the University of New England, I did not associate the nursing profession with research practices in the healthcare field.  I also was not aware of the nurse’s influence with regards to ethical research that implicated changes in the standards of practice.  I recognized that nurses maintained ethical practice in how they cared for their patients, held high standards of integrity, and sustained the patients trust during difficult circumstances.  My assumption about a nurse’s role was that their care focused on the patients in the moment, and that most patient care policies and standards of practice were formed and influenced by upper management who were removed from the bedside.  However, nurses are invaluable contributors to not only the healthcare team, but the nursing practice as a whole. Without their continued commitment to providing ethical patient care, the healthcare field would be dismantled.  After my experience within this Evidence Based Practice course, I understand that while not every nurse is actively involved in the research process themselves, their performance and their feedback does reflect the research conducted and the implementation of changes in patient care. 

         Nurses have a tremendous responsibility to attend to their patient’s needs, maintain safety, while maintaining positive rapport.  While I have not entered the field yet, I realize that these responsibilities are quite demanding and time management is a quintessential skill for nurses to develop.  To imagine that they are also involved with research and development of patient care practices never crossed my mind.  However, nurses are actively involved with the implementation of research findings based on their direct involvement with patient care.  Without their feedback pertaining to changes being made in standards of care, the other members of the healthcare team would not be aware of whether the changes were positive or negative.  Nurses have a strong commitment to ethical practice since they have a responsibility to uphold the Nurse’s Code of Ethics (American Nurse’s Association, 2015).  They are cognizant of how care practices affect their patients, and their suggestions could help contribute to better patient outcomes.  Nurses are continuously helping to improve the standards of practice both in their work and in their advocacy for their patients.  I am continuously impressed by the work that nurses are able to accomplish and the positive impact they have not only for their patients, but the healthcare field as a whole. 

Reference

American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements

           (Second ed.). American Nurses Association.