N108: Transition to the Registered Professional Nurse

N108: Transition to the Registered Professional Nurse Role Study Guide of 171 The number of homeless has increased dramatically over the past several years with changes in the composition shifting due to a decrease in middle aged men, families with young children increasing, throw-away youths (children and adolescences evicted by parents), and the homeless becoming more visible in the nation’s communities. Rural communities contain about 20% of America’s population with less than 10% of physicians practicing in these communities. Many patients living in rural areas lack access to healthcare due to geographic and climate barriers and therefore are associated with higher morbidity and mortality rates. Fewer dentists practice in rural areas and many areas require nurse practitioners to meet the basic health care needs for patients living in rural areas. 2.13 Educational Factors Influencing the Healthcare System Consumers are more involved in nursing care than ever before. Consumers do have rights in the healthcare system. These are stated in different ways by different institutions and groups, but all revolve around the recognition of the healthcare consumer as an individual with the ability and the right to be self-determining. Today’s consumers have more information about their health. Consumers are more likely to be organized in consumer advocacy groups. They have the knowledge and power to address their concerns about the quality of their own care. Patients are sent home earlier and are expected to provide more self-care. This requires patients to be given more education about their care. Modern consumers are more likely to participate in their own care. The Internet has provided a tool for them to find information about their condition. Additionally, more consumers are choosing alternative or complementary medicine over traditional medicine. More consumers have been educated about the impact of their lifestyle and other choices on their health or illness. Also, more consumers believe that the provider should be held accountable to the quality of their practice leading to an increase in litigation. The educational background of a nurse’s practice may be diverse. Nurses may care for a sophisticated patient who has a lot of information about her condition while another patient may be illiterate or have little education. The nurse should take into account the educational background of her patient, but not assume that the less educated person is less able to understand teaching. Assessment of the educational level of the patient is critical in planning, teaching, and assessing the patients understanding of what has been taught. A nurse should be particularly alert for patients who are unable to read and find resources to help those patients. Scientific/Technological Healthcare can also be affected by technological factors. Recent decades have seen enormous advances in the science and technology of healthcare. The increased use of technology has created the need for providers of care to specialize in one area of expertise. It would be difficult for a generalist to be competent in all areas of nursing, particularly considering that large hospitals have several specialty units and ICUs. Information technology is being used to store research data, disseminate ©2017 Achieve Test Prep Page 102