RWMC: Content for Nurses

The Roger Williams Medical Center Model of Nursing Care is a compilation of collective experiences and collaborative hospital-wide discussions of RWMC nurses, other disciplines and the patients and families for whom they have cared. As a result of this effort, five themes emerged; comfort, competence, compassionate approach, information regarding the plan of care, and respect. These themes are integrated with the following definition of nursing to describe the work of the nurse:

"...to assist the individual, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery (or to a peaceful death) that he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will or knowledge. And to do this in such a way as to help him gain independence as rapidly as possible."

Virginia Henderson, RN
The Nature of Nursing, 1966

In the best interest of their patients/families, RWMC nurses create the environment for care where health, recovery or peaceful death occurs. As nurses, they know nursing care depends on the quality of the nurse. They assume accountability for the patient/family and are responsible for the appropriate completion, or delegation, of all nursing care provided. In assuming this accountability, they have the authority to act on behalf of the patient/family to ensure continuity of care from admission to discharge.

The following are themes and guiding principles for the Roger Williams Medical Center Model of Nursing Care:

Comfort
The central characteristics of nursing practice are compassionate caring and a holistic approach addressing all aspects of patient comfort: physical, emotional and spiritual.

Patient-centered caring addresses all aspects of patient comfort - physical, emotional, and spiritual and is delivered with a gentle "soft touch" approach.
Nurses take responsibility for providing a quiet, comfortable and clean environment for patients, paying attention to the environmental details and amenities important to the comfort and safety of each patient.
Nurses are considerate of the patient's need for quiet, but make sure to spend time recognizing the patient as a person. They are attentive and comfort patients so they do not feel alone.
Nurses provide support and reassurance to patients and families. Their approach is compassionate and gentle.
Nurses take the responsibility to assess and manage pain to ensure maximum patient comfort.

Competence
Nurses integrate knowledge, assessment and skills to develop the plan of care in collaboration with other disciplines.

Nurses are expert in assessment, problem identification, interventions and evaluation of care while maintaining consistency and continuity. They provide accurate information regarding the condition of the patient to involve them in the plan of care and discharge plan.
Patient limitations are identified during different points in hospitalization and are handled flexibly and creatively to assist the patient with their treatments.
Nurses provide information to the patient/family in a way assuring their caregivers are competent and organized in the plan and delivery of care. They are proactive in communicating with patients, families, physicians and other departments fostering cooperation and collaboration.

Compassionate Approach
Nurses respond to patients compassionately. They take time to listen and make sure the patient knows who they are. They establish trust so the patient will be well cared for.

Nurses are willing to slow down and listen to the needs of the patient/ family.
Nurses spend time with the patient/ family, providing support and reassurance to comfort them. They focus on making the patient feel safe. Nurses provide an empathetic, kind, open, and warm presence.
Nurses take time to tell the patient their name and the names of others taking care of them each day.
Nurses cultivate good listening skills facilitating communication with the patient, family, and other disciplines. Professional interaction with patients ranges from compassionate to humorous at times.

Information Regarding the Plan of Care
Nurses keep patients and family updated with the plan of care during hospitalization and on discharge.

Nurses make sure they receive accurate information regarding the patient's condition and plan of care. They coordinate and maintain consistency of information between other disciplines and the patient/family.
Nurses provide accurate explanations of treatments and medications to the patient/family. They keep the patient/family actively involved in clinical treatment decisions and discharge planning discussions.
Nurses are proactive in teaching the patient/family about condition, treatments and medications to facilitate their ability to continue care after discharge.
Nurses help educate the newly diagnosed patient/family about their disease and lifestyle changes. Nurses provide information about resources they can use to better understand and cope with their illness and treatment.

Respect
Nurses respect the individual and cultural needs of patients/families.

Nurses recognize the patient as a person first. They address patients using the name the patient chooses. They help the patient feel they are special and not just a statistic.
Nurses are sensitive to cultural differences and how this affects care and interactions with the patient. They ensure the availability of translators for patients with different languages.
Nurses provide individualized care to the patient/family. Patients are treated with dignity and their privacy is respected. Nurses ensure the patient is treated as a whole person.
Nurses maintain patient confidentiality.
Nurses act as a patient/ family advocate.
Nurses respect each other and other disciplines fostering a patient-focused, collaborative environment. This creates the therapeutic environment supporting patient/family care.