Introduction
As a profession, nursing is part of a social contract that links nurses to society’s welfare. This contract specifies commitments, duties, and obligations to promote the health of communities. The nursing profession is positioned within a constantly changing social contract that imparts a duty on nurses to contribute to making society healthier. In this discussion, I will explore how the development of my nursing education and my focus on social change will improve my present practice and aid in my future career development planning. Highlighting the Social Contract of Nursing, I will delve into the base principles of knowledge, skill, competence, and ethical practice. Also, I will discuss my aspirations for contributing my efforts in facing a current problem in the field of health care.
Foundational Elements of Nursing’s Social Contract
Knowledge, Skill, and Competence
Continuous development of knowledge, skills, and competencies is the foundation of nursing practice (Said & Chiang, 2020). As I continue with higher education, my goal is to develop a richer understanding of effective practices grounded in evidence, emerging technologies, and emerging trends in healthcare. Advanced knowledge will allow me to offer holistic and effective patient care, solving complex health problems confidently. Further, a strong clinical skill set and competence in navigating the complex healthcare landscape are mandatory. I aim to improve my critical thinking, decision-making, and techniques of using high-tech through lifelong learning.
Ethical Practice
Moral values, honesty, and kindness are the basics of ethical nursing practice. Nurses in a challenging healthcare environment face ethical dilemmas concerning patient autonomy, confidentiality, and end-of-life decisions (Lechasseur et al., 2018). In addition, the ethical dimension extends beyond individual decision-making into macro-level challenges such as the distribution of healthcare resources, equity, and cultural competence in society. Nursing’s Social Contract is such that to practice ethically, nurses must become patient advocates who will promote their rights while addressing systemic ethical issues in the healthcare system.
Pursuing a higher nursing degree allows one to look at the multidimensional aspects of ethical practice. Advanced training will open up new ethical paradigms to me on subtle levels that would deepen my understanding of moral discussion and solving ethical issues. This heightened ethical awareness will enable me to locate myself fluently in difficult patient circumstances colored by cultural sensitivity and empathy, creating trust and cooperation.
In addition, ethical leadership is an integral part of career planning. First, I will be able to impact a broader scale of change by engaging myself in discussions over healthcare policies and attending ethical decision-making forums. Ethical advocacy at both micro and macro levels will entail the fight to promote patient-centered care and cultural competence and the need to address healthcare disparities to ensure that ethical principles underlie all aspects of healthcare delivery. This commitment supports the Nursing Social Contract that reaffirms the ethical basis of the nursing profession, fostering community welfare.
Future Career Planning
As I shape my future career, I am determined to address the prevalent problem of health disparities that challenge local and global healthcare environments. Health disparities are the systemic and unjust differences in health outcomes among various populations, many of which stem from socioeconomic issues, cultural barriers, and limited access to healthcare resources (Poghosyan & Carthon, 2017). To tackle this multi-faceted problem, I aim to take leadership positions in healthcare companies, policy conventions, and community projects. My goal is to narrow the disparities in health care by advocating for inclusive policies, involving the community, and ensuring that programs aim to serve these disadvantaged communities. This includes spearheading initiatives aimed at enhancing enhanced health education, improving preventive services, and addressing acts of health. Moreover, I intend to work in interdisciplinary teams that will design culture-sensitive care models to change barriers to equitable health care. In my commitment to Nursing’s Social Contract, I will work with the efforts to end structural factors that contribute towards health differences and take part in planning policies to promote health equality and social justice.
Conclusion
The choice to work on my nursing education for change to happen is a conscious decision as it aligns with Nursing’s Social Contract requirements. A commitment to addressing health disparities locally and worldwide is a determined drive toward planning for a future career. My aspiration as a leader, advocate, and partner would be to eliminate systemic barriers that prevent equitable health care through leadership advocacy and partnership efforts. This integrational approach is the essence of nursing as a calling based on improving society in general, focusing on education and devotion that could bring about a new healthy future.
References
Lechasseur, K., Caux, C., Dollé, S., & Legault, A. (2018). Ethical competence: an integrative review. Nursing ethics, 25(6), 694-706.
Poghosyan, L., & Carthon, J. M. B. (2017). The untapped potential of the nurse practitioner workforce in reducing health disparities. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 18(2), 84-94.
Said, N. B., & Chiang, V. C. (2020). The knowledge, skill competencies, and psychological preparedness of nurses for disasters: a systematic review. International emergency nursing, 48, 100806.
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