As an essential healthcare issue, nursing is carefully related to the values of empathy, concern, and competence. To provide high-quality patient care, nurses are encouraged to behave ethically. It is concerning when the media portrays nurses in a way that opposes these expectations to a recent media example involving nurses; the focus is on scrutinizing its implications on nursing professionalism, personal feelings towards the nursing profession, and its influence on the public’s perception.
Media Example Description:
The distressing incident opened up at a Joliette, Quebec medical institution, where Joyce Echaquan, an Atikamekw mother of seven,live-streamed the moments preceding her death on Facebook. Expressing concern about potential hypersensitive reactions to the medicinal drugs, Joyce encountered shockingly racist and dismissive behavior from nurses, as captured in the video (Richardson, 2020). This derogatory treatment violated the trust anticipated in healthcare interactions and spotlighted systemic issues of racism. The incident’s reverberations prolonged beyond the health center, sparking widespread outrage and condemnation throughout Quebec. Joyce’s tragic death became an image of the demanding situations faced by Indigenous individuals within the healthcare system, emphasizing the pressing need for comprehensive reforms. The incident brought about a societal mirrored image of the treatment of Indigenous people in healthcare and fueled calls for immediate action to address this problem (Richardson, 2020). Joyce Echaquan’s unfortunate death serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of patients and the imperative for healthcare specialists to uphold the very best requirements of care, no matter their cultural backgrounds (Seabrook, 2023). The incident’s profound impact emphasizes the need for reforms prioritizing cultural competence, empathy, and equity in healthcare shipping to prevent such grievous incidents within the destiny.
Checking in opposition to the CNO’s Standards and Code of Conduct:
Upon following a thorough assessment of the incident, a contrast between what the nurses did, as shown in the video, and the ones provided by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) is a significant factor. The CNO Code of Conduct (2023) is the basis for these ideals. It provides guidelines for what principles a nurse should practice, including respect, cultural sensitivity, and patient advocacy. While the mandates of this guideline are in great harmony with this, the Requisite Skills and Abilities guideline stipulates the skill sets nurses require as prerequisites for safe, competent, and professional care (Seabrook, 2023). Plunging into nurses’ actions, as shown in the video, critical analysis so that the standards may assure nurses of their abilities and competencies is essential. Such scrutiny determines whether nurses’ performance aligns with the appropriate professional behavior supported by the Code of Imperatives of Nursing Practice. Were their symptoms woven together with humanity, cultural competence, and a keen awareness of the well-being of the patient they were attending to? Otherwise, were the nurses observing the foundational principles to a certain extent, or were there deviations suggesting a significant departure from the expected standards of professional behavior within the nursing profession? This exploration attempts to identify the level of alignment or divergence between the occurrence and the pre-established professional norms in nursing to make inferences about the nurses’ competence (Moretti, 2024).
Thoughts About My Future Career and My Feelings About Them:
The media example makes us wonder how such incidents influence individuals who aspire to become nurses. It is imperative to explore the emotional responses elicited by such situations and the potential influence on one’s perception of the nursing profession. Is there disillusionment, rage, or worry about the credibility of the career added on through this event? When one joins the nursing career, how does it affect one’s determination to maintain the career’s standards and values? Aspiring nurses may additionally revel in several feelings, along with doubt and disappointment with the nursing profession. This incident needs to make individuals think about the difficulties they may encounter and how they can help the world improve. It is a potent reminder of the moral considerations inherent to nursing.
Impact at the General Public’s View:
The issue helps discover the more significant implication of the media instance on the public’s view of nurses and nursing. Incidents of healthcare misconduct, specifically when they are widely covered in the media, can have the capacity to enhance preexisting prejudices and undermine public faith in healthcare givers. The discussion will consider how such incidents affect the overall reputation of the nursing profession and the efforts needed to rebuild trust. Instances of malpractice or disrespectful behavior can create a negative stereotype that overshadows the countless cases of dedication and compassion nurses exhibit daily (Keatings & Adams, 2023). The profession must proactively address public worries and reaffirm its commitment to high moral standards to rebuild trust, which will become a big project.
The Importance of Presenting Oneself in a Professional Light:
Aspiring nurses must significantly consider methods to create an image of competence and professionalism when confronted with such challenges. This will provide practical suggestions to ensure that nurses, in face-to-face interaction, contribute to the public’s view of the nursing career. It promotes a positive view of nursing by stressing the importance of individual commitment to upholding the standards and values declared by the CNO leader. The story surrounding nursing is greatly stimulated through individual nurses (Moretti, 2024). The proposed steps involve tangible actions that aspiring and practicing nurses can take to counteract negative portrayals and contribute to the restoration of trust in the nursing profession. By engaging in practices that meet the criteria set by using the CNO, nurses can be ambassadors for the noble values that characterize their profession.
Undoubtedly, nurses know how important it is to show themselves professionally to improve how the public sees the nursing field. Following the College of Nurses of Ontario’s (CNO) standards and ideals should be a top priority for nurses. This will help them act professionally and uphold the core concepts of professionalism. To maintain a professional image, nurses must carefully follow the CNO standards and rules in many areas of their work. Nurses should strictly follow ethical rules, keep information private, and value patients’ right to make decisions. Nurses try to create an atmosphere of trust and respect by constantly demonstrating these ideals in their daily work. To stay current on the latest developments in healthcare, nurses must also continue their education and career growth. Adhering to the CNO’s standards for ongoing learning improves skills and shows a dedication to giving people excellent care.
Communication skills are one way that nurses can help others be more efficient. Nurses should keep lines of communication open and transparent with patients, their families, and other nurses by following the CNO’s rules on good communication. This means actively listening, giving information that is easy to understand, and asking for feedback to ensure people have the best results possible. Nurses can be good representatives for their field by always following the CNO standards and rules. This helps build a positive story about nursing and builds trust in the high standards that make nursing what it is.
Conclusion
The incident at the Joliette hospital serves as a distressing and poignant reminder of the profound effect that a single act of misconduct inside a healthcare setting will have on people, communities, and the broader healthcare landscape. Joyce Echaquan’s tragic ordeal transcends a personal tragedy, becoming a catalyst for a broader societal reckoning with the systemic issues embedded within the healthcare device. The shockwaves felt across Quebec pressured a collective mirrored reflection on the treatment of Indigenous people within healthcare settings, propelling calls for immediate action to rectify deeply rooted problems of racism and discrimination. The events of this case remind the urgency of change that will promote cultural competence, empathy, and fairness among healthcare workers. As Quebec faces the aftermath of this disaster, healthcare institutions, policymakers, and peers are obliged to take tangible measures to guarantee every patient from different cultural backgrounds gets respected and equitable care. Joyce Echaquan’s legacy should motivate transformational change in healthcare that ensures everyone is treated with respect, empathy, and the highest professionalism.
References
Keatings, M., & Adams, P. (2023). Ethical and Legal Issues in Canadian Nursing – E-Book. In Google Books. Elsevier Health Sciences. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=dEXnEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=College+of+Nurses+of+Ontario+(CNO)+is+imperative.+The+CNO+Code+of+Conduct+(2023)+e&ots=c8cEfrwkzn&sig=qGfz0i4jh1HUCarig2jwTH8cU8k
Moretti, R. (2024). Entering the Nursing Workforce during a Pandemic: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) Study. Dr.library.brocku.ca. https://dr.library.brocku.ca/handle/10464/18233
Richardson, L. (2020, September 29). Quebec promises investigation after Atikamekw mother live-streams moments before her death. APTN News. https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/quebec-promises-investig action-after-atikamekw-mother-live-streams-moments-before-her-death/
Seabrook, E. (2023). A Search for Role Clarity: A Critical Discourse Analysis of the RN and RPN Entry-to-Practice Competencies That Shape Nursing Curriculum in Ontario, Canada. Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/9286/