Running head: NURSING AS A DISCIPLINE

Nursing as a Discipline: Annotated Bibliography

Savannah Palmer
University of Texas at El Paso

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Introduction:
The medical field is the scientific discipline that deals with finding cure for every
conceivable type of illness and disease. But when it comes to the medical profession, people
usually envision doctors with stethoscopes and surgeons with surgery knives. Even though these
two are typical representations of the medical profession, in reality, nurses are the ones that most
medical facilities cant do without. Nurses support the general practitioners, physicians, dentists
and surgeons, and provide hands-on care for the sickly and the injured. Their importance spans a
great deal of other aspects that underlie most forms of medical treatment. Nurses are also there
throughout major milestones and challenges of our life childbirth, accidents, and surgery.
They are always there to put the doctors words into action and to provide the best possible
treatment and care for us.
My Annotated Bibliography should give you a look into some of the medical field and
how important nurses really are. The health care profession of nurses contributes to society in
numerous ways from the care of an individual to the care of families and communities by
attaining, maintaining and recovering optimal health and the initial quality of life. Theyre
needed in in so many ways, and my research should analyze those aspects by answering the
following questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

What is the importance of fast-paced care?

How does a nurse obtain a relationship with a patient?
Why does protocol become especially important in nursing?
How are some nursing fields different?
How does the sense of urgency become important in nursing?

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Reference A: Bos, Elisabeth, Charlotte Siln, and Pivi Kaila. (2015) "Clinical supervision in
primary health care; experiences of district nurses as clinical supervisors - a qualitative study."
BMC Nursing 14 (2015): 39. Academic OneFile. Retrieved from:
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE
%7CA423303936&v=2.1&u=j071902004&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=25b8777013b9550b4c01
051927fedb16
Summary: This study focused on DNs experiences of supervising nursing students during
clinical placement in units. Clinical placement is an essential part of nursing education allowing
nursing students to develop their clinical competence. The clinical supervisor constitutes an
important resource in this development and the relationship between the student and the
supervisor influences how students learn nursing. Being a supervisor is becoming increasingly
important because undergraduate students today learn more theory and spend less time in handson training in clinical practice.
Evaluation: This study is very helpful because it differentiates the classroom roles and the real
life experiences. It shows that being in a practice setting can be a lot more important than just
obtaining the information.
Cited By: 424
Direct Quote 1: The clinical learning process aims to promote the integration of theory into
clinical practice with the nurse teacher in the coordinator role. This makes supervisors roles
challenging

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Direct Quote 2: The shift into a higher nurse education setting and a broad academic profile
has contributed to a very complex learning process. What students learn in the classroom bears
little resemblance to what they experience in practice.
Paraphrased Direct Quote 1: The clinical learning process is often difficult to carry out
because you need to merge the teachers techniques into new practices.
Paraphrased Direct Quote 2: Being in a classroom simulation and a hospital is very different
because in a real emergency setting there isnt a notebook or something you can just glance at,
its somebodys life and time is of the essence.
Block Quote 1: The authors describe some differences between primary health and district
nurses.
To work as a district nurses in PHC units differs from working in hospitals in
many ways. Working in PHC traditionally includes preventive care, help to selfcare and home health care. By working in patients homes, one must take patients
autonomy, self-determination and choice of lifestyle into account.
Block Quote 2: They also describe some parts of the student and supervisor relationships and
how important they really are,
The dynamics of the relationship between a student and a supervisor has been
highlighted as an important aspect in students learning. Several studies of
students experiences show that the mutual relationship between a student and an
individual supervisor plays a key role in the clinical learning environment.
Supervision normally involves a supervisor and a supervisee (e.g. a nursing

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

student) and in PHC one supervisor has primary responsibility for one students
clinical learning.
Definition Word: Clinical- of or relating to the observation and treatment of actual patients
rather than theoretical or laboratory studies.

Reference B: Faraj, S. & Xiao, Y. (August 1, 2006) Coordination in Fast-Response

Organizations. Management Science, Vol 52, Issue 8. Retrieved from
http://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/abs/10.1287/mnsc.1060.0526
Summary: This article focuses on how important coordination and expertise are in the fast
response world and field of anesthesia. Reliance on protocols and rules are extremely important
anywhere in the medical field, especially in the medical industry. Working quickly and error free
are the main goals of any job, but operating under high pressure where a mistake can be highly
catastrophic so it requires a certain kind of expertise and coordination skills.
Evaluation: This article gives really good examples of how important it is to be professionally
trained in many techniques and protocols.
Cited By: 397
Direct Quote 1: Nurses design, implement, and participate in care coordination projects and
practices that seek to improve patient outcomes and decrease costs, frequently demonstrating the
effectiveness of nurse-led and patient-centered care coordination

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Direct Quote 2: ANA is deeply committed to improving the quality of outcomes for patients
and providing greater health care efficiencies through care coordination that is centered on the
needs and preferences of patients and their families.
Paraphrased Direct Quote 1: Nurses must be calm and collected as well as quick and precise
while under the pressure of an emergency situation.
Paraphrased Direct Quote 2: In order to stay cool, a nurse must undergo multiple trainings and
simulations to make sure that no mistakes are made.
Block Quote 1:
Being a nurse is fast-paced and unpredictable. Patients arrive with problems
ranging from a broken bone to a life-threatening injury. And you respond quickly
to assess their condition, provide necessary medications, and decide which
patients need immediate attention.
Block Quote 2:
Medicine focuses on the immediate decision making and action necessary to
prevent death or any further disability both in the pre-hospital setting. The
physician provides immediate recognition, evaluation, care, stabilization, and
disposition of a generally diversified population of adult and pediatric patients in
response to acute illness and injury.
Definition Word: Protocol- the official procedure or system of rules governing affairs of state or
diplomatic occasions.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Reference C: Grayson, Kelly (May 11, 2015) The 2 Most Important Words in an EMS Protocol.
The Ambulance Drivers Perspective. Retrieved from http://www.ems1.com/emsproducts/consulting-management-and-legal-services/articles/392962-The-2-most-importantwords-in-an-EMS-Protocol/
Summary: Kelly Grayson explains that by using two simple words to an EMS provider, it opens
up protocol to allow for important judgement calls and encourages life or death critical thinking.
Evaluation: This article shows a different side of medical care and its really moving how an
EMS provider like Grayson explains something that means pretty much nothing to a normal
person.
Cited By: 0
Direct Quote 1: Treatment protocols are designed to assure that the least competent medic in
your system renders the same minimum level of care as your most competent medic.
Direct Quote 2: I rewrote our protocols from scratch. Everywhere I had written shall or must, I
seriously considered whether may and consider would serve our purposes better.
Paraphrased Direct Quote 1: Protocol is set in place to make sure that everybody on the job,
whether theyre newly trained or a seasoned veteran, has the exact same ability to care for the
person injured.
Paraphrased Direct Quote 2: Grayson replaced the words shall and must with may and
consider. Just by doing this, he allowed emergency care providers to use their intuition and
previous experiences to help the patient better.

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Block Quote 1: Kelly Grayson (2014) shows some of the cons of having certain protocols by
stating,
There are protocols that try to mandate a level of care, resulting in medics that
wind up strapping an 80-pound, kyphotic grandmother to a hard spine board
simply because she rolled out of bed at the nursing home with absolutely no
neck pain or neuro deficits. Or refuse to give nitro to an MI patient because they
were unable to establish an IV first, even though the patient was instructed by his
cardiologist to take up to three nitro without the benefit of an IV line.

Block Quote 2: Grayson (2014) says that although EMS systems had the freedom to use their
experiences, you need more to carry it out than just personal feelings.
Of course, in opening up the protocols to allow for judgment calls and encourage
critical thinking, I had to improve our CQI process and continuing education
accordingly. You cant expect medics to use their judgment and education if you
dont provide them with the tools.
Definition Word: EMS- Emergency Medical Service.

Reference D: Morissette, Amy. (2015) Succeeding as a primary care nurse." American Nurse
Today 10.7 (2015). Academic OneFile. Retrieved from: http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
id=GALE

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

%7CA427759605&v=2.1&u=j071902004&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=bf653c9b5759946e7c18
759622f84a55
Summary: Amy Morissettes article is about some of the different aspects and needs of being a
primary care nurse. She gives a short story of one of the patients she had before and it gives the
article a lot of emotion. Morissette explains how important different parts of nursing are
compared to each other and what it takes to succeed in the nursing industry.
Evaluation: I picked this reference because its different than a lot of others Ive read. This
article was in a first-person view and it was about the authors personal experiences with her
patients.
Cited By: 39
Direct Quote 1: As a primary care nurse, your day can be unpredictable, requiring flexibility
and the ability to handle a diverse workload.
Direct Quote 2: Tasks of an ambulatory care nurse may include telephone triage, nurse visits in
the office, coordinating care, and supporting your team of providers.
Paraphrased Direct Quote 1: Morissette is saying that in order to be successful, a nurse needs
to be able to handle situations they did not necessarily expect with care as well as be willing to
sacrifice certain time to take care of the issues at hand.
Paraphrased Direct Quote 2: In other words, an ambulatory care nurse has a lot of
responsibilities that can sometimes be even more stressful than a regular nurses job.
Block Quote 1: Amy Morissette represented some of the hardships of nursing by giving the
story of a patient she once cared for,

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10

Isabelle didn't say much, but you could easily see the kindness in her eyes. With

her husband Jacob by her side, she let me thread the I.V. catheter into her vein so
the I.V. fluids could help her symptoms improve. Jacob had called me earlier that
morning, concerned for Isabelle. He told me she was becoming more and more
fatigued and confused, and her generalized weakness was worsening. One liter of
normal saline solution later, Isabelle seemed to perk up a little.
Block Quote 2: She also explains how much she cares about all of her patients with a lot of
pathos by following,
I'm glad I had the privilege of helping this sweet elderly couple as an ambulatory
care nurse at a primary care family practice office. Discussing Isabelle's
symptoms over the phone with Jacob, giving her intravenous fluids during a visit
to the physician's office, teaching both of them about her newly discovered
cancer, and coordinating her end-of-life care--all of this reinforced my love for
my job.
Definition Word: Intravenous- Existing or taking place within, or administered into, a vein or
veins.

Reference E: Taylor, Ely. (June 24, 2014) "Learning from clinical leaders." Australian Nursing
& Midwifery Journal. General OneFile. Web. 23 Sept. 2015. Retrieved from:
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE
%7CA372450264&v=2.1&u=j071902004&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=401aeec2e0ec0ac8222ee
6c16b018a36

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11

Summary: In a busy and demanding acute care environment one can spot a clinical leader just
by their presence. In the neurology department at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital theyre lucky
enough to have four CNCs that are dedicated to the nursing profession and always willing to help
further the knowledge and careers of new nurses.
Evaluation: Taylors article was helpful in showing some of the ways a care provider can take
initiative to become even better.
Cited By: 122
Direct Quote 1: In nursing the phrase, 'you learn something new every day' is pertinent.
However, it is the clinical leaders amongst us that celebrate this and remind us of the complexity
of each individual and what we can learn in a mutual therapeutic relationship.
Direct Quote 2: In Nursing, it's not just about professional development but about personal
development, because of this, sometimes you need to go the extra mile in your own time and
with your own funds.
Paraphrased Direct Quote 1: Although you do learn a new thing every day in a medical setting,
you really learn more about people youre caring for.
Paraphrased Direct Quote 2: Its important to grow as a person as well as a care provider to
advance in your career and to better help others you sometimes need to do it on your own.
Block Quote 1: Ely Taylor (2014) describes his encounter with a fellow nurse and how he
learned from her.
I was lucky to sit down and have a chat to one of our CNCs Nadia Burkolter
about what it meant to be a clinical leader in our current health care environment

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12

and when comparing it to the current literature, Nadia was right on the mark.
Three major themes developed which I have highlighted below, although a
constant theme came out throughout our conversation which was her commitment
and passion for nursing: "It is not just a profession but a way of life."
Block Quote 2: Taylor (2014) says his CNC displayed her care for her job by taking on extra
work and connecting to situations rather than just learning from them.
Nursing is constantly evolving with new research and new treatments (Strech &
Wyatt 2013), and it is because of this that many clinical leaders including Nadia
have gone back to complete extra studies in their chosen area. However, Nadia
expressed that it is not always about how many certificates you hold but rather the
experiences and diversity of your experiences. She advised the need to actively
seek opportunities and always acknowledge that you can learn from any
situation.
Definition Word: Clinical Nurse Consultant- A specialist who provides direct care in one of a
range of specialty such pediatrics, geriatrics, emergency care and oncology.

Reference F: Thompson, Nancy. (Dec. 2013) "The pathway to becoming a professional nurse."
Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing Dec. 2013. Academic OneFile. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE
%7CA355776324&v=2.1&u=j071902004&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=ec3a87f1400731f27dc93
0ecf009512c

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13

Summary: This article by Nancy Thompson is about the journey of being a nurse professionally.
The author talks about her experience of climbing the ladder of the nursing world. She explains
the lectures shes given as well as the experiences shes has in her workplace.
Evaluation: This article showed a lot of pathos and a lot of emotional connections which are
important in the medical field.
Cited By: 673
Direct Quote 1: I considered several other healthcare-related careers, but nursing is the only
discipline that truly treats the whole person. I believe that treating each of our patients in every
aspect of their lives is one of the greatest joys of the nursing profession.
Direct Quote 2: I observed how this older adult patient group, with a lifetime of experiences,
coped with their cancer diagnoses. Some had learned well from their life experiences and had
acquired wisdom, courage, and inspiring life philosophies, while others tended to be angry, bitter,
and lonely.
Paraphrased Direct Quote 1: Thompson believes that the nursing profession excels in being
able to treat a patient physically and emotionally. You need to be able to connect to the person
youre caring for in order to treat them accordingly.
Paraphrased Direct Quote 2: Thompson described the different traits of older cancer patients
shed treated. Some of them coped with their illness by showing compassion while others were
more upset all the time.
Block Quote 1: Nancy Thompson (2013) describes the importance of keeping your old
experiences and feelings by stating,

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14

We each bring our own personality, talents, and experiences to nursing practice
and, rather than fight it, as I initially did, I now believe that we ought to embrace
the diversity it brings to the profession. In nursing school, we were taught the
therapeutic use of self as using not only nursing theory but also our experiential
knowledge and self-awareness in a nursing practice. The profession benefits when
each of us can bring our authentic selves to a nursing practice.
Block Quote 2: Thompson (2013) also explains how keeping those talents and practices help
with your patients and with connecting to them.
As we age, our personality characteristics tend to become accentuated and
shaped by our response to life experiences. My older adult patients taught me to
"work on becoming the old person that I want to be." Whether we become bitter
and angry or wise and courageous largely depends on how we respond to the
events of our daily life challenges.
Definition Word: Patient- A person receiving or registered to receive medical attention.