NUR-513 Assignment Nursing Roles Graphic Organizer

NUR-513 Assignment Nursing Roles Graphic Organizer

NUR-513 Assignment Nursing Roles Graphic Organizer

Use the “Nursing Roles Graphic Organizer Template” to differentiate how advanced registered nurse roles relate to and collaborate with different areas of nursing practice. Compare your future role with one of the following: nurse educator; nurse leader; family nurse practitioner; acute care nurse practitioner; graduate nurse with an emphasis/specialty in public health, health care administration, business, or informatics; clinical nurse specialist; doctor of nursing practice. Indicate in the appropriate columns on the template which roles you are comparing.

Nursing Roles Graphic Organizer Template

	Future RoleNurse informaticist	Comparison Role of Choice(Nurse leader)	Observations (Similarities/Differences)
Ethics	A nurse informaticist’s role is broad, and encompasses guiding data-driven processes, monitoring systems, and developing communication and information technology in health care (Hussey & Kennedy, 2021). Ethics and informatics are inseparable since nurse informaticists role is highly technical and can risk patients and care providers if not ethically executed. As a result, nurse informaticists should embrace integrity, guide organizations in implementing the right technologies and data-driven processes, and ensure processes and systems do not pose any risk to patients and nursing practitioners.	Nursing leadership is essential to the growth and development of health care organizations. Joseph et al. (2021) described the nurse leader’s role as critical in enabling health care teams and members to play their roles effectively through role modeling. Nurse leaders oversee patient care, lead teams, and communicate organization’s goals. To influence teams and promote right practices, nurse leaders must embody ethical practice. Their values, beliefs, and leadership styles should be dominated by integrity, honesty, responsibility, and the commitment to serve.	Ethics is a key component of excellence in both roles. Nurse informaticists and nurse leaders must direct health care teams with integrity and show them the right thing to do. Despite this congruence in roles, the nurse informaticist’s role concentrates on systems, processes, and data. On the other hand, ethics in nursing leadership primarily applies to health care personnel.
Education	Education imparts knowledge that enables nurse informaticists to combine technology and health care. Nurses wishing to pursue a career in nursing informatics should first earn a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field like health care informatics and health information technology. Generally, most nursing informatics practitioners hold degrees higher than a bachelor’s due to the complexity of their practice and the need for a leadership approach to everyday roles. Certification is also vital to validate one’s skills. Organizations such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) offer different certification options.	As the need for quality health care increases, so is the need for qualified nurse leaders. These crucial practitioners need more than basic leadership knowledge to lead staff and advance patient care. To perform effectively, nurse leaders need a master’s education to prepare them to lead teams and set appropriate goals. There are many programs for nursing leadership in the United Sates and management courses such as interpersonal communication, financial management, and organizational leadership that advance nurse leaders’ skills. Besides the master’s level education, certification is also required (Certified Nurse Leader (CNL) designation).	Advanced education is crucial for nurses to excel in both roles. A master’s level education and certification are the basic minimum. Education allows nurse informaticists and nurse leaders to think critically, identify issues, and offer creative solutions. They also need to advance their education to cope with health care evolution.The main difference is the various certifications offered and courses under each education program.
Leadership	Health care organizations require exceptional leadership for progressive growth and development. Leading involves setting direction, managing change, and influencing others (van Diggele et al., 2020). Nurse informaticists’ role incorporate many leadership principles such as influencing change, developing creative solutions, and directing organizations on what is needed to achieve safe and efficient care. Organizations and health care teams also need to be highly motivated and inspired to integrate data, information, and communication technologies to improve patient care.	In most organizations, nurse leaders are assigned a specific department instead of an organization-wide role. Leadership’s roles include overseeing patient care, coordinating care, and supervising staff. They also synthesize data, mentor nursing staff, and evaluate outcomes to assess performance gaps. Their knowledge and experience allow them to introduce change where required and guide health care teams in change implementation. They are at the center of the evolving practice and guide other nursing staff through communication, inspiration, and promoting teamwork.	Both roles integrate health technologies into routine practice to lead teams and promote safe and effective care. For instance, nurse leaders integrate communication technologies into practice to enable them communicate effectively with other nursing personnel. Nurse informaticists and nurse leaders are also centrally involved in leading and managing change.Nurse leaders should have informatics skills and nurse informaticists should have leadership skills.
Public Health	Nations and populations cannot grow without reducing infections and preventing diseases. Public health involves the science of preventing communities from diseases and improving the general health of populations (Inungu & Minelli, 2021). Nurse informaticists analyze data and guide organizations in adopting appropriate interventions to reduce infections. For instance, they have been instrumental in COVID-19 control by guiding organizations in adopting remote care and other technologies that reduce physical contact (Gilmore et al., 2020). Illness prevention is central to creating stable and productive communities.	Nurse leaders are instrumental in initiating measures for safety enhancement and illness prevention in health care organizations. They also develop theories that provide a foundation for health promotion and disease prevention. Such theories include the environmental theory by Florence Nightingale and Imogene King’s theory of goal attainment. They also organize nursing education and awareness programs to reduce infections in health care settings. Safety enhancement reduces hospital-acquired infections (Bearman et al., 2019). Jointly, these interventions create a well-informed populace that is also less vulnerable to infections.	Practitioners in both roles initiate programs for improving public health. They ensure patients are excellently served and their safety is prioritized in health care settings. They also embrace technologies to reduce infections as much as possible.Difference: nurse informaticists’ interventions are usually data-driven and technology-centered. On the other hand, nurse leaders’ role is broader.
Health Care Administration	Health care administration primarily involves staff and resource management within a facility or a department. The personnel responsible for administration manage client care experience and ensure resources are used efficiently. Nurse informaticists oversee technology and data integration into patient care at the departmental or organization-wide level. They also create plans for care improvement and effective management of technology resources.	Despite nursing leadership and health care administration being distinct, they overlap in many areas. For instance, nurse leaders’ oversight role is central to health care administration. They supervise people and ensure material and financial resources are used efficiently. Planning, organizing, and implementing projects are routine tasks of nurse leaders that symbolize health care administration. Such tasks are key to organizational success. Importantly, nurse leaders ensure nurses’ conduct complies with health care laws and practice standards.	Both roles involve oversight and guiding teams and organizations in efficient use of resources. Like nurse leaders, nurse informaticists are also involved in planning and developing strategies for optimizing output.Despite these shared roles, nurse informaticists rarely lead an entire department to administer tasks. Their administration tasks revolve around technology, data, and information while nurse leaders’ scope is broad.
Informatics	Informatics in health care involves developing methods and technologies for acquiring, processing, and studying patient data. The role of a nurse informaticist primarily involves analyzing patient data and integrating appropriate information and communication technologies to improve outcomes. They routinely interact with computer systems to understand health care trends and respond effectively.	Nurse leaders apply informatics broadly. They use patient data to study illness trends and guide organizations in developing effective interventions. For instance, they implement electronic health records (EHRs) to improve patient safety and the quality of care. EHRs further provide insights into performance areas requiring improvements.	Both roles are vital for the advancement of modern nursing practice. They require nursing practitioners with advanced informatics skills such as system analysis, data management, and ability to introduce technology-based change in patient care.The main difference is that nurse informaticists must have a strong foundation in technology use while nurse leaders can specialize in an area where a strong foundation in information technology is not a prerequisite.
Business/Finance	Health care organizations are usually for-profit or not-for-profit. Regardless of their type, there is a consistent urge for efficient use of resources and enhancing productivity. As a result, nurse informaticists should have a business mindset when introducing technologies in care.	Nurse leaders should help the organizations to thrive from a business dimension. As a result, they are involved in practices that prevent wastage and maximize output. Suitable examples include projects for preventing medical errors and motivating teams to optimize output. Such projects make organizations to thrive financially.	Both roles require health care professionals with exceptional business/finance skills such as strategic planning, adaptability, and budgeting. Others include attention to detail, mathematics proficiency, and gap analysis. They should also understand the basics of risk management and when it is necessary to take risks.
Specialty (e.g., Family, Acute Care)	Nurse informaticists can specialize in data management, systems analysts, and consultancy, among other areas. They can also be involved in direct patient care or combine it with other roles where data and technology dominate practice.	Nurse leaders can work at the bedside with patients or play administrative roles such as chief nursing officers. They can also serve other roles like clinical nurse leaders (CNLs) as their education and training allow.	Both roles allow specialization according to one’s education and training.Nurse informaticists and nurse leaders also serve as educators and mentors in their respective areas.
Regulatory Bodies or Certification Agencies That Provide Guidance or Parameters on How These Roles Incorporate Concepts Into Practice	Numerous organizations regulate, certify, and support nursing informatics specialists to deliver excellence. They include National Institutes of Health Informatics, American Medical Informatics Association, and American Nursing Informatics Association. They play a crucial role in ensuring nurse informaticists are qualified and adequately supported to deliver in practice.	The Commission on Nurse Certification (CNC) manages the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) certification. Nurse leaders interested in the nurse manager role are certified through the Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML) credential.	Both roles are highly regulated to ensure compliance with practice standards. Nurse practitioners are also certified to ensure they have the essential skills to excel in their respective practice.However, the regulation, certification, and accreditation agencies differ.

NUR-513 Assignment Nursing Roles Graphic Organizer References

Bearman, G., Doll, M., Cooper, K., & Stevens, M. P. (2019). Hospital infection prevention: How much can we prevent and how hard should we try?. Current Infectious Disease Reports, 21(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11908-019-0660-2

Gilmore, B., Ndejjo, R., Tchetchia, A., De Claro, V., Mago, E., Lopes, C., & Bhattacharyya, S. (2020). Community engagement for COVID-19 prevention and control: A rapid evidence synthesis. BMJ Global Health, 5(10), e003188. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003188

Hussey, P., & Kennedy, M. A. (2021). Introduction to nursing informatics. Springer.

Inungu, J. N., & Minelli, M. J. (2021). Foundations of rural public health in America. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Joseph, M. L., Phillips, B. C., Edmonson, C., Godfrey, N., Liebig, D., Luparell, S., & Weybrew, K. (2021). The nurse leader’s role: A conduit for professional identity formation and sustainability. Nurse Leader, 19(1), 27-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2020.10.001

van Diggele, C., Burgess, A., Roberts, C., & Mellis, C. (2020). Leadership in healthcare education. BMC Medical Education, 20(2), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02288-x

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NUR-513 Assignment Nursing Roles Graphic Organizer

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Nurses play a crucial role in the promotion of the optimum health of the population. The different specialties in nursing ensure the promotion of high quality, safe and efficient care for the diverse populations. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to compare my roles as a nurse leader with those of an acute care nurse practitioner. The comparison uses a graphic organizer template.

	Master of science in nursing with emphasis of leadership	Acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP)	Observations (Similarities/Differences)
Ethics	Ethics is an important part of nurse leaders. They must demonstrate ethical practices in leading others. They ensure the protection of interests of those they lead. They also adopt measures that ensure beneficence and non-maleficence while leading others. They also ensure ethical practices such as seeking informed consent before initiating change activities that involve human subjects and strive to ensure privacy and confidentiality in their roles (Munkeby et al., 2021).	Ethics are important for ACNP. They ensure informed consent is obtained from patients before care interventions. They also ensure the care practices do not cause any form of harm to patients for beneficence and non-maleficence. ACNP use patient data to make informed decisions (Grace & Uveges, 2022). As a result, they strive to ensure data integrity in their practice.	Ethics play a crucial role for both nurse leaders and ACNPs. While ACNPs utilize ethics in the provision of direct patient care, nurse leaders utilize them in leading others and implementing change initiatives in their organizations.
Education	One must have a degree in nursing to be a nurse leader. There is also the requirement of an advanced degree in nursing such as a masters in nursing leadership (DeNisco, 2019). One must also be a registered with a state board of nursing and licensed nurse leader.	The educational requirements for one to become ACNP include having a degree in nursing and advanced degree such as masters in acute care nursing. One should also be licensed as a registered nurse and advanced practice registered nurse (DeNisco, 2019).	Both specialties require a degree in nursing and an advanced degree in the areas of specialization. One must also be a registered nurse with a board and licensed to undertake the specialized roles.
Leadership	Leadership is the main function of nurse leaders. Nurse leaders are mainly engaged in activities such as strategic planning, setting goals, organizing, communicating, transforming, coordinating, and initiating actions. They help their organizations achieve their purpose by focusing on the selected strategies for success. They also influence their followers to embrace behaviors that would contribute to the realization of the goals of their organizations (DeNisco, 2019).	ACNP also have leadership roles. They lead the assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluating care interventions. They also lead evidence-based interventions in their roles in the patient care process (DeNisco, 2019).	Both roles require leadership knowledge and skills. However, they differ in that while nurse leaders focus mainly on influencing their organizations through their leadership competencies, much of ACNP’s leadership roles are only seen in the patient care processes.
Public Health	Nurse leaders play crucial roles in the promotion of public health. They collaborate with public health officials and other healthcare providers to implement care interventions that prevent and minimize disease burden in the population. Nurse leaders also align the care strategies in their organizations with the public health needs. They ensure the care practices used for the population are relevant, population-based, and ethical. Nurse leaders also encourage the use of best practices by their followers to ensure the optimum health outcomes for their populations (Heinen et al., 2019).	ACNP are involved in the promotion of public health. They provide evidence-based care to optimize the care outcomes of their patients, families, and communities. They also engage in health promotion activities such as health education, screening, early treatment, and rehabilitation for the health of the public. They also collaborate with public health officials in addressing crucial public health needs (DeNisco, 2019).	The promotion of public health is the core focus of both specialties. The specialists embrace interventions that enhance the outcomes of their populations, families, and communities.
Health Care Administration	Nurse leaders also play administrative roles in their organizations. They ensure the effective and efficient use of resources in achieving the set goals. They advocate and coordinate resource utilization for the realization of the set strategies. They lead strategic planning processes, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. They may develop budgets for their specific nursing initiatives to guide the implementation of change initiatives in their organizations (Strudwick et al., 2019).	ACNPs have limited roles to play in health care administration. However, they can play this role in leading and coordinating care interventions in their practice (Kleinpell et al., 2019). They also demonstrate their administration roles in providing clinical patient care.	Both specialists are involved in health care administration. However, the difference is that ACNPs have limited roles as compared to nurse leaders. Nurse leaders collaborate with the management to make decisions that influence organizational success. ACNPs have less roles in the process, besides their role in the clinical patient care.
Informatics	Nurse leaders require knowledge and skills in nursing informatics in their practice. They utilize the knowledge to make informed decisions on the healthcare technologies needed in their organizations. They also utilize the knowledge to analyze data from the organization and understand trends in performance, effectiveness of interventions, and develop recommendations. Informatics also helps nurse leaders to select best practices that can be used to drive excellence in their organizations. Informatics helps them to ensure data integrity in strategic plans adopted in their organizations (Strudwick et al., 2019).	Knowledge and skills in informatics are important for ACNPs. ACNPs use the knowledge to select and implement evidence-based interventions in their practice. They also use it to implement innovative practices that ensure quality, safety, and efficiency in their patient care. ACNPs can also use the knowledge to obtain raw data, apply them into their practice, and track to determine their effect on care outcomes (DeNisco, 2019). As a result, they make meaning from the data and recommend new care interventions in their practice.	Knowledge and skills in informatics are needed in both specialties. They use them to improve practice, introduce new practices, and track trends by obtaining organization and patients’ raw data.
Business/Finance	Knowledge in business and finance are important for nurse leaders. They use them to make sound decisions when engaging in strategic planning in their organizations. They also the knowledge in performing cost-benefit analysis of their organization’s ventures. The knowledge helps them to embrace strategies that optimize gains and minimize losses in the organization’s undertakings (DeNisco, 2019).	Knowledge in business and finance is also important for ACNPs. They use the knowledge to propose and evaluate evidence-based strategies that improve care outcomes in their practice. They also use it to determine the feasibility of the different interventions that may be needed to improve the care outcomes of their patients (DeNisco, 2019).	Both specialties require knowledge and skills in business and finance. They use the knowledge to make sound decisions that will ensure optimum gains from the strategies the organization embrace.
Specialty (e.g., Family, Acute Care)	Nurse leaders have limited choices in terms of specialties in nursing. However, they can opt to focus on new areas of nursing practice such as family and acute care apart from nursing leadership.	ACNPs work with patients from all the demographics. They provide acute care to patients with all kinds of health problems, including emergency and critical care. However, they can opt to focus on one area such as pediatrics or adult acute care nursing.	Nurse leaders and ACNPs do not have specialties. However, ACNPs may chose to focus on caring for a specific patient population such as pediatrics unlike nurse leaders.
Regulatory Bodies or Certification Agencies That Provide Guidance or Parameters on How These Roles Incorporate Concepts Into Practice	The Commission on Nurse Certification certifies nurse leaders. They must also be licensed and registered with a board of nursing. The certification by the Commission on Nurse Certification shows that one has acquired the competencies needed to drive excellence in healthcare organizations (DeNisco, 2019).	The American Association of Critical Care Burses (AACN) Certification certifies ACNPs. The nurse practitioners must also be licensed and registered by a board of nursing. The certification acts as a symbol for professional competence for the ACNPs to care for their patient populations (DeNisco, 2019).	Both specialties require certification for one to function in the different roles. The certification bodies differ based on the specialties. Certification is a symbol for competence in both specialties.

 

Conclusion

In summary, the roles of a nurse leader and an ACNP differ in aspects such as healthcare administration, specialization, and certification. They share similarities in most of the aspects such as informatics, ethics, business/finance, and public health. Therefore, I will strive to explore the opportunities in my specialty to improve my personal and professional competencies. I will also seek to understand how I can collaborate effectively with those I work with in my practice.

NUR-513 Assignment Nursing Roles Graphic Organizer References

DeNisco, S. M. (2019). Advanced Practice Nursing: Essential Knowledge for the Profession: Essential Knowledge for the Profession. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Grace, P. J., & Uveges, M. K. (2022). Nursing Ethics and Professional Responsibility in Advanced Practice. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Heinen, M., van Oostveen, C., Peters, J., Vermeulen, H., & Huis, A. (2019). An integrative review of leadership competencies and attributes in advanced nursing practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 75(11), 2378–2392. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14092

Kleinpell, R. M., Grabenkort, W. R., Kapu, A. N., Constantine, R., & Sicoutris, C. (2019). nurse practitioners and physician assistants in acute and critical care: a concise review of the literature and data 2008–2018. Critical Care Medicine, 47(10), 1442–1449. https://doi.org/10.1097/CCM.0000000000003925

Munkeby, H., Moe, A., Bratberg, G., & Devik, S. A. (2021). ‘Ethics Between the Lines’ – Nurses’ experiences of ethical challenges in long-term care. Global Qualitative Nursing Research, 8, 23333936211060036. https://doi.org/10.1177/23333936211060036

Strudwick, G., Booth, R. G., Bjarnadottir, R. I., Rossetti, S. (Collins), Friesen, M., Sequeira, L., Munnery, M., & Srivastava, R. (2019). The role of nurse managers in the adoption of health information technology: Findings from a qualitative study. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 49(11), 549–555. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000000810

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100.0 %Nursing Roles Graphic Organizer Criteria
10.0 %Comparison of Roles in Relation to Ethics	A comparison of roles in relation to ethics is not included.	A comparison of roles in relation to ethics is present, but it lacks detail or is incomplete.	A comparison of roles in relation to ethics is present.	A comparison of roles in relation to ethics is clearly provided and well developed.	A comprehensive comparison of roles in relation to ethics is thoroughly developed with supporting details.
10.0 %Comparison of Roles in Relation to Education	A comparison of roles in relation to education is not included.	A comparison of roles in relation to education is present, but it lacks detail or is incomplete.	A comparison of roles in relation to education is present.	A comparison of roles in relation to education is clearly provided and well developed.	A comprehensive comparison of roles in relation to education is thoroughly developed with supporting details.
10.0 %Comparison of Roles in Relation to Leadership	A comparison of roles in relation to leadership is not included.	A comparison of roles in relation to leadership is present, but it lacks detail or is incomplete.	A comparison of roles in relation to leadership is present.	A comparison of roles in relation to leadership is clearly provided and well developed.	A comprehensive comparison of roles in relation to leadership is thoroughly developed with supporting details.
10.0 %Comparison of Roles in Relation to Public Health	A comparison of roles in relation to public health is not included.	A comparison of roles in relation to public health is present, but it lacks detail or is incomplete.	A comparison of roles in relation to public health is present.	A comparison of roles in relation to public health is clearly provided and well developed.	A comprehensive comparison of roles in relation to public health is thoroughly developed with supporting details.
10.0 %Comparison Roles in Relation to Health Care Administration	A comparison of roles in relation to health care administration is not included.	A comparison of roles in relation to health care administration is present, but it lacks detail or is incomplete.	A comparison of roles in relation to health care administration is present.	A comparison of roles in relation to health care administration is clearly provided and well developed.	A comprehensive comparison of roles in relation to health care administration is thoroughly developed with supporting details.
10.0 %Comparison of Roles in Relation to Informatics	A comparison of roles in relation to informatics is not included.	A comparison of roles in relation to informatics is present, but it lacks detail or is incomplete.	A comparison of roles in relation to informatics is present.	A comparison of roles in relation to informatics is clearly provided and well developed.	A comprehensive comparison of roles in relation to informatics is thoroughly developed with supporting details.
10.0 %Comparison of Roles in Relation to Business or Finance	A comparison of roles in relation to business or finance is not included.	A comparison of roles in relation to business or finance is present, but it lacks detail or is incomplete.	A comparison of roles in relation to business or finance is present.	A comparison of roles in relation to business or finance is clearly provided and well developed.	A comprehensive comparison of roles in relation to business or finance is thoroughly developed with supporting details.
5.0 %Comparison of Roles in Relation to Specialty	A comparison of roles in relation to specialty is not included.	A comparison of roles in relation to specialty is present, but it lacks detail or is incomplete.	A comparison of roles in relation to specialty is present.	A comparison of roles in relation to specialty is clearly provided and well developed.	A comprehensive comparison of roles in relation to specialty is thoroughly developed with supporting details.
5.0 %Required Sources	Sources are not included.	Number of required sources is only partially met.	Number of required sources is met, but sources are outdated or inappropriate.	Number of required sources is met. Sources are current, but not all sources are appropriate for the assignment criteria and nursing content.	Number of required resources is met. Sources are current, and appropriate for the assignment criteria and nursing content.
5.0 %Visual Appeal	There are few or no graphic elements. No variation in layout or typography is evident.	Color is garish or typographic variations are overused and legibility suffers. Background interferes with readability. Understanding of concepts, ideas, and relationships is limited.	Minimal use of graphic elements is evident. Elements do not consistently contribute to the understanding of concepts, ideas, and relationships. There is some variation in type size, color, and layout.	Thematic graphic elements are used but not always in context. Visual connections mostly contribute to the understanding of concepts, ideas, and relationships. Differences in type size and color are used well and consistently.	Appropriate and thematic graphic elements are used to make visual connections that contribute to the understanding of concepts, ideas, and relationships. Differences in type size and color are used well and consistently.
5.0 %Presentation	The piece is not neat or organized, and it does not include all required elements.	The work is not neat and includes minor flaws or omissions of required elements.	The overall appearance is general, and major elements are missing.	The overall appearance is generally neat, with a few minor flaws or missing elements.	The work is well presented and includes all required elements. The overall appearance is neat and professional.
5.0 %Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, and language use)	Surface errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of meaning. Inappropriate word choice or sentence construction is employed.	Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Inconsistencies in language choice (register) or word choice are present. Sentence structure is correct but not varied.	Some mechanical errors or typos are present, but they are not overly distracting to the reader. Correct and varied sentence structure and audience-appropriate language are employed.	Prose is largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. The writer uses a variety of effective sentence structures and figures of speech.	The writer is clearly in command of standard, written, academic English.
5.0 %Documentation of Sources (citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc., as appropriate to assignment and style)	Sources are not documented.	Documentation of sources is inconsistent or incorrect, as appropriate to assignment and style, with numerous formatting errors.	Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, although some formatting errors may be present.	Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is mostly correct.	Sources are completely and correctly documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is free of error.

I have to agree that there are a significant number of ethical dilemmas in end-of-life issues. While you discussed end-of-life issues in terms of abortion, I think this concept also applies to end-of-life issues in hospice. I practice hospice nursing in New York State, where physician assisted suicide is not legal. So many patients and families think that hospice care accelerates the dying process, while in reality hospice care supports the patient and family through the natural dying process. There are often end stages of disease, such as with ALS or pulmonary fibrosis, where I personally feel that solely treating symptoms that develop as the body is shutting down is not enough to keep these types of patients comfortable. Ethically, it feels as though nursing practice and medicine should be able to do more to help these types of patients, but we are bound by the laws of the state we practice in. I believe that patients with terminal illnesses such as the ones I mentioned above should have more of a choice about how they spend their last days/weeks/months. If there is a way for them to decrease suffering for themselves, I believe they should at least have the choice to do this. Our medical director advocates for greater end-of-life rights for patients in New York State, and I commend her for this work, as it seems like we have a long ways to go to treat people with complete respect and dignity as they approach death.

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