One nurse's experience with the effects of assumptions and judgements on practice
Pauline Greenland
Lecturer, School of Nursing Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville QLD
PP: 268 - 272
Abstract
This paper describes a significant incident involving an infant admitted with Failure To Thrive, her young mother and the author as the nurse involved.
This incident led to reflection on practice and exploration of the effects of making assumptions and premature judgments on the author's nursing actions. Previous experiences, personal beliefs and the influence of colleagues' opinions on the author's behaviour helped make this incident a practice changing experience.
Keywords
assumptions; judgements; communication; failure to thrive; casual nurses; paediatrics
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