The Writing Process: Essential To Independence In Nursing

Argumentative Literature Search EssayVictoria A. AbrahamJune 22, 2024Dating back to the era of pioneering British nurse and thought leader, Florence Nightingale, professional documentation has been recognized as an important skill and tool for autonomous nursing practice (Cheevakasemsook et al., 2006). In fact, a key signifier of nursing’s metamorphosis into an independent discipline is the introduction of nursing-specific language coding systems, such as the 1973 North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) that authorises nurses to streamline written communication with the care team (Dos Santos et al., 2024; Jones et al., 2010). Despite increasing emphasis on writing competencies in nursing, documentation quality remains subpar, often riddled with incompleteness, inaccuracy, and ineffectiveness (da Silva et al., 2021). Therefore, the writing process is essential to the evolution of nursing as an independent discipline, empowering nurses to deliver transformative patient care, engineer innovation in the field, and advance various aspects of the profession, making writing a core competency in independent nursing practice. From when the patient arrives at the health facility until their departure, nurses perform several care-related tasks requiring standardized documentation to ensure care continuity, clinical decision-making, and legislative compliance. Ahmed et al. (2023) found the integrity of nursing documentation