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Exploring improvisation in nursing
Mary Anne Hanley1, Mary V Fenton
1Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing, Odessa, Texas, USA.
Summary
Nursing improvisation, essential for patient care in dynamic environments, is explored. This study identifies and describes improvisation characteristics and provides case studies to illustrate its application in nursing practice.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Science
- Arts and Humanities
Background:
- Improvisation is a recognized skill in performing arts like music, dance, and theatre.
- Nursing practice inherently involves improvisation to address unpredictable patient needs in evolving healthcare settings.
- Despite its prevalence, improvisation in nursing lacks formal identification and structured educational approaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the concept of improvisation within the nursing profession.
- To define and describe the key characteristics of improvisation as applied to nursing practice.
- To illustrate the manifestations of improvisation in nursing through practical case studies.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual exploration of improvisation in nursing.
- Descriptive analysis of improvisation characteristics relevant to nursing.
- Illustrative case study analysis of improvisation in practice.
Main Results:
- Improvisation is a crucial, albeit often unrecognized, component of effective nursing care.
- Key characteristics of nursing improvisation include adaptability, creativity, and responsiveness to patient needs.
- Case studies demonstrate diverse scenarios where nurses utilize improvisation to overcome challenges and optimize patient outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Improvisation is an integral aspect of nursing that warrants further recognition and study.
- Developing and teaching improvisation as a nursing skill can enhance clinical practice and patient care.
- Further research is needed to formalize improvisation within nursing education and professional development.
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