Philosophy of Respiratory Nursing Practice

• Respiratory Nurses promote the respiratory health of individuals, families and communities regardful of their culture, as well as the care of persons with respiratory dysfunction at any stage during their life span.
• Respiratory nursing care has an holistic, educative focus and may be preventative, curative, rehabilitative or palliative, depending on the needs of the client and family and the setting in which care is being given.
• Respiratory nurses apply their unique knowledge to clients, assessing and defining the related nursing care and effective implementation of treatments, facilitating appropriate intervention in promoting, restoring or maintaining optimal respiratory health.
• Respiratory nurses collaborate with other health professionals/practitioners in partnership with clients, whanau/families to ensure optimum respiratory outcomes are achieved.
• Respiratory nurses, when appropriate, advocate for clients, families and communities to enhance optimum holistic respiratory health. Effective advocacy may include nursing involvement in policy making on local and national level.
• As respiratory nurses we recognise the importance of maintaining a contemporary knowledge base and implementing evidence based practices. We acknowledge the nurse’s responsibility in the innovation and promotion of respiratory nursing research.
• Respiratory nurses are role models and act as resource persons to clients and health care providers in different learning environments, promoting the dissemination and practical application of research findings related to pulmonary health and respiratory nursing care.
• Respiratory nurses incorporate the articles of the Treaty of Waitangi, namely partnership, participation and protection in their practice.