Junie Monestime’s ePortfolio
Community Health Nursing: Self Reflective
Objective 1: Demonstrates individual professionalism through personal behaviors and appearance.
The clinical is at Our Lady of Refuge church in Brooklyn. The site is a food pantry and we do education, body mass index calculations, blood pressure monitoring, and help the volunteers handout food to the members of the community. During the semester, I demonstrated professionalism through my behaviors and appearance to the best of my ability. Whether I spoke with the clients in creole or English, I maintained client confidentiality when I measured their blood pressure. I only referred to my professor when the blood pressure was very high and needed advice on how to proceed. I assumed responsibility for my own learn by doing research for the project and reading the textbook. I completed all discussion forums, blog posts and any other assignments within the designated time. Whenever I didn’t know the information I asked my professor, the volunteers, or Susan for guidance. I went to clinical every week prepared to learn, to help handout food to the clients, take blood pressure, educate and serve as a translator. I researched information beforehand to make sure I was teaching the right information to the clients. The majority of the members in the community are Haitians and I served as a translator. Although the clinical site was quite from where I live I was punctual in accordance with the school policy and dressed professionally every week. On most days the church was very cold but I dressed professionally and modestly.
Objective 2: Employ analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills when providing care to the individuals and family in the community setting.
Because of the setting of the clinical site in the church there wasn’t much opportunity to employ analytical reasoning or critical thinking skills. In addition, the time we spent with the members was very brief. When I measured a blood pressure that was too high I assessed the client about medication and symptoms. Then I educated the members on the importance of taking their medications, making an appointment with a medical provider, eating less salt and drinking plenty of water to control their blood pressure.
Objective 3: Effectively communicate with the diverse groups and disciplines using a variety of strategies regarding the health needs of individuals and families in the community settings.
As stated, the majority of the members are Haitians and Creole speaking but there are Russian, and Spanish speaking members at the site. I was able to communicate appropriately and effectively and I had some interesting conversations in creole. Though it took a couple weeks for the members to open up to me and feel comfortable asking questions, I was able to form a relationship with the members who come to the pantry on a regular basis. I treated them with respect and listened to what they wanted to stay. Some members had basic common sense questions and I took every opportunity to educate them. As a nurse, I did not assume the members should know the answer and I took it as an opportunity to teach. My classmates and I used flyers and other educational tools to educate the members about blood pressure and available resources in the community.
Objective 4: Establish environment conducive to learning and use a plan for learners based on evidence-base practice.
For the service-learning project we used flyers, and pamphlets to educate the members, and I translated them to creole in order to help the members understand the information. We also used evidence-base practice to plan an organize paper and presentation. We used a pre-test and a posttest to evaluate the clients learning outcomes.
The volunteers kept everything as orderly as possible and I followed their instructions.
Objective 5: Utilize informational technology when managing individuals and families in the community.
There wasn’t much opportunity to use information technology at the church and the time we spent with the clients was very short. However, My classmates and I used technology to communicate and share information and deadlines regarding the project. I searched online for available resources and a list of food pantry locations in Brooklyn. I didn’t use the members’ information for the project but a few members showed me their ID and medication bottles and I kept everything confidential.
Objective 6: Demonstrate a commitment to professional development.
During the semester I demonstrated a commitment to professional development by using current literature for my assignments. I used the citytech library online to research articles and journals about current topics, such as the affordable care act, hypertension, and diabetes, for discussion forums and the midterm. I assumed responsibility for lifelong learning through reading and research. For self-evaluation I used blog Posts to reflect on my experience.
Objective 7: Incorporate professional nursing standards and accountability into practice.
To incorporate professional nursing standards and accountability into practice, I used evidence-base research and peer reviewed articles. I used CINAHL, NIH.gov, and the CDC for my research and cited references when I used an article or a book for my assignments. As a nurse, I used The American Nurses Association Standards as a reference in my practice. In addition, I took full accountability for my actions and followed the policies of both the school and the church during clinical.
Objective 8: Collaborate with clients, significant support persons and members of health care team.
The volunteers who donate their time to serve the community run the pantry at the church. I collaborated with them and followed their instructions where to place the food and how much to give to the people. I collaborated with my classmates and professor on a topic for the project and available resources. In addition, Susan is our point of contact and we collaborate with her on all matters related to the church.
Objective 9: Recognize the impact of economic, political, social and demographic forces that affect the delivery of health care services.
Most of the members in the community who come to the food pantry are immigrants and are from low socioeconomic backgrounds. I recognized that many of them are undocumented without health insurance and or a primary care health provider and rely on the food pantry to feed their families. Those with insurance have Medicaid as a result of the affordable care act. The undocumented immigrants are afraid to seek help, even the clients with dangerously high blood pressures, in fear of getting deported. Giving the current political climate of the country, I understand their fear. I encouraged them to go to their local public hospitals for treatment and educated them about the law in New York, and that they can’t be turned away if they need medical care. My classmates and I recognized the impact of economic, political and social factors and did a presentation on available resources in the community. We educated the members about the value and benefits of the NYCID and provided free bags to carry out the food.
During the semester I have met some wonderful people and have thoroughly enjoyed being at the church on Wednesdays. I am very fortunate to be where I am today, all because nursing that has allowed many opportunities to serve and make a difference in someone’s life.
