Introduction:

Now that my clinical experience is coming to an end, I have the pleasure of writing a self-reflection piece on how I fulfilled nine clinical objectives with regard to the Service Learning Project. Here in this self-reflection, I will discuss how I was able to demonstrate professionalism, communicate effectively, establish an environment conducive to learning, incorporate professional nursing standards into my practice and collaborate with team members. I am so glad I had the wonderful opportunity to have my clinicals at Kings County Hospital where I learned so much and thus is able to share with you my thoughts about community nursing.

Objective 1: Demonstrates individual professionalism through personal behaviors and appearance.

During my clinicals at Kings County Hospital, I always made sure I maintained a sense of professionalism through my behaviors and my appearance. I always attended clinicals on time and dressed professionally. Every week I would attend clinicals with my dress pants, a blouse, and ironed white lab coat. While at Kings County hospital, I maintained the confidentiality of all the clients that I encountered. While debriefing after my clinical experience with my classmates, I made sure not to mention any names of the clients but only use their initials. I assumed responsibility for my own learning and prepared for clinicals by reading the textbook on community nursing before clinicals and did some research on topics I needed more understanding. I also was able to learn by asking my clinical professor questions on subject matter that was unclear to me and confusing. Throughout my clinical experience at Kings County, my professor gave a few assignments that were to be completed on blackboard by a certain deadline which I completed on time. I also participated actively in clinical conferences, constantly sharing my experiences of the unit I was assigned to that day. I was glad that I was able to share my thoughts and feelings and at the same time receive feedback from the professor and my peers.

Objective 2: Employ analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills when providing care to individuals and families in the community setting.

During my clinical experience at Kings County Hospital, I was not able to employ analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills when providing care to individuals and families because I was not hands on. I mostly shadowed a nurse around to observe her day to day interactions and activities with patients and their families. I, however did some teaching in my service learning project, educating individuals about high risk pregnancy and preterm births.

Objective 3: Effectively communicate with diverse groups and disciplines using a variety of strategies regarding the health needs of individuals and families in the community setting.

At my clinicals at Kings County Hospital, I utilized therapeutic communication skills with individuals and families when I was teaching them about maternal health during my service learning. I utilized appropriate channels of communication by having pamphlets about the subject matter available to the community in different languages such as in creole, French and Spanish. I also communicated clearly and effectively with my professor, peers and health care team by sharing details and using language that was appropriate and professional. I also communicated in a slower manner when speaking, due to the awareness I had of the habit of speaking too fast. I was also able to speak in a way my clients would understand depending on their developmental level. During my clinicals, I was unable to report and document assessments and nursing interventions. The nurse I was shadowing performed these tasks.

Objective 4: Establish environment conducive to learning and use a plan for learners based on evidence-based practice.

During my clinicals at Kings County Hospital, I had the opportunity to establish an environment that was conducive to learning. The day of my service learning project, I developed and implemented a teaching plan in regard to the subject matter I was going to teach the people in the community. I developed a technique where I would first ask the individual I encountered about any information they knew about preterm labor and preeclampsia. This allowed the individual to get involved in the subject matter. I then educated them with some facts that they were not aware of. I also established an environment that was conducive to learning during the service learning project by becoming approachable. I smiled and exuded a nice and warm friendly appearance by attempting to make casual, fun conversion with those in attendance. I evaluated client learning outcomes by asking the clients what they learned or received from my teaching.

Objective 5: Utilize informational technology when managing individual and families in the community.

In Kings County Hospital, I was not able to utilize informational technology when managing individuals and families in the community. I did however observe the nurses I was assigned to, utilize the computer to document and look up information concerning the clients that were under their care. While I was there and observed them use the computer, I made sure to maintain confidentiality with the client’s record by not reporting any findings to my anyone such as my friends, family or professor.

Objective 6: Demonstrate a commitment to professional development

At my time at Kings County Hospital, I demonstrated a commitment to professional development by using up to date literature in planning care for clients in the community setting. I used current literature during my service learning project to help educate individuals about high risk pregnancy and preterm births. I assumed responsibility for lifelong learning by ensuring I was always up to date with the current literature that was available and educated myself on topics I wanted to know more about. I engaged in self-evaluation after my service learning project was over. I thought about what I did right and what I could have improved on. During my clinical experience at Kings County Hospital, it helped me to adjust to the challenges of independent practice in community health nursing.

Objective 7: Incorporate professional nursing standards and accountability into practice

In my clinicals at Kings County Hospital, I incorporated professional nursing standards such as those of the American Nurses Association into my clinical practice. I practiced ethically, attained knowledge and competence that reflected my nursing practice and communicated effectively with my clients. I complied with my hospital standards of practice such as behaving in a professional manner at all times. I also accounted for my actions in the clinical setting. I was also aware of the mission that Kings County had. Their mission was to provide care to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Objective 8: Collaborate with clients, significant support persons and members of the health care team.

During my clinicals at Kings County Hospital, I was not able to collaborate effectively with the health care team to address client problems. I, however was able to collaborate with my classmates who were in my clinical session for the service learning project. My team members and I was able to come together and discuss the problems that the community was facing which included preterm births and increased infant mortality. We then were able to come up with an intervention of how we were going to handle these issues. I was able to coordinate client-care based on client needs during my service learning project. I accomplished this by realizing that one of my clients had a need for a translator. I stepped in and became the translator since I was familiar with his language of origin. At clinicals, I assisted clients in making connections to other agencies by continually supplying the clients and their families with a list of health care resources that were available to them. I also guided clients into making appropriate lifestyle choices during my service learning. I had a client with gestational diabetes. I educated her on the foods and the portions that are required daily for consumption. I helped modify her personal food choices to portions that were acceptable for consumption.

Objective 9: Recognize the impact of economic, political, social and demographic forces that affect the delivery of health care services.

During my clinicals at Kings County Hospital, I recognized gaps in the care system. The gaps that I recognized that prevented people of the community from receiving care or the appropriate amount of care consisted of many factors. Those factors consisted of lack of insurance of the people in the community, people spoke different languages, had a lack of knowledge with low education levels and was a poor community with low income. My teammates and I for the service learning project came up with some solutions to the complex problems in my clinical area. During my service learning project, I made sure to speak in a language that was understood by the community by not using too many medical terminology. I also educated the community about the importance of keeping their prenatal doctor’s appointment and the reasons why they should get insurance. I aided a couple of people in the community in getting health insurance by offering options available to them. During my service learning, I also acted as a change agent by giving out pamphlets in different languages concerning prenatal care and fliers with resources containing different clinics and websites that were appropriate for them.

Summary:

My clinical experience at Kings County Hospital has taught me a lot and has increased my personal and professional growth as a professional nurse. I have learned how to assess my community needs and to develop a solution to aid in the issues that is preventing them from receiving the ultimate care possible. This clinical experience has allowed me to be a part of a change that occurred in the community. I was able to bring knowledge and a variety of resources to the community during my service learning project. I was able to communicate in a language that was understandable to the individuals in the community and in the end, I made a great impact that I hope will last a lifetime.