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Introductory

Hello there! my name is Jason Nelson, and I am currently pursuing a baccalaureate degree in nursing at New York City College of Technology. This is my final semester in the baccalaureate program, and I will be graduating at the end of this semester. Currently, I am an inpatient psychiatric nurse, and I am looking forwards to transferring to the ICU in the near future. The healthcare industry is changing rapidly with increasing patient complexity. To keep up to date and provide care to a diverse population, I will have to continue my education. This e-portfolio was designed to display some of my academic work throughout the baccalaureate program at New York City College of Technology. It contains a brief introductory of myself, my resume, a personal self-evaluation of the baccalaureate program, a sample writing produced in the baccalaureate program and my individual strengths. 
 

Individual strengths

As a nurse, I have developed the ability to listen and communicate effectively and accurately with my patients and their treatment team. Good communication and listening are required when working in a group of culturally diverse members. If communication is ineffective, the patient will suffer; however, good communication skills will reduce the barriers of language and cultural differences. Effective communication will decrease errors, improve productivity and create a smooth transition for the patient. In addition, I am a strong team player, and I have faith in teamwork. Working as a team will maximize efficiency and help us serve the patient’s need best which will aide in the recovery process. If a team member is struggling, I will give them a helping hand and provide them with the insight they need to make sure we move forwards as a team. Furthermore, I am dependable, and I will not make a promise I cannot keep. You can depend on me to be on time, you can depend on me to get my work completed within the allotted time, and you can depend on me to be professional. Empathy is another important quality I have developed over the years. Empathy allows me to develop a rapport with patients, give me insight into what they are feeling, thinking and assist me in making inform decisions. Having the ability to emphasize with patients make it easier to help patients and comfort them in times of need. Showing empathy tells the patient that you noticed them, care for them, and value how they feel.

 

Learning Self-Analysis
This self-evaluation gave me an opportunity to think about my time spent in the Baccalaureate program. I graduated from New York City College of Technology associate nursing program in December 2014. Upon completion of the associate program, I enrolled into the Baccalaureate program and continued my education. My desire to pursue a Baccalaureate degree in nursing is to gain more insight into the profession, become a better nurse, improve my skills and my chances of having a successful career. I also believe that obtaining a baccalaureate degree in nursing is the only way I would be able to keep up to date with this rapidly changing healthcare organization and provide safe, quality cost effective care to patients.The baccalaureate program has made me become a more efficient team player. It really emphasizes the need to work in groups to accomplish goals. Working in groups can be challenging; however, group work has enhanced my ability to effectively communicate with culturally diverse individuals and different disciplines at work in a tactful manner. Courses such as Leadership, Nursing Research, Case Management, Professional Nursing have helped me to incorporate analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills into my daily practice. In addition, these courses helped me to utilize the nursing process to provide culturally competent care to a diverse population with increasing complexity. Leadership has assisted me to become a better charge nurse on my unit. It helped with time management, delegation and made me more comfortable with assuming the role of charge nurse in the absent of the head nurse. Leadership has armed me with crucial management skills that allowed me to efficiently assign and manage resources, as well as assessing patient’s outcome. Unquestionably, completing this baccalaureate program has made me more dedicated to lifelong learning, personal and professional development through continuing my education. It also equipped me with the necessary information needed to nurture my career.Nursing is interesting, challenging, overwhelming at times and requires a lot of hard work and dedication, but it is rewarding. To care for an acutely ill patient and watch them get better is priceless and heartwarming. I am grateful to be a part of this wonderful profession, and I would like to thank all the wonderful professors that helped me along this journey to become a registered professional nurse. It is my obligation to help my patients, colleagues and fellow students as needed. Thanks to my amazing professors I am better equipped to handle the exciting world of nursing.

 

Sample Assignment
In the movie “Wit,” it shows mostly a negative relationship with the main character and her Health Care Providers with the exception of her relationship with her primary nurse. The opening scene starts off with the main character as the patient, and Dr. Vivian Bearing, learning of her stage four Ovarian Cancer diagnosis. Dr. Kelekian delivers the life changing news in a somber and seemingly uncaring voice. As if that was not enough, he did not give Dr. Bearing a chance to process her diagnosis and figure out the next course of action for herself. In the same breath, Dr. kelekian presents the patient with an informed consent to begin an experimental chemotherapy treatment without asking if this is what she wants. Furthermore, she was not even given a chance to really think about her treatment options.The film portrays the flaws of modern day Health Care providers. It highlights the almost robotic relationships between Health care providers and their patients. In a scene in the movie, as morning rounds were being conducted, the patient is receiving a physical examination as the resident doctors looked on with not much acknowledgement to her or her feelings. She felt as though she was a guinea pig. In my opinion, many health care providers are not caring which makes it difficult or almost impossible for them to empathize with their patients. This causes patients to feel disconnected from their healthcare provider. There is also the issue of poor bedside manners displayed by healthcare workers which only makes things worst by adding to the disconnection in patients and their provider’s relationship. This issue is present throughout the film and it is very much an issue in the real world. Another issue that was evident in the film and continues to affect the healthcare system today is healthcare worker’s inability to develop a rapport with their patients.  In the movie, Dr. Bearing tried to relay her fears of treatment to the resident doctor but she held back. If the treatment team had taken the time to develop a trusting relationship with Dr. Bearing, she would have voiced her fears, feelings, concerns and inhibitions.

The Nurse plays a major role in patient care. The relationship between Dr. Bearing and her nurse, Susie Monahan, is very positive and represents a good model of what a nurse should be. Nurse Monahan took the time to sit with her patient and develop a rapport. This enables her to empathize with professor Bearing and anticipate her needs as well as comfort her during the difficult moments of treatment. Nurse Monahan educates Vivian of her rights. She explains to her about what a DNR is, which Vivian was unaware of, and that she can choose to have the order in place if she goes into cardiac arrest. In my opinion, nurse Monahan should have been more assertive, as she saw the rapid decline in Vivian’s health due to her aggressive treatment regimen. Vivian’s treatment was also being conducted for research purposes. It was apparent to her that her patient’s body could not withstand the full treatment. She mildly suggests a lower dose to Dr. Kelekian which he dismisses. As professor Bearing’s primary nurse, Monahan should have advocated more firmly on Vivian’s behalf to lower the dosage since she started to get adverse effects. The doctors viewed professor Bearing as a means to a medical breakthrough in cancer.  They had no consideration for her feeling and emotions, and this is one of the main aspect of her care that was troubling to her. At the end of the film, Dr. Jason reaffirms his main purpose which was to prolong his patient’s life solely for research purposes; however, nurse Monahan stood her grounds and ensure that her patient’s finial wish “Do Not Resuscitate” was carried out successfully.

 

Nursing Philosophy
For the past year, I have been working at Kings County hospital on the inpatient psychiatric unit. My experience in this area of has help shaped my current philosophy of nursing. As a new nurse, I had a clean slate when I started, and eventually I could rely on specific attributes required to do my job safely and effectively, with genuine compassion. The attributes that have framed my philosophy of what nursing is are: care, advocacy, patience and resilience.
Care
Caring for yourself is the most important part of this attribute. In order to care for others, we must first care for ourselves. This may involve, getting adequate sleep, maintaining a balanced, nutritious diet, keeping our body hydrated, exercising and performing effective relaxation techniques. We must also maintain physical and mental wellness. Caring for patients encompasses compassion, empathy, cultural competence and education. Compassion is taking the time to sympathize with patients, to hold their hand if needed or in some case to sit in silence. Empathy is the ability to place oneself in a patient’s situation and genuinely try to understand what they may be feeling. Cultural competence is understanding that all patients are not from the same culture, background or ethnicity, and with that, caring is patient specific. Education is a big part of caring for our patients because it is often overlooked. If we take the time to educate our patients on something as simple as the importance of maintaining their medication regimen, we can potentially minimize patient refusal. Often, it is the time taken to educate and not the education that’s done that leaves a greater impact on our patients.
Advocacy
Another important role that nurses must fulfill in patient care is advocating for their patients. This requires you to connect with your patient on an emotional level to be able to know if their needs are being met even if they are unable to verbalize it. In my area of nursing, I must advocate for patients’ safety by requesting physical therapy consult for patients who may need physical assistive devices such as walker, cane or simply gait training. Advocating for a room closer to the nursing station with a roommate for a suicidal patient or single room for a LGBT patient to preserve their dignity. I also advocate for resources that they may need such as a metro card, transportation, and ensuring proper placement for patient that may require a long-term facility through case management and social workers.
Patience
There is a popular saying, “Patience is a virtue”, and as a nurse, patience is a must. Not only being patient but also being tolerant. It is very important as a nurse because you may come across a rowdy or confused patient and maintaining a caring composure, remaining calm and responding efficiently can stop a situation from escalating. Therefore, nurses are expected to remain professional, always keep a neutral voice when communicating with patients and/or their families and being respectful and understanding to your patient. Typically, the work environment is fast paced where they may be a long list of tasks to be completed along with caring for your patients, so having patience aids a nurse in caring for their patients and managing the unit efficiently.
Resilience
Nursing is a very fulfilling and rewarding career. It is a job that requires a very caring heart as you are caring for patients when they are at a most vulnerable state. As rewarding as it is, there are times when it can be overwhelming. Whether it be a difficult patient or situation. There may be days you leave work feeling physically and emotionally drained. That is why it is imperative as a nurse to be resilient. To be able to bounce back in the face of adversity. To keep an optimistic attitude even when the situation seems grim. Our attitudes affect our reality more than we are aware of. Possessing the quality of resilience not only helps you to be a better nurse but also a stronger individual. 
Resume
JASON NELSON RN446 Alabama Ave, Brooklyn NY, 11207

(347) 893- 4921 Klenson2@yahoo.com

Dedicated team player with outstanding communication skills.

Dependable and adaptable

Superb collaborative skills.

OBJECTIVE

Dedicated Registered Nurse seeking to utilize experience providing quality and safe patient-centered care.

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Kings County Hospital, 451 Clarkson Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11203 2016 – Present

Registered Professional Nurse- Psychiatry (Emergency Room, Adult Inpatient, Maternal, Pediatrics/Adolescent, Chemical Dependency)

  • Provides direct quality care to patients including daily monitoring, recording and evaluating psychiatric & medical conditions.
  • Responds to numerous volatile situations and violent outbreaks, earning the respect of physicians and coworkers for calm, levelheaded and quick thinking to restore the safety and security of patients and staff.
  • Develops and implements treatment plans for patients with broad range of mental health issues.
  • Ensures that doctors’ orders are effectively carried out, including testing, assisting with medical procedures such as lumbar punctures, consultations and stat orders for restraints.
  • Accurately update clients written and electronic medical records in keeping with the facilities’ policy and in accordance to client’s right to privacy.
  • Administered medications, treatment, and procedures as prescribed with attention to accuracy, patient safety, and comfort.
  • Provide a safe therapeutic environment for patients and staff.
 

Advanced Care Staffing– 545 Broadway, 3rd floor Brooklyn NY 11206  (718) 305-6700 Registered Professional Nurse Rehabilitation Center

 9/14/2015 – 2/12017
  • Act as a charge nurse responsible for supervising 4 Certified Nursing Assistants on 42 beds sub acute unit.
  • Reviewed incidents of falls for trends and implemented new staffing schedule for the direct supervision of residents to reduce the risk of fall.
  • Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients’ conditions.
  • Maintain precise, comprehensive patient records.
  • Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate patient treatment regime.
  • Amend patient treatment regimen as indicated by patients’ responses and conditions.
  • Assess patients including planning, evaluating, and implementing appropriate care.

 

LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATION

Registered Professional Nurse, State of New York – License # 698950

Basic Life Support– American Heart Association

 

EDUCATION

New York City College of Technology – City University of New York

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

New York City College of Technology – City University of New York

Associate in Applied Science in Nursing

 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Member of the American Nurses Association