Introduction: The purpose of this assignment is to provide a self-reflection narrative on how nine clinical objectives were fulfilled in clinical. The Clinical site was located at First steps SCO on 225 Newport Street, Brooklyn New York, 11212. Clinical took place at around 8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. This self-reflection narrative is also used as s Clinical Evaluation Tool with regard to the Service Learning Project. The self-reflection piece includes a summary as to how I perceived the clinical setting and experiences. This narrative also includes how I was able to personally grow as a nursing student in the clinical setting.
Objective 1:
Demonstrates individual professionalism through personal behaviors and appearance.
I believe that individual professionalism was maintained by various means. When I went to clinical, It was like going to work. All issues about the children were kept confidential. Any issues that addressed the children were shared among the people involved in the facility for a collaborative approach on promoting developmental growth for the child. This included the clinical professor, teachers of the children, the nurse, yoga instructor, or post conference. The purpose of sharing the information was for learning or improving the child’s development in the facility. I also was able to take responsibility for the work that was given to me. Through email I kept in constant contact with my group and did the research I was supposed to. While working alongside one of my classmates, I helped set up a power point presentation and took the initiative to educate parents about various issues such as the flu vaccine. For the most part, I was able to function and work alongside with the teachers to participate in educating the children and promoting their skills. I was able to grow personally throughout this clinical experience. I came to understand that clinical experience isn’t just experience; you really are working alongside a team to improve an actual community. Whatever you do actually matters for the lives of others.
Objective 2:
Employ analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills when providing
care to individuals and families in the community setting.
I felt that this objective was not achieved. This clinical site was not in the hospital but rather an educational facility. Care was much different in this environment. I did have the opportunity to look into the children’s chart’s an assess values on blood lead levels, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels as well. Any values that were off, I would notify the staff nurse. However there was no administration of medication. There was no opportunity to actually provide a physical assessment. However, we were to be aware of any behaviors, weight issues. If anything would arise, it would have to be addressed. Most of the time, I would participate with the children in various activities. A nursing process was not necessary in this clinical during this time. I can say that I personally grew in this clinical by learning as a nurse you need to extend yourself in other areas. Nursing is not just at the bedside and coming up with interventions. It is incorporating every part of the patient’s life and promoting the best quality of life for him or her. I was able to see community based nursing not about treating a disease, but promoting health that is physical, mental, and spiritual.
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
This objective was definitely achieved. Nothing was done in isolation but together as a group. This included the service learning project. With the help of my Clinical group I was able to fulfill this objective. I felt that I was able to learn about the different disciplinary members in the school. I learned how stress was decreased and activities were promoted to the children in the classrooms. We worked alongside different staff of first steps to get a better idea of how the children are being cared for in this environment. First steps SCO included a very diverse group of people, from the staff to even the clinical group Overall I believed it gave us a better understanding to see that every part of the child from nutrition to relaxation activities will impact the child’s development. I felt that therapeutic communication skills were in fact achieved when communicating with the parents. While presentations were given, I was able to sit down with a few parents and really establish trusting relationships with them. The parents really opened up to issues that they were dealing with. The more I sat down to listen to them, the more they felt comfortable sharing. The parents that shared their issues felt that there was someone who actually cared about them. Through this clinical I learn how important listening really is as part of communication. Many of the parents in the community feel that their problems are not being address. It is really amazing to see how people can really be impacted when you show them you care.
Objective 4: Establish environment conducive to learning and use a plan for learners based on evidence-based practice
I believe that this objective was also achieved. This is because of the facility we were already in. When I would go to my clinical site at First Steps, I would find it very easy to adjust into a learning environment since the facility was geared to learning. Educating parents was a main way that leadership skills were also being used. Teaching parents about prevention and health promotion is a way to show leadership skills because you are using knowledge and sharing what you know to the public. In a way one of the traits of a leader is to be a resource. People who follow leaders tend to see them as a person to learn from. This helped me understand that as a community nurse, I constantly need to research information and refresh my knowledge on particular issues arising in the community. The community needs to be relevant with what he or she knows about the problems of the community. This way, the community nurse could lead the community with solutions and interventions that will change and improve the community. When I need to gather information for my presentation on the flu vaccine, I had to look up new information that I would be able to share with those I would discuss the flu vaccine. I felt I had the opportunity to be a resource to the parents and provide information that would help guide their decision making.
Objective 5: Utilize informational technology when managing individual and families in
the community.
I felt that this objective was actually achieved and successful. Both technology and communication were very important to the clinical site experience. My clinical group had to be in constant contact with one another including the teachers we were working with through electronic means. The clinical site was located in an educational facility. There were different presentations that were brought to the attention of the parents. I believe this is the way communication was achieved. Technology was used to do research on particular needs of the community, and prepare power points, flyers and pamphlets based on those needs. Our material was distributed among the parents who came to drop their children off for class. This was another way communication was used. During the presentations, parents were encouraged to asked questions to get more knowledge which would help them make decisions on their child’s healthcare. I felt that taking this clinical has given me a better ability to communicate with parents and understand their needs and feelings. I was able to really put myself in the parents’ shoes to see what they are going with in everyday life. I was able to grow personally by seeing how important technology really is to society. Technology has everything we need. All knowledge can be at the tip of our fingers. In today’s society research and technology go hand in hand. Research is constantly changing as technology advances as well.
Objective 6. Demonstrate a commitment to professional development
I believe that I was able to achieve objective 6. Throughout my clinical experience this semester, I can say that I was able to stay committed to professional development. I felt that the purpose of this clinical site was to improve the health of the population by taking certain initiatives such as planning and setting up outpatient clinics directed to the needs of the population. When my clinical group gave presentations, we also distributed various reading material that was geared in a way to the parent’s understanding. Post conference allowed us to discuss how we participated in clinical. Post conference helped each one of us self –reflect on ways that we could improve in certain situations that arose in this particular community setting. I felt that this was a clinical geared to partner with the community facing different challenges. Because of this clinical site, I was able to grow by constantly being put in situations and gaining a different experience. This clinical setting is completely different to what I am use to. I was able to grow since this was a new environment and I was very open to learning and building character working alongside children.
Objective 7. Incorporate professional nursing standards and accountability into practice
I do believe that objective 7 was achieved to some degree. There were certain standards that were incorporated to the community setting. I feel that it was very difficult in this setting to see other nursing standards coming into place. As a Registered Nurse in my clinical, I was able to use my skills to assess the children for any developmental, physical, psychological, or growth issues. Because I was not in the scope of practice that gave me authority to do anything other than what I can do as a nursing student, I did collaborate with both my clinical instructor and the nurse on site. This helped them become aware of issues that arose in the facility. I felt that each person in my clinical group did not work in isolation but together. We all were able to utilize the resources around us to promote a better quality of life for the community. I was able to personally grow by learning, as a nurse you are always assessing situations and people everywhere you go. Nursing is everywhere and you are never working alone.
Objective 8.Collaborate with clients, significant support persons and members of the
health care team
This objective was definitely achieved among the whole clinical group. While participating in this clinical, I realized nothing was done in isolation. Each classmate of mine including myself would partner alongside the teachers of a particular classroom and focus on improving the skills of the children. Our Clinical group even worked together as a team. This would include when each of us had a particular role assigned for our projects and presentations. If our plan would be successful, clinics would have been set up across the street. Therefore, health care facilities would be supplied to a community that lacks them. While collaborating alongside these teachers, I was able to see one year old children eat feed themselves, improve in gross motor skills with activities in a small gym designed for them, participate in dancing and stretching with assistance, being able to paint, and etc. However if a child missed any days of school, he or she would easily regress to previous behaviors. We would have to constantly collaborate with the children and promote the skills they learned, so that they could move forward. This would be a problem because the child would have to relearn skills in order to go forward with his or her growth development. I was also able to collaborate with the parents involved in the care of their children. Throughout the presentations, parents would discuss other issues going on in their lives. I had the opportunity to listen and collaborate with my professor by making her aware of the issues occurring. I was able to grow personally by learning that you never work alone. Everything you do affects the people you work with. You are always contributing to a team.
Objective 9. Recognize the impact of economic, political, social and demographic forces
that affect the delivery of health care services
I felt that this objective was not achieved while putting together the service learning project. While conducting research for the service learning project, it was discovered that there were gaps in the health care system for this community because of the lack of access. Brownsville’s community was in desperate need of health care access due to their high population of asthma and diabetes. The clinical group was able to focus on a plan that consisted on setting up outpatient facilities across the street that would hopefully become part of the New York City College School of Technology campus. Our group was able to work with one another to achieve that plan. If the outpatient facility would have been established, a change agent would have been produced in the community that helped care for the needs of treating asthma and diabetes. I felt that because our clinical group was not able to get the facilities, the objective was not successful. I felt as a group we were not able to improve the economic, political, social and demographics forces. However, I was able to grow by learning never to give up despite the situations that arise. If you have a goal, don’t stop but continue to pursue it, even when there are set backs.
Summary: To summarize this narrative, I am able to say that my clinical experience was a success. The only problem I had was the fact that there were various delays that arose. These delays took time out in which I was not able to be brought into the classrooms sooner. Overall, I was able to enjoy every moment working alongside these teachers to help promote learning for the children. From coloring with children, reading to them, and playing with these kids to help promote their gross motor school, I can say I will really miss participating in this clinical site later on in life. It has helped me to understand why preparing children at a young age helps them to learn quicker in life and to become more successful. I also learned that regardless of a child’s background, promoting a supporting environment at a younger age can help a child grow developmentally.
