Obtaining my Baccalaureate degree in Nursing was a great way to build on to the knowledge that I have gained throughout my associate degree. During my baccalaureate education I learned a lot about nursing that went beyond just the clinical aspect of the profession. In the Baccalaureate program I took classes such as Community Health Nursing, Leadership in the Management of Client Care, Nursing Research, Nursing Case Management, Professional Nursing Practice, and Comprehensive Client Care for Urban Health Issues. All these courses taught me something different about the nursing profession and the different areas that a nurse can work in. It opened my eyes to see that nursing is more than just patient care. I was able to grow as a nurse and learn new skills that will help me in my career. For example in my community health class I was able to be out in the community and learn about the issues that the individuals in that community face. It taught me that nurses are not just in the hospital setting. I also gained a better understanding of the health care system and the important role that nurses play in it. I was able to get insight on the administration side of nursing and the leadership roles that nurses can obtain. Through the writing assignments, group projects, and presentations I was able to further develop my communication and writing skills and it also gave me the opportunity to work effectively in a team. Nursing is a profession in which you never stop learning so continuing education is essential to further your career.
Throughout my education I gained a lot of knowledge about the nursing profession. I was able to develop my skills and gained individual strengths. One of theses strength is communication. As a nurse I have to find different ways to communicate with patients and coworkers. Communication is very important because you have to teach the patient as well as talk to other individuals involved in the patient’s care. You also have to work as a team and I think that working well with others is one of my strengths. Taking care of patients involves an interdisciplinary approach including nurses, doctors, social workers, etc. It is important as a nurse to be able to work well with other to provide the patient with the best possible care. Another strength I believe I have is that when I am unsure of something I always ask for assistance. No one knows everything so it is important to ask question especially when you don’t know something. Being open to new things is another strength because in healthcare there are always changes being made. New technologies are developed and new policies are created so it is important as a nurse to be up to date and open to these changes.
Attached below is a sample of a written assignment I wrote for my Professional Nursing Practice course.
As a nurse I will always uphold the values and ethnics that the profession strives to achieve. I believe my responsibility, as a nurse is to always advocate for my patients. I will take care of my patients as a whole and understand their physical, psychological, as well as emotional needs. I will not only provide care but I will also teach my patients what they need to learn so that they will be able to achieve a level of autonomy. I believe my obligations to the profession are to always maintain the necessary knowledge to provide the best care I can. As a nurse I will be nonjudgmental, patient, and caring to all my patients no matter their culture background, race, or condition.
Self-Reflection of Service Learning Project
In my community nursing class we were asked to do a service-learning project that reflected the needs of the community in which our clinical took place. My clinical was held at Our Lady of Refuge church in East Flatbush, New York. Our Lady of Refuge church provides the community with food from their food pantry to as many as 300 individuals weekly. Many of the individuals that came to Our Lady of Refuge are undocumented. As nurses we provide the people that go to the food pantry with blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) screening. As we performed the blood pressure screening I realized that many of the individuals had high blood pressure but they did no have health insurance due to being undocumented. This issue that faced the community was why my group and I decided to do a service-learning project about the health rights that undocumented individuals have.
Objective 1: Demonstrates individual professionalism through personal behaviors and appearance.
As a nurse it is very important to maintain the clients confidentiality. In the clinical setting this is no different. In order to maintain confidentiality the client were asked to sign a participant log for screening sheet. On this sheet the participants signed their names and on this sheet we also wrote their blood pressure result. However in order to maintain confidentiality I folded the section that had the result so that other clients couldn’t see it. I demonstrates professionalism by how I carried myself not just by my following the dress code but also by how I communicated with the clients as well as my fellow nurses. I always made use that I arrived at the clinical setting on time to help set up our station. I also completed all written assignment in the designed time frame, which included discussions and blogs, which enhanced my learning experience and allowed me to discuss topics with my fellow classmates.
Objective 2: Employ analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills when providing care to individuals and families in the community setting.
Critical thinking is a very important skill that nurses should have. When client came with high blood pressure as a nurse I always asked if they was normal for them, if they take blood pressure medication, and if they had taken the medication that morning. This was a way to further assess the client. When client showed symptoms of high blood pressure I made sure that the client was seated to prevent falls. In the clinical setting we didn’t provide care do we just informed the client that they should see their primary care provider.
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 clinical experience was a great way to develop communication skills. Being at Our Lady of Refuge every week allowed me to get to know certain individuals that volunteered as well as the individuals that went there for the food pantry. Providing the individuals in community with blood pressure screening allowed me as a nurse to teach the people about high blood pressure and provide them with interventions to lower it. This allowed me to build rapport with certain people. Since many individuals were from other countries many did not speak English which created an obstacle. As the nurse I had to find other ways to communicate such as showing them a diagraph of where their blood pressure was which was color coordinated to show when the pressure was good or too high. I also used other students that spoke to the same language as the client to help me communicate with that client.
Objective 4: Establish environment conducive to learning and use a plan for learners based on evidence-based practice.
This was a perfect setting to provide teaching for the clients. As a nurse I established an environment conducive of learning by spending time with the clients and providing them with information about high blood pressure and health care services they can use. Many clients went to the food pantry every week so I was able to see and ask the client how they were doing and if they did any of the intervention I provided them with.
Objective 5: Utilize informational technology when managing individuals and families in the community.
Technology is used to make documentation easier and to allow everyone involved in the client’s care to see the same information. In this clinical setting technology was not used. However, a sign sheet was used to obtain the client information as well as blood pressure and BMI results. As mentioned earlier this sheet was folded in half so that other clients did not see the results. By folding the sheet I was the only one that was allowed to see the result side keeping the clients result confidential.
Objective 6: Demonstrate a commitment to professional development.
As a nurse you have to make sure that the information you are providing your client is current and correct. Working in health care is a lifelong learning experience. As a nurse you never stop learning no matter how long you have been practicing. There is always something you can improve on and learn. It is important that when in doubt about something to seek help from fellow nurses or from your superior.
Objective 7: Incorporate professional nursing standards and accountability into practice.
As a nurse it is essential to know and utilize the American Nurses Association Standards. I made sure that I worked within my scope of practice at the clinical setting. I also made sure that the information I provided the client at was appropriate. Before I did anything to the client I always asked them if it was okay and I told them exactly what I was doing.
Objective 8: Collaborate with clients, significant support persons and members of the health care team.
Many of the individuals that went to the food pantry had high blood pressure however many were uninsured so as the nurse I provided them with health resources that they could use. I informed the client clinics that they can go to for help. I collaborated with the professor and my fellow classmates to find more information about what help uninsured individuals could get in Brooklyn. I also taught the client ways I which they can lower their blood pressure. I also informed the client the importance of taking their blood pressure medications daily as prescribed.
Objective 9: Recognize the impact of economic, political, social and demographic forces that affect the delivery of health care services.
Even though health care is something that everyone should have this is not always the case. In the clinical setting I saw first hand how being undocumented can affect the health care you are able to get. Many of the clients are undocumented and are scared to seek medical help enough when needed due to the fear of being deported. The health care system is all about being affordable, available, and accessible. Health care should be accessible to everyone that needs it.
In conclusion, this service-learning project gave me a new insight to the health care system. I was able to make a connection between what I learned in class to the clinical setting. It helped me reflect on my clinical experience and how much it helped me become a better nurse.
