For Community Health Nursing clinical site I choose The Masaryk Towers. These residential homes are located at 77 Columbia St, New York, NY 10002. My partner and I worked with the older adult residents of Masaryk Towers. Our main focus for this community was cardiac and diabetes screening along with nutrition. I will be discussing my nine objectives that I had completed through out my clinical experience.
Objective 1: Demonstrates individual professionalism through personal behaviors and appearances.
During my clinical experience at Masaryk Towers I had achieved professionalism by my attire. I had always worn khakis of neutral color and I made sure that they were cleaned and pressed down the night before. I had made sure to always have either a clean blouse on or a clean, wrinkle free sweater depending on the weather and I made sure to have light makeup on with no dangly earrings.
Since I was assigned as the classes timer, I would make sure that we end the clinical class on time by reminding everyone to return to post conference at a certain time via text message. One of my other tasks was to remind the professor ten minutes before the class would end to rap up the lecture as well.
One other way that I demonstrated professionalism was by personal behavior. In order to maintain the confidentiality of the residents of Masaryk Towers I would ask them to sign in using only their initials instead of their full name. Once they were finished signing in I would flip over the clipboard to make sure that no one can see anyone’s personal information.
Objective 2: Employ analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills when providing care to individuals and families in the community setting.
My partner and I were both assigned to this building to participated in blood pressure, pulse and blood glucose screenings for the citizens that are living at Masaryk Towers. I interviewed many senior citizens and observed their cognitive, developmental, psychosocial and religious background. We only had about a hand full of people who were interested in getting their blood pressure and blood glucose checked. I was surprised by how very few of the residents who were diagnosed with hypertension and had high blood pressure at the time would not take their blood pressure medications. After I assessed a few of them I found out that half of them didn’t own a blood pressure cuff because they couldn’t afford one financially. I had advised them that there are people who can help them get one for example the building had a social worker, she was one source that could help them access one. I had advice them to get a manual blood pressure cuff since it does give the most accurate readings. I also mentioned to them when and where I would be every week so that they could come to me and I would teach them how to properly use a manual machine. At the time I was shocked at how little they knew about their diagnoses and about their risks of not taking their medications. This experience has taught me that we as nurses must always assess and keep digging and never stop. We must not assume that just because someone is diagnosed of something and that they have seen a physician that they automatically were educated on the importance of taking their medication or were informed of the complications of not taking their medications.
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.
During our post conferences at Masaryk Towers Prof. Mccullough and Ms. English would go around each group of paired partners and ask if any residents had come by to see them. My clinical partner and I would communicate about each and every resident that had come to us that day with our professors and classmates in a professional manner. We would wait until our professors had called us and if we had a question about anything we would raise our hands and wait to be called on. We gave each other the respect we each deserved by listening attentively while my professors and classmates were speaking. At the end of each clinical class I feel that I have made more and more progress in building relationships with some of the residents at building 77. A trust was build between the residents and my self. This is evident by them greeting me by my first name and them engaging in a conversation with me about their health.
Objective 4: Establish environment conducive to learning and use a plan for learners based on evidence-based practice.
Whenever I try teaching the residents over at Masaryk towers about their health and about how to maintain their blood pressure I use some form of animated drawing. I usually pull out my phone and google certain comorbidity such as hypertension. On the web I try to find pictures of the cardiac system so that I am able to explain better to the residents of Masaryk towers what exactly is going on with their body.
During this clinical semester my class was assigned to a teaching topic. In this teaching topic each pair of partners had to do a teaching in their buildings about it. My clinical group created visual boards, where they placed multi colored pictures and diagrams on topics such as: Zika, nutrition, Diabetes and Hypertension. Boards on cigarette smoking were also created to inform the residents of the dangers of smoking.
Objective 5: Utilize informational technology when managing individual and families in community.
For this community I utilized informational technology during my health teachings. I used my phone and my personal computer for translating certain words in Chinese and Cantonese. I also used my phone to look up certain medications that the residents were on that I was not familiar with.
Objective 6: Demonstrate a commitment to professional development.
In planning care for clients in the community settings of Masaryk Towers I used the appropriate references, based on EBP. In preparation to my clinical classes I was able to look up disease processes of the elderly in the population of Masaryk Towers. I used articles from nursing journals such as American Journal of Public Health, Evidence Based Nursing and textbooks from my previous courses in nursing school. During pre conference I would ask my professor on updates of the residences conditions and assess them again once I get to the building again.
Objective 7: Incorporate professional nursing standards and accountability into practice.
During my rotation at the Masaryk Towers, I maintained confidentiality due to HIPPA and made sure to follow their rules and regulations while I came in contact with each of the residents. I also made sure to carry out the code of ethics at Masaryk Towers and collaborated with other health care professionals such as nurses like Ms. English and the social worker Ms. Burger offering my knowledge as well as teaching in order to provide quality patient care. I complied with all the norms of security at Masaryk Towers, such as having my ID on me at all times, looking professional and keeping my lab coat on when in the grounds of the residential homes.
Objective 8: Collaborate with clients, significant support persons and members of the health care team.
During my clinical time I collaborated with health care professionals such as nurse, social workers and physical therapist. There were social workers that work closely with each senior to make sure they get proper health care, food and helping them apply to programs that might assist them financially. I was able to participate in long conversations with the residents of Masaryk Towers and address any of their concerns with my Professors.
Objective 9: Recognize the impact of economic, political, social, and demographic forces that affect the delivery of health care services
During my time at the Masaryk Towers, some of the concerns that I have noticed was high cost of living. Residents would complain on occasion that for them it has become difficult to pay for rent and at times utilities. I tried listening to their concerns and addressing it by having them referred to the social worker Ms. Michelle Burger. There are certain programs that are available for the residents of Masaryk Towers; if they are eligible they can access financial assistance.
Summary
In conclusion, I enjoyed my time at the Masaryk Towers because I got to meet many genuine people. I’ve worked collaboratively with all sorts of health care professionals and learned a lot about community health nursing. The residential homes are a completely different environment as oppose to the hospitals and I for one see how important of a task it is to have a nurse in the community especially for the elderly population.
