Developing Educational and Professional Goals
Introduction
Developing Educational and Professional Goals
NURS 401 – Professional Development
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Purpose of Assignment
The purpose of this paper is to enable the student to reflect upon and exam his or her career path in nursing, from the time they entered their first nursing education program until now, in order to formulate educational and professional goals that will be the focus of their learning in this BSN program.
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Approach to Assignment
I approached this assignment by looking back at what brought me to nursing in the first place. This assignment allowed me an opportunity to evaluate what direction I would like my career to move and all the different transitions of my nursing career which brought me to this point.
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Reason for Inclusion
I have included this assignment to give the reader a chance to see the whole picture of my experiences and the work I have done within my education as a nurse.
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Critical Thinking
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Uses decision-making skills in making clinical or professional judgments.
As this assignment demonstrates I have made several professional decisions bases on clinical environment and experiences which has developed my education and career as a nurse. Each step of my career from certificated nursing assistant (CNA), to licensed practical nurse (LPN), to associates degreed registered nurse (RN) and now to baccalaureate degreed nurse has been based on clinical decision-making and professional judgement to continue my growth as a nurse. At each level of my training and education gave me a new clinical view of how the next level of education would ultimate help improve the lives of others.
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Professionalism
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Demonstrates accountably for one’s own professional practice as well as limits to one’s own scope of practice.
Throughout my nursing career one of the main principles of importance has been understanding scope of practice. As I have moved through the ranks from CNA, LPN, and RN each level allowed me an opportunity to learn more about the scope of practice which governed my licensure. It has been imperative for me to understand the Nurse Practice Act and how to apply it to nursing. As a medication aide trainer, I have taught others about the importance of understanding their own scope of practice. Knowing where the boundaries begin, and end is one of the most important aspects of being allowed to practice as a nursing.