Practice Summary

Introduction

Practice Summary

NURS 403 – Transition from RN to BSN

Purpose of Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to guide the student through a process of self-reflection and self-evaluation to discover the scope of personal and professional development while enrolled in the RN>BSN nursing program at Old Dominion University. The assignment is designed to help prepare for the creation of the nursing Portfolio. The Practice Summary Paper is designed to demonstrate the attainment of the 8 core competencies in general. The Portfolio demonstrates the achievement of the Core Competencies through the attainment of specific elements with the Core Competencies.

Approach to Assignment

This assignment allowed me an opportunity to do some introspection on how the baccalaureate educational process has changed my nursing. I have taken several weeks going back over all the assignments, both big and small, reviewing and asking questions about how this assignment changed my perceptive or enlighten me. I looked at the eight core competencies in general, then compared my assignment to each one, identifying different ones within the process.

Reason for Inclusion

The process of reflect and examination of my career path as a nurse has given me a new focus and direction. I included this assignment to show how far I have come as a nurse and the impact my baccalaureates degree will have on my nursing care.

Critical Thinking

Engages in creative problem solving.

The assignment gave me an opportunity to review all the assignment throughout my baccalaureates degree and identify the best example of critical thinking to include in the Practice Summary Paper.

Nursing Practice

Applies appropriate knowledge of major health problems to guide nursing practice.

The example of my teaching project was used in the Practice Summary Paper as a bases for applying appropriate knowledge of major health problems to guide nursing practice. In my teaching project I identified fluid volume deficit or dehydration as a major health problem and applied appropriate nursing knowledge to improve the outcomes for the vulnerable patient population suffering from substance use disorder on the detox unit.

Communication

Uses therapeutic communication within the nurse-patient relationship.

I identified Dorothea E. Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory (SCDT) with respect to improved therapeutic communication within the nurse-patient relationship. By applying her theory of self-care deficit, I have been able to assist patients work through their own issues which are blocking them from achieving improved health with a new understanding and compassion.

Teaching

Provides teaching to patients and/or professionals about health care procedures and technologies in preparation for the following nursing or medical interventions.

In this Practice Summary Paper, I used the example of my teaching project. After completing my project on fluid volume deceit, I presented it to our DON. She was very interested in having me share my teaching assignment with the other nurses on staff. Several of them started using my teaching project with the patients and used the handout I created too. This collaboration lead to the improvement of patient outcomes and decreased the overall occurrence of fluid volume deficit and the number of patients being sent to the local emergency room due to dehydration.

Research

Applies research-based knowledge from nursing as the basis for culturally sensitive practice.

The baccalaureates education has given me numerous opportunities to do research. I have increased my knowledge base tremendously throughout this process of research. The example I used in the Practice Summary Paper is the research I did on the prison culture. As a nurse working with individual suffering from substance use disorders the prison culture has a large impact on this population. The prison culture has it’s own norms, language, religion, and impact on health.

Leadership

Assumes a leadership role within one’s scope of practice as a designer, manager, and coordinator of health care to meet the needs of populations.

I demonstrated a leadership role by writing to the Congressman regarding improved medication assisted treatment for substance use disorders and advocating for this vulnerable population.

Professionalism

Applies an ethical decision-making framework and legal guidelines to clinical situations that incorporate moral concepts, professional ethics, and advocacy for patient well-being and preferences.

I used the example of nursing theory to apply a framework for guidance in clinical situations. The Peplau’s nursing theory of Interpersonal Relations identifies the focuses on the nurse-patient relationship which promotes all three of these principles within the framework of decision making during clinical nursing practice.

Culture

Articulates an understanding of how human behavior is affected by culture, race, religion, gender, lifestyle and age.

The assignment which I believe best fits this description of culture is my web-country assignment. Through extensive research regarding China I gained to new understanding of the impact of culture on the health of the population.