Fall 2012:
Nurs20010: Interpersonal and Communication Skills for Healthcare Professionals
Competencies: Electronic communication, APA style writing, ATI learning modules, presenting information to an audience
Personal Reflection: This course gave me the confidence to teach a class, enlightening me with the fact that I do have what it takes to be a teacher, despite my astounding doubts. I also learned to write in APA format required for all fields of healthcare.
Nurs20020: Foundations of Assessment and Communication in Nursing
Competencies: Full head to toe assessment, vital sign assessment, awareness of physical disease manifestations, nursing techniques and documentation, patient/family teaching, evidence based practice, safe medication administration
Personal Reflection: Through the teachings of this lecture as well as the hands on approach of the simulation lab, I gained confidence in performing assessments, both verbal and physical, as well as deciphering between the presence of normal vs. abnormal manifestations. I also became comfortable with patient/family teaching as well as incorporating evidence based practice (EBP) into every aspect of nursing care.
Spring 2013:
Nurs20030: Foundations of Nursing Intervention
Competencies: Subcutaneous & intramuscular injection administration, oxygen administration per nasal cannula, basic hygienic measures, accurate medication dosage configuration and administration, Foley catheter insertion and maintenance, ostomy care/irrigation, enteric tube feeding, enema administration, IV flow rate calculation, wound care & irrigation, sterile & non-sterile dressing changes, safe patient handling
Patient Teaching: During my clinical rotation at Mercy Medical Center, there were many times of patient education, but my personal favorite was instructing a patient to maintain a regular schedule of antihypertensive medication administration in order to keep blood pressure from rising too high, possibly causing devastating effects. Teaching effectiveness was measured by the patient's response to my instructions, which indicated positive motivation to initiate a regular schedule of medication administration.
Evidence Based Practice: Current and up-to-date evidence based practice promotes optimal health management as well as quality nursing care. An example of this in my practice is the use of incentive spirometry after surgery to facilitate lung expansion, further promoting optimal respiration and preventing complications such as pneumonia.
Personal Reflection: This course provided me with profound confidence through its hands-on approach, allowing me to put into practice the skills and interventions taught throughout nursing school. It also allowed me to experience a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the diverse responsibilities nursing requires.
Nurs30050: Basic Nursing Informatics
Competencies: Computer competency, electronic documentation, development of patient education materials, telehealth knowledge, patient care technology
Personal Reflection: This course provided me with enhanced computer skills required for nursing practice in the twenty-first century, where technology only continues to increase in complexity. I also learned electronic documentation and was enlightened with the diverse options complex technology provides.
Nurs30060: Basic Pharmacology for Nursing Practice
Competencies: Safe medication administration, pharmacological interventions and implications, drug compatibility, understanding of nursing process regarding medication administration and subsequent evaluation, patient/family teaching
Personal Reflection: Through the in-depth teachings of this class, I became increasingly comfortable with distinguishing between the many different drug classifications which further enhanced my clinical practice by fostering safe medication administration. I also learned to assess for medication incompatibilities, monitor for side effects and which body systems to focus on after/before administering a certain medication.
