Perspective+Transformation+Survey

West 4840 Perspective Transformation Survey SECTION I – NURSING ROLES ROLE: Provider of Care A//. Development as an Advocate// As a provider of care numerous activities throughout the EARN program enhanced this writer’s development as a patient advocate. The teaching plan on the nursing process and care planning was an invaluable tool to help the writer realize the significance of prioritizing on behalf of the patient and including the patient and his support members in planning care. While working on this assignment the writer came to realize how important it is to include not only the physical, but also the spiritual and psychosocial aspects of the patient in planning care. The teaching plan assignment also reinforced the need for this writer to provide client education. The reflective exercise assessing personal responses to transcultural nursing situations aided writer in evaluating circumstances from a different cultural perspective. The life review paper helped this writer to understand and respect life perspectives from another person’s view. The two critical practice appraisals helped the writer recognize the point in time a situation becomes significant. The technology/clinical skills update made the writer aware of the importance of becoming fluent with available technology in order to provide proficient care. The Self Awareness Tools allowed the writer to realize where her strengths lie and areas where the writer has room for improvement. Through the self assessment tools in Transitions I the writer was able to recognize areas of weakness in clinical judgment and professionalism. The writer’s appreciation for individuals was enhanced through completion of threaded discussion #3 in course 4820.

B. //Educator// The educator role in nursing is an area in which the writer has discovered she needs improvement. Although it was beneficial for the writer to work with classmates on our “Be Heart Healthy” teaching project this semester, the writer realizes she is not yet comfortable disseminating information to unknown groups. As with this and other activities the writer will improve with experience. The junior class health teaching project has provided a format for this writer to become more comfortable with teaching/guiding students. Learning the advances in technology such as Telehealth and discovering new areas of nursing based on technology such as nursing informatics through the readings in our texts was and is invaluable to this writer. The writer has integrated the role of leadership into her practice as a professional nurse by taking the opportunity to teach others during care giving to help increase their knowledge which gives a sense of empowerment and allows for better patient care. Opportunities have also arisen to educate co-workers about clients from different cultures.

 ROLE: Designer/Manager/Coordinator of Care A. //Health Care Team Member// Leadership skills were enhanced through the reading of //Gung Ho//! and //Who Moved My Cheese//? These readings helped the writer to understand personalities of individuals, what motivates them, and to determine if the individual is capable of being motivated. Learning the characteristics of leaders and followers and the development of teams through power point presentation and text readings aided this writer’s understanding of teamwork. During evidence based practice peer evaluations the writer learned to discern fellow team members’ strengths. The strategies for handling conflict Self Awareness Tool brought to light the writer’s style of conflict management which has been to date fairly reliable. This writer learned during the composition of the change proposal-collaboration paper the truth in Lewin’s Change Theory which indicates most change is motivated by discomfort or dissatisfaction. Through the analysis of personal beliefs the writer was able to determine the basis of her managerial style. The leadership moment assignment enforced the writer’s awareness of her leadership abilities. During the PICO evidence based practice assignment and many other group assignments the writer became more fluent in team collaboration and in the critical role of effective communication. This importance of communication and collaboration was also enhanced through the evidence-based practice discussion with preceptor. The writer learned volumes about teamwork and effective leadership through the modules in the Leadership and Management course. The writer includes collaboration daily as a key component in furthering clients’ welfare. Improvement in the area of delegation is needed however this will improve as the writer becomes acclimated to her new position. The writer has no problem in the area of autonomy. In the writer’s professional role she must be able and usually does an effective job of interdepartmental communication. This ability is crucial to maintain the flow of care.

B. //Information Manager// The writer’s role as an information manager was enhanced by the community resource project, the healthcare information database power point assignment, and the module on vulnerable populations. The geriatric community assessment assignment made it possible for the writer to dissect a community and to determine unmet needs and identify possible resources. Additional client resources were identified through the community resource spreadsheet assignment. Information regarding organizational risk management and quality improvement was noted in modules from the Leadership and Management course. The evidence-based practice PICO assignment allowed the writer to learn how to obtain research information. During this assignment the writer also learned to interpret information and discern the relevance of the information gained. Through these activities and numerous others the writer has gained skills necessary to disseminate information eloquently whether it is in written or oral form.

ROLE: Member of a Profession A. //Professional Practitioner// During assumption hunting activities the writer became more acutely aware of the need for effective communication and the ability to discern exactly what a person is saying. The writer gained understanding of professional conflict through completing the disorienting dilemma assignment. Throughout the EARN program the writer has been aware of becoming a more polished practitioner. The Self Awareness Tools helped the writer to discern her strengths and areas of her professionalism which could use polishing.

B. //Value Seeker// The writer’s growth regarding ethics was enhanced by completing the legal and ethical issues module. Module 6 in Leadership and Management provided an increase in understanding in the areas of risk management and improving quality of care. Identification of the writer’s values at the beginning of the EARN program and re-evaluation of nursing values in this semester helped the writer to understand that one’s values can change through the acquisition of knowledge.

C. //Political Leader// Modules on the legislative process and policymaking process were invaluable tools in aiding this writer’s understanding of nursing politics. Learning activities enhancing this writer’s role as an advocate included participating in Nurses Day at the Capitol, corresponding in support of SB 234 and HB 398 and receiving replies from our house speaker and senator, listening to Genell Lee and Charlene Roberson during class, participating in asynchronous discussions with classmates, participating in the major team project debate, reading educational material in our textbooks, improving on computer skills and writing the formal research paper.  D. //Life-Long Learner// The writer was able to recognize aspects of her nursing which could use improvement during the reflective clinical journal assignment. This assignment also shed light on the intricacies of a medical organization. The self-awareness tool on cognitive style afforded the writer a better understanding of how she learns. Through the self care plan this writer learned she does not take adequate care of self. The module on environmental health issues contained invaluable information regarding factors affecting individual and community health. The module on global health tuned the writer in to health issues outside of the United States. The Unnatural Causes blogs helped the writer to understand the need for continuing education in order to stay abreast of critical developments affecting population health. This writer’s administrator is forward-thinking and believes that being competitive in the long term care/rehab field is key to remaining a viable entity. She has approached the writer and another co-worker about learning Spanish through Rosetta Stone in order to be able to serve the Spanish-speaking population which is becoming ever more prevalent in our community.

SECTION II - PROFESSIONAL VALUES // Caring // Writing the definition of caring, devising the self-care plan, completing the nursing theory assignment and reviewing the best-worst decision-making situations helped to cement the value of caring in this writer. The writer maintains that if every person, client or situation is approached with a caring heart, outcomes will be better. The writer tries to understand others’ situations and circumstances before disciplining support personnel. When speaking with a nurse assistant who has incurred several absences the writer takes into account this person has a child who has been very ill and the assistant’s support system is weak. The personnel director and this writer then collaborated with the nurse assistant to determine other means of support/relief not yet realized. Care is not only directed towards our patients and their families but must be given to our co-workers, visitors and to all others we come in contact with. // Altruism // The writer’s understanding of altruism was greatly enhanced by the film and blog on Unnatural Causes. The life review paper, biogenogram and ecomap assignments helped this writer to see things from another’s perspective. An appreciation of others’ circumstances and culture was gained through completing the global health module. During discussion and evaluation of the preceptor, the writer’s perception on the importance of being a mentor was improved. There is an art to giving which this writer believes can be learned if the desire is there. This writer describes a patient’s circumstances to staff who may not fully understand how we, as caregivers, can impact the patient’s outcome. There have also been times when a co-worker has shared knowledge the writer was previously unaware of which greatly improved the writer’s ability to care for the patient. // Autonomy // As a nurse the writer must be able to “think on her feet”, or be capable of making sound decisions quickly. The self awareness tools substantiated the writer’s capacity to do so when collaboration with others is not possible. During a code situation the writer had to quickly assess the resident, begin CPR and delegate necessary tasks to others. This was not a time for casual collaboration but required the ability to do what was needed and do it efficiently. // Human Dignity // The writer must again cite the life review paper as an important tool helping the writer to gain understanding of another person’s insights and wishes. The nurse must carry out a patient’s decisions (if the patient is capable of making them or has a living will) within the scope of her practice. The patient’s rights must come before the desires of the organization, the physician or even family members if their wishes do not coincide with those of the patient. The writer’s understanding of other cultures was increased by completing the reflective exercise assessing personal responses to transcultural nursing situations. While working part time at a local hospital the writer had a patient who was schizophrenic and had taken an overdose of her medicine. The patient’s husband who was working in another state called to check on her. The writer had no way of knowing whether the person calling was the patient’s husband or not. The patient informed the writer she did not want her husband to know anything. In regards to HIPAA, the writer did not tell the man anything and tried to explain the HIPAA guidelines to him. He later called the writer’s supervisor with a complaint against the writer. // Integrity // The self assessment exercises aided the writer by confirming her abilities to make sound clinical judgments and fair leadership decisions. By reading //Gung Ho!// the impact of treating persons with respect and empowering people was realized. Throughout everyday the writer seeks to instill confidence in co-workers, residents and family members by remaining trustworthy. // Social Justice // Discrimination and health care disparities were prevalent in the Unnatural Causes documentary series. The team debate was informative as to the direction this country’s health care system is taking and brought to light areas requiring further discussion to find acceptable solutions. Again, the writer can not stress the impact Nurses Day at the Capitol, Richard Brown’s speech on the legislative process and the presentation by Genell Lee had on this writer’s understanding of the political power nurses must use to affect change.

COMMENTS: Ultimately we are each responsible for our own destiny. There are people and experiences along the way which help shape the “ever-evolving” individual. Some experiences make a greater impact on a person than others. The writer will be ever grateful to her instructors in the EARN program. The EARN experience has not only provided the writer with knowledge but has given the writer the tools to access knowledge for the future. As the writer has stated before, the EARN instructors have inspired this writer to aspire. Perhaps the writer will be blessed to be able to continue on to graduate school.