My Reflection On My Nursing Journey

Compassion, commitment, courage; three words that I would associate with the role of being a nurse. By going into nursing I believe that I will be able to make a difference, even changing one life for the better is far more rewarding than anything I could ever imagine. I have always admired the role nurses play in the lives of so many, not only patients, but also the families of those in their care. I believe that it is essential for a nurse to be able to listen and communicate with not only their patients but also those around them.

I am a recent baccalaureate graduate of Charleston Southern University. I received my Bachelor of Science in Nursing in May of 2015. On June 20, 2015, I received my NCLEX-RN results and became a registered nurse in the state of South Carolina. After considering my options for a graduate program, I happily accepted my offer from Case Western Reserve University and moved to Cleveland to pursue my graduate studies. Over the course of my undergraduate career, theories were included in the curriculum but not in depth. It is for this reason that I am excited to partake in this course – to learn the foundational and applicable theories of the nursing profession.

My journey to nursing began with my personal healthcare experience, and has continued to evolve since entering the nursing program at State University. My personal philosophy of nursing is related my life experience and my personal philosophy of life. Using reflection-on-action, I have begun to understand the influences that have lead me to nursing. I discovered client and family centered care to be an important quality when I look at the influential nurses in my life. To develop a positive therapeutic nurse-client relationship, nurses must integrate all 5 dimensions of the therapeutic nurse-client relationship into their practice (CNO, 2006). When it comes to providing client-centered care, the dimensions of trust, empathy

Nursing is more than traveling room to room, patient to patient, to provide medical care. Nursing is about treating the patient with the utmost respect and compassion. It’s more than providing medical care, but supporting the patient and family. Being a nurse only requires a bachelor degree and a “RN” badge, however, a great nurse possesses that knowledge, along with determination, a positive attitude, compassion, and patience. I believe that I display these characteristics and have a true passion for helping others. Throughout high school, I always had an interest in the medical field and biology. In my junior year, I decided to enroll in the CNA course to pursue my passion for nursing early on. Through this class, I experienced moments of self discovery

On August 2015, I started the RN-BSN program with the Transition to Professional Nursing as my first course. I took one class at the time because I was working as a full time nurse at the same time. I did not take a break and started a new class each start date because I wanted to complete this program as soon as possible. The journey has been a long, hard road and the stress was constant and many times I felt that I could not complete it; it has been a difficult but very satisfying journey.

We live in a world where the human race seems to be disconnected. Nowadays it feels that there are not enough people helping each other. I don’t treat life like a competition I look at it and I ask myself how may I help? What may I do to make this world a more suitable place for all to live a comfortable and peaceful life? I yearn to come forward and fulfill my role and contribute to our society in any way possible. Nursing is my calling for helping others. It sounds cliché, this I know, but it’s what I desire and what I decided to do with my body, mind, and soul.

Nursing is an excellent career choice, where an individual acquires great gratitude while attending to others necessities. If someone is constantly trying to improve themselves and wanting to be challenged in life, “as nurses, we face tremendous challenges and often see and do things that are extraordinary” (Ulrich xix). By becoming a registered nurse the individual will make a difference. Nursing allows an individual to continuously be benefiting a fellow human being, not only with the patient but with their families as well, having the opportunity to becoming someone especial in the patient’s life. Nursing is a

The beginning of a new graduate nurses career rarely begins easily, there seems to be a distinct disconnect between the fantasy of what it means to be a nurse and the reality of bedside nursing. Nursing school seems to feed into this disconnection, in that it does not prepare the new graduate registered nurse (NGRN) for their professional practice. What nursing school does is give the NGRN the basics, a peak into what is to come. The NGRN has to find out for themselves what the true meaning of being a nurse is and if it fits their preconceived ideas.

The following essay is a reflective account on an event that I, a student nurse encountered whilst on my second clinical placement in my first year of study. The event took place in a Fountain Nursing Home in Granite City. I have chosen to give thought to the event described in this essay as I feel that it highlights the need for nurses to have effective communication skills especially when treating patients that are suffering with a mental illness. Upon arriving to the Nursing home for the second time on Thursday November 14,2013; assigned the same patient as before. On meeting my patient the first thing I noticed myself doing without even thinking about it was giving her a visual inspection. Before nursing school I never really looked at

What has surprised you? I think the most surprising thing about my nursing school journey has been how much I have grown and changed as a person in the past two years. I have become a much more assertive and direct person. I have a greater appreciation for the monotonous moments in my life and have learned how to not over think things and just to appreciate every moment and day for itself. Part of this group come about from clinical and part of it developed through my work experience as a nurse tech in the Emergency Department at Seattle Children’s Hospital. I personally have grown and learned a lot from the kids that I have worked with and its taught me the importance of slowing down and living in the moment. It’s also taught me that happiness is something that only you can determine. I feel that throughout all my clincials I have learned important life lessons from the people from every age and stage of life. All of these lessons have helped to shape me into a more compassionate, understanding, and better therapeutic communicator with my patients and have shaped my personal nursing practice.

Starting the Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelorette of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at Jacksonville University in June 2015 was a simple transition for me. I had graduated an Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN) program in December 2014 and became a licensed RN in January 2015. I had just gotten hired for my first nursing position the month prior to the start of class and had not yet started working. I was very much still in student mode. While this makes it a bit easier to learn and process information in a classroom setting, I had no real world experience to help guide me. Through the knowledge I have gained as a student at Jacksonville University I have become a competent and well-rounded nurse. I am able to quickly problem solve and utilize critical thinking to identify and rectify issues. I have even put together, and will be presenting, and presentation about nursing practice for staff members at the facility where I work.

This Friday, September 15th, I had my clinical observation experience in the ED. I was there from 7:00 am till noon, viewing the flow and duties of the nursing staff on the unit, as well as practicing the skills I have thus learned in school. Throughout most of the morning, I followed Jessica, who had been a nurse in the ER for ten years. It was an insightful experience that broadened my previously limited knowledge of the roles and experience of an emergency nurse.

Pearson (2013) clarifies “clinical decision making is essential to every aspect of care delivered to a patient” (p. 214). It is the ability to blend information and make decisions that will later be implemented in the situation. Evidence-based decision making involves choosing from a variety of possibilities and combining the knowledge through research and the scientific evaluation of one’s practice. The purpose of this paper is to analyze my decision of administering ativan by advocating for the patient and anticipating her change prior to confirming signs; which provided a therapeutic response.

Upon reflection of this assignment, I must refer to my personal journey as an RN to BSN student. Currently, there is an influx of nurses returning to school at the same time and none of us have graduated yet. During my journey as an RN to BSN I have learned that changes are not as easy to implement. In addition I have grown to appreciate that I can no longer make a statement, or ask why a change is being implemented. Furthermore I have developed a sense of appreciation to learning new policies and procedures. I have become more flexible. Prior to my RN to BSN program I had no desire to be apart of any nursing committees. Over time I have developed a sense of awareness as to time management and ways to decrease feelings of burnout.

I am striving to achieve professionalism and growth in roles and values while going through the bachelor’s degree in nursing program. I plan on taking each class one at a time, try to do my best, and gain the knowledge needed to grow in the nursing profession. By October 2010, I should obtain my bachelor’s degree in nursing, which will provide new opportunities, such as management, and educator positions. A bachelor’s degree in nursing will provide the opportunity to further my education to a master’s degree level.