As a nurse, few experiences are more rewarding than a patient or a patient’s family expressing heartfelt gratitude for the difference I have made in their lives. Moments like these are simple yet meaningful reminders of the impact my job has on members of our community and, ultimately, the health of our country and beyond. Seeing the growth and transformation of my dream to make a difference in the world through nursing is equally rewarding. I have had good and bad experiences with nursing. One of the good memories that I have about my nursing career is, in August of 2017, I took care of an 83 year old male who had a hip surgery, and developed an ilieus which was due to a complication after the surgery. This caused the patient to stay several extra days in the hospital. He called to be assisted to the bathroom. As I was assisting him to get out of bed, he had an explosion, and there was bowel movement everywhere. I grabbed a bath blanket to contain the explosion and then I walked him into the bathroom. Whilst he was sitting on the toilet to finish the bowel movement, I washed the bed down and changed all the sheets. I then informed him I would have to give him a shower because that is the only way to keep him clean, he agreed. I then gave this patient a hibiclens shower from head to toe. During this time, he asked “why did you become a nurse?” I told him my parents though I have a passion for caring for people; he then asked if my parents were alive, I told him my mother is
I sincerely believe that I accomplished my goals this week. I realized that I served 14 patients by combining the ability of knowledge, my attitude for excellence that I have consistently defeat the odds to become the very best Nurse practitioner; I can become. This clinical experience brings forth many opportunities and achievements. The most important experience this week; I had the ability to identify as primary healthcare provider a high risk need for the patient to be transferred to the Hospital for further evaluation without delay; due to complaints of “leg cold from the knee down to the feet”, which my evaluation was based on evidence practice knowledge of compassion and skill with the autonomy to practice, diagnose, and treat patients
As I grew, so too did my passion to learn all that I could about the profession and medicine. When I entered college I ecstatically enrolled in my first pre-nursing classes. I was more eager and inspired than ever before. One particular day stands out in my memory of my first year in college. Everyone, at some point or another, has one of those days. Life had caught up to me and I was feeling rather down. At lunch, I headed to the farthest corner of the lunchroom, wishing more than anything to be left alone. Then, what do I know? A young man comes sauntering up to my table and asks to join me. I wanted to ask him to leave, but instead, I smiled and replied with a quiet, “Of course”. We began to chat about ourselves and before I knew it, the clouds above me began to drift away. Kindness turned out to be exactly what I needed. After we said our goodbyes, I felt renewed and hopeful again all because of the unknowing kindness of a stranger. It's
She was an older lady who had just under gone major brain surgery months prior and had loss her speech. The very first day I began to care for Mrs. Smith she moaned and cried about everything because she couldn’t physically tell me what she wanted for breakfast or when or if she had passed a stool. So my job for the rest of my time caring for her was to figure out with out her telling me what was more comfortable for her and what she would prefer if she could tell me. By the end of my 6 days caring for Mrs. Smith there was not a moan or cry to be heard from her room. Not only did I find the best way to care for her and to provide the utmost amount of comfort for her during this difficult time; I made her smile. I not only physically cared for her; I showed Mrs. Smith that even though she was unable to express her thoughts and feelings, that they were still present and that they mattered. But through my experience caring for Mrs. Smith I wasn’t the only one teaching, Mrs. Smith taught me that it takes a certain type of person to be a nurse, and without patience and determination there is no progression. There is no doubt in my mind that I will not only be an asset to your nursing program itself, but to the nursing field in general. Becoming a nurse would not only be a professional success, but a personal success as well. Nursing is not a conscious choice that was cultivated by my pushy parents or a college advisor; it is who I am- it is my past,
For my Clinical experience, I was referred to one of community clinics run by nurse practitioners - yes, NPs- in Suffolk County in Long Island by my coworker. It is called “Nightingale Preventative Care.” I am working in the ER and at first, I thought this clinic would be a type of urgent care office which is a similar setting to the ER. I was totally wrong. For the past two weeks, this place has surprised me many ways and I learned about what the community clinic is alike to its neighbors. Patients can be seen by NPs by the appointment. However, it is located inside of K-mart and has many walk-in patients as well. Many patients who come to visit for their check-up have no medical insurance. Every Wednesday, a representative from Fidelis Care insurance company comes and provides information about Medicaid and Medicare service the company has. I really like to sit down with patients and assess about their medical histories and family histories which I cannot do often in the ER. I had a patient who was Hepatitis A Ab, Total positive Abnormal first day I work at the clinic. He didn’t understand what the test result meant and neither did I. I printed out an article from National Library of Medicine and went over with him. Patient’s education in the ER rarely happens from nurses. I felt great to listen what patients tried to lose their weight or quit smoking. I like to continue on developing skills on patient’s education and preventative care measure for patients.
Working with the nurse who cared for my ailing grand-aunt, was a life changing experience. I would assist with bathing, grooming and toileting as well as reading to my aunt a couple of her favorite mystery novels. Evening though my grand-aunt 's condition was irreversible, I felt at peace because her nurse made sure she was comfortable and her needs were met. The compassion, empathy, work ethics and support the nurse provided for my family and grand-aunt during this difficult time resonated with me, the nurse inspired me in so many ways and even encouraged me to pursue a profession in nursing.
As nurses we all bring our own values and beliefs to the job whether or not we intend to, it happens. I place large amounts of value on family and friends. These are the people you can call on for support. I know that without the support of my mom helping me with my kids and my house work there is no way I could be in the nursing program. Family is often a place when as children we learn and develop our values and beliefs. Giving this deeper thought I can see how this is true for myself. When working with B I would often think about what it would be like to be raised in an unstable environment by a mother who struggles with mental health and addictions. B was often placed in respite foster homes. I found myself thinking about what it would be like to sit down to meal with a strange family how awkward would he have felt. Building on this making connections with people is very important to me. Once I was able to build a connection with B I was able to work with him in a more cohesive way. Making that convection helps to build trust, positive relationships are built on trust. Being a good listener is a skill that I value as a nurse. Not only do I value being a good listener but I also value being heard. I value you a person 's ability to do what they say they are going to do. If you tell a patient that you will return to check in with them in 30 minutes than you need to be sure that you keep your word. When working with clients it is import to me to build on
My patient Mary Ramussen came to the clinic for dental hygiene services. She is a 66 year old lady taking several medications. All of her vitals were within normal limits at her visit. Vitals are very important to take because a patient may not have any symptoms. Medications can have many contraindications, adverse reactions, or an interaction with other medications. It is important to have knowledge of medications and how to avoid adverse reactions or toxicity. Some medications can interact with local anesthetic with vasoconstrictors and cause effects on the heart. Knowing all medications that a patient is taking is important for knowing what over-the-counter medications to recommend post treatment. Some medications
At 18, I was your average high school student. I participated in marching band, took a few advanced courses and enjoyed the fellowship of friends. A blooming teenager with high hopes of attending the University of Alabama at Birmingham to obtain my degree in nursing. However, the summer following my graduation, I discovered that I was pregnant. Understandably shocked by this unexpected circumstance, I placed my dreams of attending UAB on hold.
To save a life is an honorable feat by any means, but many do not have the education or the drive to do so. College students from around the United States flock to campuses in order to become a nurse, not understanding the hardship of obtaining any type of nursing license. In order for a student to be highly prepared to succeed in the degree, one must conduct research to fully understand how the nursing program works. If enough research is obtained a student can make a reasonable and sound decision on whether the degree will best fit the lifestyle that the student has. Nursing has a lot of information that students need to know in order to thrive in a nursing occupation.
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.
I once heard someone say, “Find something you love to do and you’ll always be successful.” If you want to be in a field where you are continually learning, nursing would be the top pick. This paper will reflect the journey I have taken from Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with the incorporation of my learning objectives from my clinical course.
Nursing students face many challenges due to their narrow scope of practice, and lack of experience and knowledge. This changes with the development and learning of values and beliefs, which shape the decision making in the nursing process. During my clinical nursing practice experience as a new nursing student, I have had amazing learning opportunities as well as situations that made me feel uncomfortable, powerless, and dependent on the assigned nurse. In this paper I will talk about one of my clinical experiences where I felt powerless, analyze it, and show how the sociopolitical inquiry and power dynamics come into play in my story.
“Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, It requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation, as any painter´s or sculptor´s work; for what is the having to do with dead canvas or dead marble, compared with having to do with the living body, the temple of God´s spirit? It is one of the Fine Arts: I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts.” Spoken by a true nurse, Florence Nightingale; a pioneer of nursing and a reformer of hospital sanitation methods.
As a student, I have become more aware of the needs of my community. I have always worked at being active in my community to help those in need. Most of my volunteer work revolved around collecting donations and lending a helping hand at shelters. My volunteer work did not usually involve an academic base. I was not concerned with the ins and outs of why homelessness was a problem or the difficulty women faced finding assistance to escape abusive relationships. I just knew the shelters were always in need of donations and that is where I found myself helping most. In this paper, I will describe a personal experience I have had with service learning. I will also select one service learning idea from the National Student Nurses’ Association planning guideline that interests me and describe how this type of experience will enhance my nursing student experience.
My nursing background is in women and children’s health care. As a clinician, I have practiced in acute and primary care settings. My professional interests include nursing genomics, nursing leadership, and new program development.