Professional Portfolio Continuation NFDN 2003

Competency number,
letter and
subcategory

Category: E Nursing Practice

E-6 Nutrition/Hydration
Subcategory: E-6-1 - This subcategory focuses on varying routes to
address and fulfill the patients nutrition and hydration
needs.

A learning experience
in this course and
example related to
this competency

A learning experience in NFDN 2003 that focuses on this competency

is attending the lab that focused on inserting and maintaining a
nasogastric tube. In class I learned how to insert a tube and how to take
care of it while ensuring the ins and outs of the patient were equal and
adequate nutrition and/or hydration was met. This relates to the
competency because it is one way to maintain hydration or nutrition
based on the doctors orders and intention of the patients nasogastric
tube.

Description of what I
learned and how it
relates to this
competency. Why was
it meaningful?

I found that this experience was important because for a patient to

become healthy again they need adequate fluids and nutrition to help
maintain the homeostasis of the body. It also ensures the patient is
getting their electrolytes (especially magnesium, potassium and
sodium) to help maintain the health of the patient and ensure the
quickest recovery possible.

Use the proficiency

categories to rate my
proficiency in this
competency.
Explanation of how I
achieved this number

On the proficiency scale I would grade myself at the good category. I

believe I am at this level because I have a good grasp on the
importance of balanced and adequate nutrition/hydration as well as
what to look for/notice when requirements are not met or are too much
such as lab values, signs and symptoms like poor skin turgor, fatigue
and weight loss or gain etc. However, I am still learning and as a
student nurse not everything is concrete in my head.

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How I will use this

knowledge and
experience will be
used in current and
future nursing
practices

In current nursing practice I will use this knowledge and experiences to

be able to identify any imbalanced nutrition and or hydration. I will
recognize signs and symptoms of both inadequate or over hydration
and/or nutrition. I will also be aware of ways to maintain adequate
hydration and nutrition.
In the future I will adapt ways of maintaining and monitoring nutrition
and hydration if any changes do come or as to different agency
policies. I will also learn new ways to maintain and adapt to the
nutrition needs of the baby, child, adult, elderly depending on the
facility I am working at. I will have the knowledge and ability to
maintain nutrition and hydration but throughout medical changes,
discoveries and modernizations I will adapt and learn with the time.