A Final Analysis

Anna Read Barth

The experiences and opportunities I have been given throughout my time at Bon

Secours Memorial College of Nursing have allowed me to grow in my ability to critically

think through increased knowledge and mastering professional skill sets. I value the

Catholic healthcare system as a way to restore health, prevent disease, and promote

wellness. As a result, my practicum experiences have influenced new personal

philosophies to nursing, including family centered care and creating therapeutic nurse-

patient relationships. As a result, I am eager to continue incorporating these special

nursing practices into my professional care so I can be a positive influence in my

patients lives.

My passion to provide family centered care began during my first ICU

experience. I was taking care of a patient that was on a ventilator and had multiple drains

and lines connected to his body. He was admitted with sepsis and battling a gruesome

cancer diagnosis. He had a wife and daughter that spent hours in his room providing

simple comfort care and talking to doctors. The suffering I saw this family experience

influenced my new thoughts on patient care. Before this moment, I often thought in

simple terms. I always felt like the care I provide to the patient is more important that

anyone else in the situation. However, this viewpoint has changed. Now, I realize that

family centered care is the best approach because it allows for the supporting individuals

to express their concerns and receive resources they may need in order to heal too.

A therapeutic-nurse patient relationship is another important quality in the nursing

care I provide to my patients. I understand that you cannot only focus the nursing care on
the physical alignments. Instead, the medical team must pay attention to the mind and

spirit as well. Both of these components promote healing and should never be neglected.

A healthy mind increases the chances for a patient to have a better outcome after they

become ill too. When a patient is mentally stable, they are more receptive to patient

education and better able to care for themselves after discharge.

The extensive skills that I have learned during my time at the college have also

allowed me to become more confident in my nursing practice each semester. When I first

began clinicals in the acute care settings, I only felt competent enough to collect vital

signs and measure urine output in a foley bag. The next few semesters, my confidence in

administering medications increased, as well as my ability to document accurate

assessment findings. However, as I am about to complete my immersion hours I feel like

I have reached a level of confidence and competence that once seemed impossible. I am

able to draw up medications feeling relaxed and at ease. My time management skills are

much better and I am able to provide care for three to four patients without many

concerns. I remember the first time I received two patients in the clinical setting and I

was very stressed. I never thought I would reach a level that would allow my

professional nursing skills to adapt and improve this much.

While I continue to gain experience in the acute care setting, there are still aspects

of the nursing profession I need minimum to moderate assistance with though. One

example is my ability to put in a new IV and collect blood draws. I still struggle with

stabilizing veins that roll or advancing catheters into the veins once I see blood return.

I also have trouble with the new IV machines too. In the clinical setting, we did not

always get a lot of practice working with the old IV machines. However, that began to
change when I first started immersion. I became confident to complete this task on my

own and without any help from my preceptor. Now, the new IV machines make me feel

like I am taking a step back in my nursing care. I still need my preceptor to guide me

through the general steps, but she has assured me that this skill will continue to improve

over time. Sterile procedures are another aspect of nursing care I still struggle with. I

know the general steps and how to remain sterile. My biggest obstacle to this concern is

that I have received minimal exposure to these activities. As a result, it often requires me

more time to complete the task. At times these skills seem impossible and I find myself

discouraged. Fortunately, the encouragement and positive comments I have received on

my immersion unit have allowed me to stay motivated. Therefore, I am very eager to

continue watching my nursing skills develop through years of experience and unique

opportunities.