A Reflection on Course Competencies

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A Reflection on Course Competencies.

 

Describe how you achieved each course competency, including at least one example of new knowledge gained related to that competency.A Reflection on Course Competencies

Describe how this new knowledge will impact your nursing practice.

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Course Competencies

  1. Select appropriate nursing interventions for clients experiencing disorders that affect cell growth and replication.
  2. Identify disorders that influence fluid and electrolyte balance.
  3. Differentiate factors that affect acid-base balance.
  4. Explain care for clients with upper gastrointestinal diseases and disorders.
  5. Explain care for clients with lower gastrointestinal diseases and disorders.
  6. Describe nursing care for the client with endocrine disorders.A Reflection on Course Competencies

A Reflection on Course Competencies

This course has been very important for me in as far as understanding pathophysiological processes to disease is concerned. In completing the course, I acquired several competencies that will be very useful to me in my clinical practice as a professional nurse. In this paper, I discuss how I achieved each competency, the new knowledge I gained from the competency, and how this new knowledge may impact my clinical practice.

The Course Competencies

  1. Selection of appropriate nursing interventions for clients with disorders of cell growth and replication

This competency was concerned with neoplasms or abnormal cell growth and replication (Huether & McCance, 2017). In other words, this competency could only be achieved by studying the pathophysiology of cancers and how they can be managed by nursing interventions.A Reflection on Course Competencies I achieved this competency of understanding the appropriate nursing interventions for cancer patients by reading about the pathophysiology of different cancers as well as their staging. I also learnt how a client can be screened for the different cancers such as colorectal cancer. After this, I got to understand how I can make a nursing assessment followed by a nursing diagnosis (for instance, ‘susceptibility to pain due to pressure exerted on nearby nerve endings’). This then enabled me to know how to come up with appropriate nursing interventions which I would then put in the nursing care plan for implementation (such as administration of pain medications). The new knowledge I gained from this competency is that screening – a form of primary prevention – can help a lot in reducing the disease burden of cancer (such as Pap smear for carcinoma-in-situ). This knowledge will impact my clinical practice in that I will put more emphasis on screening for cancer for my patients. A Reflection on Course Competencies

  1. Identifying disorders of fluid and electrolyte balance

I achieved this competency by internalizing the pathophysiology of fluid and electrolyte balance in disorders in which fluid loss is present. This enabled me to know the disorders. These are disorders such as gastroenteritis. The new knowledge I gained from this competency is that fluid loss and electrolyte imbalance can be rapidly fatal in infants and toddlers (Emmett & Palmer, 2020). This knowledge will help me in my practice in that I will consider diarrhea in toddlers and infants as a high priority scenario.A Reflection on Course Competencies

  1. Differentiating factors affecting acid-base balance

I achieved this competency by making sure I understood how acid-base balance is maintained. I came to understand that the kidneys play an important part in this by regulating the ions in blood. I also understood that lack of oxygen can lead to acidosis and lower the blood pH (Huether & McCance, 2017). The new knowledge I gained from this competency is that a low blood and tissue pH slows down the action of metabolic enzymes. This knowledge will impact my practice in that I will consider cases of acid-base balance as emergencies.A Reflection on Course Competencies

  1. Caring for patients with upper gastrointestinal (GIT) disorders

I achieved this competency by reading and learning about upper GIT disorders. I also observed the care given to patients with upper GIT disorders. The new knowledge I gained from this is that the presentation of upper GIT disorders is different from that of lower GIT disorders. This will impact my practice in that I will come up with relevant nursing diagnoses and interventions for patients with upper GIT disorders.A Reflection on Course Competencies

  1. Caring for patients with lower GIT disorders

I also achieved this competency by reading about and observing patients with lower GIT disorders. The new knowledge I gained is that dietary manipulation can prevent and manage many of these disorders (Huether & McCance, 2017). This will help me to offer evidence-based interventions for these patients in my practice.A Reflection on Course Competencies

  1. Nursing care for patients with endocrine disorders

Finally, I achieved this competency by making sure I understood how endocrine disorders affect the patient physically, socially, intellectually, and psychologically. This enabled me to acquire the new knowledge that endocrine disorders can produce precocity or delay development. This knowledge will help me in practice in that I will better manage these patients through a holistic approach of also taking care of their emotional and psychological concerns. A Reflection on Course Competencies