Advanced Nurse Practice Reproductive Health Practicum Assignment Paper
JOURNAL ENTRY #1
To prepare:
Journal Entry #1 (450–500 words):
In your journal entry, answer the following questions:
Learning from Experiences
Communicating and Feedback
Respond to the following reflective questions:
Clinical Guideline Resources
PRAC 6552: Clinical Skills and Procedures Self-Assessment Form
FNP Students
Skill / Procedure | Confident (Can complete independently) | Mostly Confident (Can complete with supervision) | Beginning (Has performed with supervision or need supervision to feel confident) |
New (Has never performed or does not apply) |
Breast Examination | X | |||
Basic microscopy (yeast, BV) | X | |||
Obtaining vaginal culture | X | |||
HARK screening | X | |||
Contraceptive Options Advanced Nurse Practice Reproductive Health Practicum Assignment Paper | X | |||
Herpes Culture | X | |||
Pap Smear | X | |||
IUD Insertion and Removal | X | |||
Auscultation Fetal Heart Tones | X | |||
Fundal Height Assessment | X | |||
Pregnancy Testing | X | |||
EPPDS Screening | X | |||
Pelvic Exam | X | |||
Summary of strengths:
My experience as a labor and delivery nurse has given me the knowledge and experience to effectively conduct a full assessment in a pregnant patient, auscultate fetal heart tones and interpret results. As an advanced nurse practitioner student, I will use these skills to provide high quality and safe reproductive healthcare. Advanced Nurse Practice Reproductive Health Practicum Assignment Paper |
Opportunities for growth:
This practicum will provide me with a wide range of opportunities to improve my clinical skills. HARK screening, IUD Insertion and removal are skills that I need to improve. I am confident that I will acquire more knowledge by interacting with my preceptor during clinical. I will take preceptor’s corrections positively and implement them to enhance my clinical skills. Advanced Nurse Practice Reproductive Health Practicum Assignment Paper |
Now, write 3–4 possible goals and objectives for this practicum experience. Ensure that they follow the SMART Strategy, as described in the Learning Resources.
Goal 1: To learn how to conduct basic microscopy (yeast, BV) based on established guidelines. I will improve this skill by working closely with my preceptor during clinical practice. Basic microscopy is an essential procedure in reproductive health. Thus, I intend to independently conduct basic microscopy by the sixth week since
Goal 2: To conduct HARK screening based on a self-reported screening tool, representing various elements of IPV, including sexual, emotional, and physical abuse. I will enhance this skill by reading course materials and interacting with my peers during weekly discussions. HARK screening is essential in comprehensive screening of clients presented to the clinic with reproductive health issues. Therefore, I intend to independently conduct HARK screening by the end of the semester. Advanced Nurse Practice Reproductive Health Practicum Assignment Paper Goal 3: To advise clients about various contraceptive options and the benefits and shortcomings of each one of them based on clinical guidelines. I will enhance this skill by adhering to my preceptor’s advice concerning contraceptives. Contraceptive education is an essential aspect of reproductive health. Thus, by the end of the course, I intend to prescribe different contraceptives independently based on provided clinical guidelines by the end of the course. Goal 4: To conduct herpes culture based on established clinical guidelines. I will improve this skill by reading course materials and accompanying my preceptor while performing the procedure. I will take my preceptor’s corrections positively and implement them. Herpes culture is significant in diagnosing individuals presented to the clinic with symptoms of STDs. Thus, by the end of the clinical experience, I intend to independently conduct this procedure based on established clinical guidelines. Advanced Nurse Practice Reproductive Health Practicum Assignment Paper
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The first most challenging encounter was communication problems due to language differences. During my interaction with a patient of African origin, collecting relevant information and data from the patient was greatly hampered by the fact that the patient had limited English proficiency. Ansah and Klugah (2021) asserted that cross-cultural communication problems (include language differences, cultural differences, and low health literacy) may have a detrimental impact on the safety and quality of care offered to a patient who is not proficient in English. From this encounter, I learned the centrality of cultural competence in today’s multicultural environment, and how culturally-competent healthcare practitioners can enhance healthcare encounters with culturally-diverse patients and other underserved populations. Some of the resources available included a Swahili video translator. The evidence-based practice used for this patient was the use of lab test (urinalysis) to check for signs of infection and a comprehensive analysis of the patient’s history and physical examination. Some of the new skills I am learning include cultural intelligence and cultural competency (Cutler, 2018). In terms of what I would do differently, I will find proper ways to ensure effective cross-cultural communication with my patients and healthcare professionals as the basic starting point for providing high quality, safe and patient-centered care and support. Advanced Nurse Practice Reproductive Health Practicum Assignment Paper
Another challenging encounter was related to perinatal bereavement that occurred after a woman experienced involuntary or unintended loss of pregnancy. Pinkeney (2020) insisted that the provision of emotional support and patient-centered care to such patients is highly needed as the starting point to assisting the affected girls and women to deal with the emotions following the unfortunate demise of a fetus or a newborn infant. This experience taught me the greater need for delivering patient-centered care as the fundamental basis for making informed decisions aimed at improving quality of care, treatment choice and health outcomes. The resources that were available included performing ultrasound checks as well as surgical procedures (dilatation and curettage) as treatment options for an incomplete miscarriage. Tailored counseling sessions were also made available to assist the patient cope with the pregnancy loss. The evidence-based practice applied for this patient was a caring-based nurse home-visit intervention, and it essentially sought to offer a supportive and safe environment, reduce depression and anxiety through stress reduction capabilities, and manage infections (Davidson, 2018). The new skills I am learning included active listening skills, which enabled me to learn about the specific concerns and feelings of the patient, and information-seeking skills, which allowed me to gather and analyze information to aid in the clinical decision-making) (Pinkeney, 2020). What I would do differently would be to offer a compassionate care and support to the patient and loved ones and to maintain emotional resiliency as the basis for providing patient-centered care. Advanced Nurse Practice Reproductive Health Practicum Assignment Paper
Last but not least, I had an experience with a patient (a young mother) who sought to treatment for sexually-transmitted infections (gonorrhea and chlamydia). This particular case was complicated by the allegations that the husband had played a role in spreading the STIs due to his involvement in extra-marital affairs. Some of the available resources made available for this patient included medications for treatment of gonorrhea and chlamydia and a referral to talk to a counselor for STI counseling and education (Money, 2019). The evidence-based practice for this patient involved the use of evidence-based STI management and treatment guidelines. The new skills learned included counseling skills. What I would do differently touches on involving a duty to warn, through requiring the patient (woman) to be open and honest with the husband as far as the serious threat of harm is concerned following the known STI diagnosis (Rhodes, 2019).
Management of patient flow and volume was made possible by the scheduling plans by my preceptor. Improving my skills and knowledge would be made possible through continuous learning and turning the research into practice. So far, I am doing well as reflected by the positive feedback from my preceptor amidst the greater need to improve further through exploring the available opportunities for growth. Advanced Nurse Practice Reproductive Health Practicum Assignment Paper