Cultural Competence in Nurses Working in Clinical Practice Essay Paper
Reflective Journal
Daily Objective: I intended to learn the management and, more so, interventions for various diseases encountered in the clinic. Specifically, I wanted to identify multiple theories, guiding principles, and rationales for choosing certain interventions for specific patients.
Clinical Objective: The clinical setting was a Naval Family Practice Clinic that attended to the veteran patient population, including active duty personnel, retired personnel, and their dependents. The patients seen were from all age groups, and the typical diseases treated at the clinic varied significantly, from chronic medical conditions to prevalent psychiatric and mental health diseases. Cultural Competence in Nurses Working in Clinical Practice Essay Paper
Patient Encounters: The notable patient encounter this week was a patient with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who had a massive meltdown in the clinic. Security of the staff members and other patients was the primary health concern. Luckily, security officers in the clinic came in handy to de-escalate the situation and ensure safety for all. The patient received sedative medication and was transferred to the emergency department and later out to a behavioral health facility for further treatment.
Challenges Faced: The main challenge was deescalating the acute psychotic episode demonstrated by the patient while ensuring all other patients and staff were kept safe.
Successes and Achievements: I applaud my ability to remain calm during the patient’s episode and procure essential medication for my patients from a nearby hospital, ensuring they had enough medication.
Applied knowledge: I was able to use the skills and knowledge regarding triage, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and prioritization of patients based on their needs to plan my patient care routine in the clinic. I attended to priority patients before those who were relatively stable or on follow-up visits.
Collaboration and Communication: I used communication tools such as Situation Background Assessment and Recommendation (SBAR) to communicate effectively with other healthcare team members, primarily when referring acute patients to the emergency department. However, I could use more practice using this tool to enhance the proper organization of pertinent information, which was missing in my reports.
Ethical and Cultural Considerations: Attending to African Americans who had pre-formed biases about their healthcare experience was challenging. I overcame this challenge by demonstrating inclusive healthcare that helped to put these community members at ease within the clinic.
Professional Development: I would like to advance my knowledge in psychiatry and mental health disease diagnosis and treatment, given the high prevalence rate of mental illness among retired naval veterans.
Feedback Received: One of the patients I attended to challenged me to teach my peers culturally competent and inclusive care. I intend to use this feedback to drive the application of all-inclusive healthcare within the facility, especially for racial, sexual, and gender minority groups. Cultural Competence in Nurses Working in Clinical Practice Essay Paper
Goals for Improvement:
To enhance understanding and universal practice of inclusive, culturally competent care in the clinic.
To demonstrate proficiency in patient reporting using the SBAR communication tool.
Overall Reflection: The overall clinical reflection challenged me to explore more mental health, especially in the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases among post-war survivors.
Action Plan: I intend to advance my psychiatric and mental health nursing knowledge by reviewing the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5), and engaging in continuous education videos and conferences on this topic.
Resources Consulted:
American Psychiatric Association (APA) (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition text revision (DSM-5-TR). American Psychiatric Association. https://www.mredscircleoftrust.com/storage/app/media/DSM%205%20TR.pdf
Cerveny, M., Kratochvilova, I., Hellerova, V., & Tothov, V. (2023). Methods of increasing cultural competence in nurses working in clinical practice: A scoping review of literature 2011-2021. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389%2Ffpsyg.2022.936181
Walkowska, A., Przymuszata, P., MarciniakStepak, P., Nowasadko, M., & Baum, E. (2023). Enhancing cross-cultural competence in medical and healthcare students using simulated patients – A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 2505. https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fijerph20032505
References
American Psychiatric Association (APA) (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition text revision (DSM-5-TR). American Psychiatric Association. https://www.mredscircleoftrust.com/storage/app/media/DSM%205%20TR.pdf
Cerveny, M., Kratochvilova, I., Hellerova, V., & Tothov, V. (2023). Methods of increasing cultural competence in nurses working in clinical practice: A scoping review of literature 2011-2021. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389%2Ffpsyg.2022.936181
Walkowska, A., Przymuszata, P., MarciniakStepak, P., Nowasadko, M., & Baum, E. (2023). Enhancing cross-cultural competence in medical and healthcare students using simulated patients – A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 2505. https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fijerph20032505 Cultural Competence in Nurses Working in Clinical Practice Essay Paper
Clinical Context
Thus the clinical experience was rich and varied at the Family Medicine Clinic of a military teaching hospital. As a clinic for the active-duty military personnel, dependents, and retirees, it provided me with the opportunity to see clients of all ages from pregnant women to the terminally ill. The diversity of the students was beneficial to my professional development and enabled me to accomplish the course objectives in the most efficient way.
Growth Throughout the Practicum
Indeed, while going through the practicum, I have realized that there has been a lot of growth both personally and professionally. In this course the following objectives were achieved through interaction with other people, group work, and practice.
CLO 1: Synthesize Science, Humanities, Evidence and Technology
In this case I was able to apply knowledge from different domains while practicing as an advanced practice nurse. For example, when I was in the cardiology unit, I applied theoretical knowledge, for example, the Frank-Starling law in order to address patients with cardiovascular disorders (Journal 2). This integration was pertinent in the formulation of care plans and quality as well as safeguard of the patients (WHO, 2021).
CLO2: Identification and Use of Current Research and Evidence
The practicum allowed me to integrate the current findings regarding the management of patients and create individualized treatment plans. Patient care of a patient diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome required implementation of knowledge and research findings such as administering nitroglycerin and preparing for possible angioplasty (Journal 2). They were used to adopt the best practices in the treatment of patients thus improving on the results of the treatments given to patients. Cultural Competence in Nurses Working in Clinical Practice Essay Paper
CLO3: Collaborative Interprofessional Relationships Promoting partnership was an important principle observed in my practicum. I used SBAR communication tool to report the statuses of the patients as a member of a multidisciplinary team (Journal 3). This aspect was especially apparent in the case of patients with one or more concurrent diseases, meaning that the corresponding work involved the coordinated efforts of multiple staff members.
CLO4: Using Available Evidence and Clinical Guidelines
In my practicum, I availed clinical guidelines and investigative approach to primary care all the time. With regard to a patient with poorly controlled diabetes, I adhered to the American Diabetes Association standards for optimizing the doses of insulin (Journal 4). This evidence-based approach that was followed in patient care made sure that not only was high quality, but also safe care being delivered (Engle et al., 2021).
CLO5: Communication Process in Referral and Consultation
Consultation and referral processes were important elements of my practicum since I learned how to comprehend and apply them. In interactions with the patients, especially those with multiple ailments, I collaborated with other practitioners and arranged for the right referrals (Journal 5). This was important as it was made sure that all patients would be attended to in a complete way and more to the specialized attention if the need arose.
CLO6: Teaching-Learning Strategies
Patient management plans called for effective teaching-learning procedures. In this aspect I ensured that patients understood their diseases and the recommended treatment plans by using simple English and the use of illustrations (Journal 3). This approach was central to the long-term diseases management as well as enhancing the patients’ self-management responsibilities. Cultural Competence in Nurses Working in Clinical Practice Essay Paper
CLO7: Responsibility for Training
As highlighted before, my adherence to the PDPP was evident in this practicum. I looked for feedback and had objective for self-improvement which included improving my written and spoken English and also gaining knowledge on the advanced diagnosing methods (Journal 2). This way of learning made me proactive in enhancing my practice and update myself of the current clinical practice.
Overall Reflection
The actual clinical go through in the Family Medicine Clinic was very impressive. It let me put the theoretical concepts into practice, work with people from different fields, and create individualized, evidence-based treatment plans. Caring for patients of different backgrounds allowed me to develop more interpersonal and culturally sensitive approaches to patients’ treatment (Larsen et al., 2021).
The practicum equally highlighted on the importance of communication and collaboration in the delivery of health care services (Zerden et al., 2021). It is essential to employ such tools as SBAR or attend interdisciplinary rounds to improve my approach to patients’ care. In addition, the experience also made me appreciate the importance of continuing education and upgrading of one’s skills.
Therefore, it can be concluded that in this practicum, I have attained all the competencies needed to be a competent Nurse Practitioner. It has promoted the appreciation of the issues involved in patient care and the use of research findings as a guide. I will look forward to furthering my career path having the knowledge and experiences that have been attained from this practicum. Cultural Competence in Nurses Working in Clinical Practice Essay Paper
References
Engle, R. L., Mohr, D. C., Holmes, S. K., Seibert, M. N., Afable, M., Leyson, J., & Meterko, M. (2021). Evidence-based practice and patient-centered care: doing both well. Health care management review, 46(3), 174-184. https://journals.lww.com/hcmrjournal/fulltext/2021/07000/Evidence_based_practice_and_patient_centered_care_.2.aspx
Larsen, R., Mangrio, E., & Persson, K. (2021). Interpersonal communication in transcultural nursing care in India: A descriptive qualitative study. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 32(4), 310-317. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1043659620920693
World Health Organization. (2021). Global patient safety action plan 2021-2030: towards eliminating avoidable harm in health care. World Health Organization. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=csZqEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=.+This+integration+was+pertinent+in+the+formulation+of+care+plans+and+quality+as+well+as+safeguard+of+the+patients.+&ots=xKSY4XflAx&sig=NlX0pE_INvXLMiAvogzSljRz2t0
Zerden, L. D. S., Jones, A., Day, S., & Lombardi, B. M. (2021). Interprofessional collaboration: An evaluation of social work students’ skills and experiences in integrated health care. Journal of Social Work Education, 57(4), 758-770. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10437797.2020.1743219
**use attached files to write Final Reflection. Clinical Objective
The context was the Family Medicine Clinic located in a military teaching hospital in a large military installation. Thus, the patients in the clinic were diverse, including active-duty military personnel, dependents, and retirees. The patient population ranged from the prenatal period up to the soothing stage of an individual’s life, meaning that the health needs of a population are diverse.**
Write a narrative about your growth throughout the practicum. Reflect back on the objectives of this course. How were you able to achieve these objectives through your practicum? Cultural Competence in Nurses Working in Clinical Practice Essay Paper
Course Objectives:
CLO1. Apply knowledge from the sciences, humanities, best evidence, and technological resources to support advanced practice nursing (PLO#1&5).
CLO2. Apply current research/evidence to develop a comprehensive plan of care for adults across the lifespan to ensure quality and safety (PLO#3&10).
CLO3. Foster collaborative interprofessional relationships to develop comprehensive management plans for common acute and chronic health problems of adults across the lifespan (PLO#2&10).
CLO4. Employ appropriate evidence, clinical guidelines, and clinical investigative skills to guide primary care for adults across the lifespan and improve health outcomes (PLO#4&10).
CLO5. Include consultation /referral processes in the management plan for adults across the lifespan within the complex healthcare systems (PLO#6, 7 &10).
CLO6. Utilize teaching-learning strategies to develop a patient-centered management plan for diverse populations utilizing sound ethical decision-making and information literacy (PLO#5&8).
CLO7. Demonstrate accountability for continual professional development (PLO#9).
Include your overall thoughts about your clinical experience and any relevant examples demonstrating the appropriate application of each objective. Cultural Competence in Nurses Working in Clinical Practice Essay Paper