The medication reconciliation assignment opened my eyes to one of the many roles of a nurse. Nurses are responsible for ensuring patients are familiar with their treatment plan, comfortable with administering their medications and know the risks associated with the medications they are prescribed or use over-the-counter. Therapeutic communication is an excellent way to hear patient’s concerns, make suggestions and provide necessary interventions to provide high quality care. Fortunately, the patient I used for the medication reconciliation was very competent in their medication administration, but this may not be the case for every patient I will encounter during my nursing career. My patient is an incredible self-advocate and has spent many years working with their provider to craft the regimen that makes the most sense for them that yields the best results for their conditions. For them, that’s meant trail and error, lots of alterations in dosages and many visits with their provider. With that being said, their willingness to learn about their body and their medications has prevailed and they are finally getting the relief they have been after with the particular combination of medications they are on now. All things considered, this assignment was a great way to practice therapeutic communication regarding vulnerability in patient’s seeking medical attention and I appreciated having the opportunity to do so!
Revisiting the Image: Year 2
Communication is an essential part of nursing. It is truly impossible to be an exceptional nurse without an excellent foundation in communication skills. Learning how to talk to patients in an appropriate manner for their situation is a very crucial part of what it means to communicate as a nurse. Accommodating to meet the needs of the patient in whatever sense of “communication” that may look involves critical thinking and the ability to be adaptive in the field. Beyond interacting with patients alone, collaborating with other professionals on the healthcare team, patients’ families and community members will fall under the responsibilities of effectively communicating as a nurse. Effective, patient-centered care will be best delivered if the nurse shows a strong basis in communicating concisely.
This image perfectly exemplifies the importance of communication, particularly when keeping the goal of delivering patient-centered care in mind. Being a nurse is being an advocate for the patient by understanding the role to interact with other members of the healthcare team. The patient should remain at the center of the team’s care, which is clearly shown in the web of team members above.
Learning Outcomes Reflection
In my humble opinion, the learning outcomes for Nursing 103 highlight exactly what the course is all about. During my time in Nursing 103, I would say the class was designed at a very introductory level, to grant students a basic understanding of what the profession entails. From medical terminology to nursing core competencies to a wide array of guest speakers, we were exposed to many different aspects of the field of nursing. Going into the class, I was unsure of what it might consist of, but was pleasantly surprised by the outcome, particularly amongst the guests who graced us with their time and knowledge on what nursing looks like to them in their chosen specialty. Everything from ER, travel, labor and delivery, school and forensic nursing was introduced to the class, in which likely inspired many students in the course; myself included. I think the guest speakers truly contributed to the class and I would highly recommend pursuing this method for teaching aspiring nurses before they commit themselves too far into the program, unsure if it’s the field for them. Beyond just nurses, I personally found great significance in the speech language pathologist who spoke to us about her passion, highlighting the reality that nursing is a career that works directly with other jobs in healthcare. Nursing school tips, how to be a well-rounded student, and a nudge at clinical preparation were a few non-curriculum benefits Nursing 103 offered me. Overall, I feel the most critical aspect of the course was the common theme of all the professionals emphasizing the need for self-care and mental health days. In a field of helping others, it’s easy to neglect ourselves, however the push to decrease burnout is in hopes of saving the already short staffed profession.
Connect Your Experiences
Throughout the spring semester, I have taken courses that have deepened my understanding of the need for us as humans to be more aware of our implicit biases. Between sociology and controversial topics in education, I have learned that humans are naturally judgmental and have a tendency to stereotype those we interact with. Although it is often not intentional, being a future healthcare provider will challenge my instinct to judge people upon first impression. In this nursing course, we have also discussed the reality that nurses do not get to choose who they treat, therefore, we must treat everyone with the same level of respect. Regardless of a person’s situation, it is our responsibility as nurses to provide equality in treatment and support of those seeking our care. I truly believe having become more aware of the predisposition to stereotype individuals has made me more conscious of it, which will only contribute to me being a better, more kind nurse.
Short Skills & Experiences
I am eternally grateful to have been blessed with the opportunity to practice as a Licensed Nursing Assistant at 17 years old before even graduating high school. Being able to establish myself in the field of medicine prior to beginning my postsecondary education, I have been introduced to the lifestyle I aspire to live for the duration of my professional career. Working in a long term care skilled nursing facility has offered me an outlet for developing the foundation I will continue to build from for my foreseeable future in nursing.
As a former athlete, exercise has always been a priority of mine. Although I no longer play sports, I will forever pursue my health for a multitude of reasons. Strength training is a daily habit of mine that ensures that I am capable of dedication, hard work and commitment. Far beyond the physicality of exercise, I am a mental health advocate and believe in the benefits of moving my body as an escape from reality. I am level headed, responsible, and passionate about everything I do. The skills I exemplify through my fitness journey shine light for the path I am entering in nursing.
Image of Nursing
Cropped shot of a nurse holding a senior woman’s hands in a retirement home
Nursing is not for the weak. It is impossible to limit a nurse’s qualities to one of greater importance than the others. When describing nurses, many often suggest their compassion and kindness as admirable contributions to the success of the profession, yet resilience, grit, and gratitude make for exceptional nurses. This photo shows the willingness for nurses to put their hearts and souls into the patients they care for. Nursing shouldn’t be one’s entire world, however the profession is indicative of a lifestyle of selflessness. While nurses are made of ordinary people, the commitment they make to spending their lives prioritizing others constitutes to the kind of humans nurses are. The nurses I have had the pleasure of both being treated by and working under have shown me the amount of dedication it takes to be successful in nursing. Being confident enough in oneself to spend your own life pursuing that of others is respectable.
About Me – Greetings & Salutations!
Hey there! My name is Madison Crane and I am from Lancaster, New Hampshire! I am a Nursing Major who has dreamed of pursuing a career in pediatric travel nursing since I was a child. I currently work as a Licensed Nursing Assistant in a local nursing facility in my hometown when school is not in session. I take my studies very seriously, but when I’m not being an academic, you may find me watching a sports game, at the beach or spending time with family and friends! I am looking forward to what my undergraduate years shall entail. I am a go-getter, never feel satisfied, and always crave more, which is why the ever-changing world of healthcare is so appealing to me. I will be constructing this ePortfolio over my time here at UNE using WordPress.
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched — they must be felt with the heart.” -Helen Keller
As a future nurse, I want nothing more than to promote compassion, empathy, and kindness in this world. Life is short, tragedy is unexpected, and love is plentiful. I live every single day to the fullest and encourage others to as well.
Growing up in a small town has taught me both the beauty of simplicity and developed my curiosity for the vast world that exists outside of Northern New Hampshire. As a fiercely independent, competitive, motivated young woman, being secluded from reality does not align with my aspirations. From bass fishing to snowmobiling to watching sports, my hometown is a part of my identity I will never let go of, but I’d be lying to say I haven’t spent the last eighteen years waiting for studying, stethoscopes, and scrub-wearing. Bring it on, UNE Nursing! Roll Clouds!
Why Nursing?
Chances are quite high that we’ve all encountered children who say they have absolutely no idea how they want to spend the rest of their lives. It’s a rarity for one to proclaim the opposite, but I proudly make up a portion of that population. As an ill child, I spent a lot of time with pediatric nurses who comforted me in my most vulnerable state. My earliest memories are not necessarily clear, but the sense of security my nurses provided me with has driven me to pursue a career of my own in the same field. I look forward to the next chapter of my life more than I can express.
