The Core Competencies in Medical Practice - Essay Example

 Reflective Essay on Core Competencies in Medical Practice: Paraphrasing This document critically appraises the core competencies in medical practice and reflects on the impression of the module on subjective and professional development. The overall aim is to critically appraise each theme throughout the module to boost writing and communication skills for application in medical practice. Reflection can be defined as the ability to replicate an action in order to absorb in a continuous learning process (Vadivelu et al., 2011). It entails paying critical regard to the practical values and theories that enlighten everyday action by examining a practice reflectively and reflexively leading to the development of insight (Longmore et al., 2014). This study explores various objectives such as transition to UK, learning of medical language, mind mapping in order to facilitate taking patient’s history, communication improvement, improve presentation skills, and reflects on each themes and issue recommendation for action plan. The first theme involves the journey by Emirates Airlines via Dubai to London. On arrival at the immigration, we realized the immigration officers were ridiculing the international students and felt embarrassed about it. The classes started after two weeks, and the lectures were quite supportive and interesting. All staff member were helpful, and it was a good experience interacting with the students from diverse nationalities. We improved vocabularies by studying about the ward rounds. Ward rounds refer to visits paid by doctors to each of the patient in the hospital (Kaye et al., 2014). It is a complicated clinical process that extends beyond a bedside review of care (Thomas & Michel, 2009). The lecturer convert the class to dynamic and interesting learning experience by dividing the students into two groups and the students can express their opinions when they are with the ward rounds (Kaye et al., 2014). The doctors can extend the same and where students differ they can learn through discussion. Improvements of traditional ward rounds can be done through strong clinical leadership with all health care professionals (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2011). Theme two involved changing NHS culture, medical idioms, and leaderships into academic skills. Studies revealed that over 3500 people died unnecessarily in NHS hospital last year because of mistakes and avoidable errors (Thomas & Michel, 2009). The number of avoidable deaths admitted by NHS trust in 'England rose by 25 per cent in a year, while experts warned ‘toxic overcrowding ‘could result in more fatalities in congested hospitals this winter' (Vadivelu et al., 2011). The figures include cases where patients have died after being given the wrong medicines, suffered fatal surgical mistakes or simply died because the staff failed to realize their deteriorating condition (Urman & Kaye, 2012). It was unbelievable to realize alarming cases of avoidable deaths in NHS and the global perception of gender discrimination during medical processes conducted by various medical professionals (Vadivelu et al., 2011). Familiarity with medical language is of an essence to the medical professional in order to understand each other (Kaye & Urman, 2012). Also, professional leadership style is critical for decision-making and forming uniform opinion with other team leaders (Kaye et al., 2014). Leadership also involves respecting others and building self-esteem. Third theme involved developing ideas through mind mapping. The process involved mapping idea about hypertension. That involved group of students from diverse career background that led to a generation of various ideas about hypertension such as pharmacological factors of the disease. The use of brain storming techniques enhanced understanding and creation of unity (Kligler et al., 2004). Theme four involved communication to ask questions and avoid medical jargon during history taking in the medical profession. This enhances communication skills of the professional and recognition of the diagnostic process (Kligler et al., 2004). It improves communication between the patients and healthcare giver. Effective communication improves patient-doctor relationship and enables the patients to open up to their doctors (Thomas & Michel, 2009). Effective communication can enhance the relationship between patients and doctors, reduce uncertainty and increase patient’s satisfaction (Thomas & Michel, 2009). Effective communication is very essential when doctor and patients have divergent views. It can also be crucial when passing bad news so that the doctor can present them in a manner that reduces distress (Thomas & Michel, 2009). Breaking bad news in an abrupt and exhaustive approach can have lasting psychological consequences. Finally, it has led to the understanding that medical experts should expose all errors that occurred during a treatment process is such information is material to the patients. This is because although such errors may not be constituted to professional negligence non-disclosure of errors construed to be material constitutes professional negligence and unethical (Thomas & Michel, 2009). Theme six focused on health education and how to advise the patient and their families regarding alcohol abuse in the United Kingdom and healthy living style of its population. Information is critical for decision-making regarding individuals’ healthy safety (Kaye et al., 2014). For example, young people view drugs as harmless and are unaware drug relationship with crime (Kaye et al., 2014). Therefore, drugs and alcohol are the main causes of crimes among the youth and education for the youth can help to minimize those crimes. In UK, health education has contributed to good lives of the citizens by stressing the importance of healthy foods, physical exercises and disease prevention strategies (Kaye et al., 2014). Theme seven involved group project about health was living, and it aimed at improving presentation skills. The group members motivated and inspired each other and learned various things such as factors contributing to mental health. It improved listening skills and presentation skills, emotional control and how individuals generate emotional experience (Segal & Hersen, 2009). Finally, it led to the understanding of managing emotions to achieve a better outcome in any situation. This upholds the spirit of teamwork. Practice brings advancement in communication, academic knowledge and critical thinking hence success (Segal & Hersen, 2009). Learning by experience taught learners to be independent, perseverance, interact with people of diverse background, and challenges bring opportunities (Longmore et al., 2014). It has improved communication skills, inter-personal relationship, problem-solving skills, and ability to listen to others (Segal & Hersen, 2009). Healthcare professional should learn to listen to the patients and should be able to learn symptoms. They should instil conducive environment for discussion with patients and learn how to share information with clients effectively (Thomas & Michel, 2009). My action plan for professional development aims at specialist in community health, particularly in preventive health. I would like to focus on prevention and control of chronic disease such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes because prevention and improved control of these diseases will reduce avoidable deaths and disability and improve the quality of life and well-being of people and societies. This can be achieved by increasing public awareness and continuous educational program for both health employees and patients, replacing saturated fat with food with unsaturated fat, reducing salt intake in food in order to reduce the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke for example, and establish the relationship between early detection of cancer and related positive prognosis. Bibliography American Association of Colleges of Nursing, (2011). Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice. Retrieved from Collier, J., Longmore, M., & Amarakone, K. (2013). Oxford Handbook of Clinical Specialties. OUP Oxford. Pp. 1-858. Kligler, B., Maizes, V., Schachter S., Park, C. M., Gaudet, T., Benn, R., Lee, R., & Remen, R. N. (6/JUNE 2004). Core Competencies in Integrative Medicine for Medical School Curricula: ACADEMICNO. Retrieved on 22nd Jan. 2015 from Kaye, A. D. & Urman, R. D. (2012). Moderate and Deep Sedation in Clinical Practice. Cambridge University Press, Kaye, D. A., Vadivelu, N. & Urman, R. D. (2014). Substance Abuse: Inpatient and Outpatient Management for Every Clinician. Springer. Pp. 1-658 Longmore, M., Wilkinson, I., Baldwin, A. & Wallin, E. (2014). Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine. Oxford University Press. Pp. 1-920. Segal, D. L. & Hersen M. (2009). Diagnostic Interviewing. Springer Science & Business Media. Pp. 1-547. Thomas, J. C. & Michel, H. (2009). Handbook of Clinical Psychology Competencies, Vol. 1- 3 Springer Science & Business Media. Pp. 1-1827. Urman, R. D. & Kaye, A. D. (2012). Moderate and Deep Sedation in Clinical Practice. Cambridge University Press. Pp. 1-323 Vadivelu, N., Urman, D. R. & Hines, R. L. (2011). Essentials of Pain Management. Springer. Pp. 1-858. Read More