Development of Management and Education in Nursing Practice - Dissertation Example

Two specialised assignments afforded me such opportunities. The first involved preparing and delivering a Teaching Session to my peers on a topic of clinical interest that related to my work at the trust. After the session I analysed both the content and the process of the Teaching Session. The second assignment involved interviewing a Lead Health Professional in an area related to the topic of the Teaching Session. Afterwards I assessed and reviewed the interview as a function of local and national health care policies such as Clinical Governance and for the subject matter discussed.

The topic of both my Teaching Session and the interview with the Lead Health Professional related to controlling the transmission of MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). MRSA infection and control is a significant public health threat in the UK, a topic of which students should be aware, and one about which senior leaders have much to say. I became interested in the topic during my placement at a trust in London. Since then have maintained a keen eye for mention of it in the media and, as discussed in Part II of the Portfolio, have decided to take action to try to get my trust to implement one of the particularly significant MRSA control programmes.

The Portfolio is divided into two parts, plus Appendices. Each part is a comprehensive assessment and analytic essay, complete with a References section with more than 15 references per essay.For ease of evaluation, the References for Part One immediately follow the essay for Part One., rather than being presented in a consolidated reference section at the end of the entire portfolio as in standard for essays and research projects. The Portfolio's two parts, Summary, and Appendices include: Part One - Evaluation of a Teaching Session Part Two - Assessment of an Interview with a Lead Health Professional Portfolio Summary Appendix A - Interview Record Appendix B - Notes and Details of the Interview with the Secretary General of the Royal College of Nursing As evidenced in each essay individually, and my summary comments, the Portfolio project had a significant impact on my perception of nursing, and of myself as a nurse.

Fortunately, it was all positive and certainly helped me grow. Part One - Reflections on a Teaching Session The Teaching Session provided me an opportunity both to teach and to learn. Although I was the teacher as I presented the material to the students, I also learned a lot, about teaching, about my chosen topic, and about myself as I took on a previously unfamiliar role. This essay, a critical reflection on the many aspects of the Teaching Session experience, is divided into seven parts: Rationale Planning Preparation Delivery Evaluation/Feedback Action Plan for the Future Whilst I thing the Teaching Session went well, it also heightened my awareness of ways I can be a more effective teacher, to one person or a hundred.

Rationale During clinical practice, I noticed that infection control standards, especially staff hand washing techniques following care for patients with MRSA, were inconsistent. Standards were not evidence-based, likely not reflecting best practices. Given the importance of proper hand washing techniques in arresting MRSA transmission, I decided MRSA and proper hand washing techniques would be the topic of my Teaching Session. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a form of the Staphylococcus aureus organism resistant to commonly used antibiotics (About MRSA: What is MRSA).

As Eaton (2005) notes, hand