Reflective Journal of a Nurse - Essay Example

"Reflective Journal of a Nurse" is a remarkable example of a paper on the care. 
Today I had one patient, a 75-year-old woman who had been admitted for renal transplant into her right iliac fossa. I assisted her with her bed bath, her feeding, and did a head to toe assessment. Also, I helped my clinical instructor to administer all her medications.

During the day, she developed atrial fibrillation an abnormal heartbeat in which the heart beats in a fast and irregular manner.  This condition may cause the patient to have chest pains or to die. Fortunately, there were a lot of doctors to intervene. The nurse that I was working with and I did an EKG which confirmed that she had developed that condition. Consequently, monitoring her blood pressure was critical to the health care process. I drew some blood to check her troponin level which showed that she had high blood pressure.

I learned a lot today. First, I learned how to do a 12 lead EKG. Second, I learned how to flush and administer medication through an AV Fistula. Also, I learned the importance of monitoring vital signs. Moreover, as a result of the practice done in an actual healthcare setting, I am getting comfortable with my ability to care for patients.

Each day has its own high and low points. The high point of the day was when the instructor asked me to scan the medication and get things ready for the medication administration. The low point was seeing a young patient lose his life following a motor vehicle accident.

All the patients that I was assigned to receive great care. However, the quality of care provided to the patients can be improved by employing more nurses. The available nurses are overstretched due to a high nurse to patient ratio. Hiring more nurses will reduce the pressure that they are in which will result in a more efficient health care experience for their patients. Furthermore, the nurses in the unit should advocate for a full day off during the week in which they cannot be called for work. Although they have an obligation to their patients, having a social life outside the hospital will not only help them to have a balanced life but will also motivate them to care for their patients in a dedicated and cheerful manner.

Although I did not encounter a challenge that calls for prior knowledge, I know that can always get through any challenge with my patience. Moreover, I am not afraid to ask for help when I am overwhelmed. This strength is crucial in the growth of a nurse. However, the fact that I empathize with the patients closely exposes me to pain when they die.

The interactions that I have with my patients have a significant effect on me as a nurse and as a person. They not only help me improve my capabilities as a nurse but also shape my beliefs. The calmness of the patient as she went through atrial fibrillization both surprised and impressed me. This experience helped me to realize that it is important to stay calm and to avoid freaking out in any situation, an essential quality for a nurse given the experiences that I will encounter as an upcoming nurse. Besides, it contributed towards the realization of one of the outcomes of the course; to empower the student nurse to provide quality care in any situation.

Furthermore, I accomplished the goal that I had set for myself last week by ensuring that I did all the required charting. Moreover, I am learning about the different medications each day which is helping me to grow as a nursing professional. I am confident that I can only get better as I spend more days on the medical surgery floor.

My goal for the next day is to learn how to care for patients with burn wounds. I will achieve this goal by requesting my instructor to assign me to the unit where patients with those conditions are cared for. I will not only observe what the other nurses do but will also participate in the process. Moreover, I will ask questions about unclear concepts.