Practicum Signature Assignment
Introduction
According to Palesy and Levett-Jones (2020), nursing practicums provide students with an essential link to theoretical; learning from the classroom to real-life and work scenarios. Case in point, practicums enable nursing students to apply the knowledge they have learned in the clinical setting to further psychomotor skill development, communication skills, leadership skills and, and reasoning and problem-solving skills. This signature assignment will reflect my course experience as well as discuss recommendations for my practicum project results for future practice change concerning gaining the above-stated skills throughout the practicum.
*Practicum Presentation Project
My practicum presentation was on the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and autoimmune disorders,, with a focus on lupus. Additionally, the presentation involved an interaction with the audience. I was able to get responses from 12 nurses and non-professional individuals in regard to my career path as a nurse practitioner. Through ABC analysis, approximately 73% of nurses who took part in the questions admitted that they gained additional knowledge regarding COVID-19 and autoimmune diseases.
Reflection
Throughout the course period, I was able to learn and understand that some innovative practices in nursing are crucial in developing one as a nurse practitioner. Ideally, my practicum presentation focused on addressing the current pandemic, COVID-19, and Lupus as an autoimmune disorder. I was tasked with educating and making the community aware of the ways that COVID-19. In this process, I was able to grow in my ability to communicate effectively with the nurses and other professionals before and after my presentation. By carrying out this presentation, I had to build on my courage and knowledge as a nurse educator. I have become more noticeable and more prepared to carry out my teaching. Furthermore, the labor coupled with experience in class throughout the semester has contributed positively to my growth as a nurse educator. One of the key issues regarding communication was the discussion session during my presentation regarding autoimmune disorders and COVID-19. I realized that I was learning more from the audience through discussions. Even in class, I gained knowledge from my colleagues through productive and constructive discussions.
Second, professionalism as a core value in nursing practice has now become a common courtesy at this time of my study. I have realized that working collaboratively with other members is crucial for success. As I was formulating my presentation, I had to do research to come up with informative and relevant content to present to professionals and nurses to address the current issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as air out the ‘disease of 1000 faces”. The presentation focused on how COVID-19 and lupus can be prevented today. Through evidence-based practice, I was able to research more articles that guided my conclusion to ways of preventing these diseases. Furthermore, I came to the understanding that holistic care has become more diverse in treating and preventing diseases such as COVID-19 and Lupus. Below are some of the recommendations in regard to the results of my practicum.
Recommendations for Future Practice Change
According to the American Nurses Association (2021), it has been illustrated that nurses should practice to the full extent of their education and training. Contemporarily, the changing landscape of the health care system and the changing profile of the population necessitate a system that will have to undergo a fundamental shift to provide patient-centered care. Additionally, Kunic and Jackson (2013), adds to these assertions by stating that nurses should now deliver more primary care as opposed to specialty care. Also, the nurse should “deliver more care in the community rather than the acute care setting; provide seamless care; enable all health professionals to practice to the full extent of their education, training, and competencies; and foster interprofessional collaboration” (“The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health,” 2011, p.87). With this said, I found out in my practicum project that the prevention, as well as the treatment of COVID-19, entails a holistic approach to prevent its spreading. A holistic approach to treatment would help bring practice change in nursing as we tackle current and future diseases.
Additionally, one of the recommendations that I believe can bring about practice change in nursing education as well as clinical care is inter-professional collaboration. According to Direko and Davhana-Maselesele (2017), “21st-century nursing profession faces challenges that necessitate collaboration between academic and service entities. Increasing evidence shows that there is a direct relationship between better patient outcomes and nurse staffing levels, educational levels, and professional practice environments.” With this said, my practicum project results indicated that both the nurses and non-nurses in the audience were willing to work together as a team to help prevent Lupus and COVID-19. I believe that collaboration is a key recommendation for future practice change in nursing since sharing knowledge can be beneficial in any professional practice.
Last, I recommend that nurses should continue using evidence-based practice during their clinical practice and further their education to gain more knowledge and skills in administering care. As I was conducting my research as well as stipulating my presentation, I had to search through directories to ensure that the articles that I used in creating the presentation were all evidence-based. Evidence-based practice has always been there and should continue to be practiced by both nurse practitioners and nurse educators. According to Patelarou et al. (2020), evidence-based practice is one of the most appropriate methods to guide healthcare professionals. Additionally, the author asserts that incorporating evidence-based practice in nursing education seems to be more effective and increases the future use and critical thinking to improve self-efficacy and level of evidence.
Conclusion
Summative, I believe that I have gained more skills, knowledge, and techniques that will ensure I practice nursing education and clinical practice in a professional manner. Throughout the practicum project, I have come to an understanding that professionalism is an essential value in nursing and at work. I was able to present my findings in regard to the prevention of COVID-19 and autoimmune disorders such as Lupus to an audience of nurses and other professionals. I was able to conclude that even before presenting, I had to formulate a presentation that would be credible and have the necessary evidence-based sources to support my claims in regard to the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and Lupus. Personal reflection throughout the course helped me gain more communication skills, professionalism, and collaboration, and appreciate the use of evidence-based practice in nursing, Having said that, I recommend that these aspects in nursing education can be important for future practice change in nursing at all sectors.
References
American Nurses Association. (2021). Nursing Administration: Scope and Standards of Practice (3rd ed.).
Direko, K. K., & Davhana-Maselesele, M. (2017). A model of collaboration between nursing education institutions in the North West Province of South Africa. Curationis, 40(1), e1–e10. https://doi.org/10.4102/curationis.v40i1.1670
Kunic, R. J., & Jackson, D. (2013). Transforming nursing practice: Barriers and solutions. AORN Journal, 98(3), 235–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aorn.2013.07.003
Palesy, D., & Levett-Jones, T. (2020). Reflection revisited: Educational interventions for advancing the professional disposition of postgraduate nursing students. In Professional and Practice-based Learning (Vol. 28, pp. 229–246). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48062-2_13
Patelarou, A. E., Mechili, E. A., Ruzafa-Martinez, M., Dolezel, J., Gotlib, J., Skela-Savič, B., Ramos-Morcillo, A. J., Finotto, S., Jarosova, D., Smodiš, M., Mecugni, D., Panczyk, M., & Patelarou, E. (2020). Educational interventions for teaching evidence-based practice to undergraduate nursing students: A scoping review. In International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (Vol. 17, Issue 17, pp. 1–26). MDPI AG. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17176351
The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health. (2011). In The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/12956
