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Nurse Infection

Decent Essays

Based on your experiences thus far in practicum, how much does reality match what you have learned in your MSN preparation about the role of the nurse educator? Overall, the teaching and learning experiences gained from participating in the practicum has surpassed content learned in previous Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) Education courses. For example, I was not able to actively (e.g., assume an educator role, etc.) apply didactic content gained from the program until given the opportunity to collaborate with a clinical preceptor. As an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) consultant, I have had a lot of experience in researching various topics, developing teaching activities, implementing activities, and evaluating participant learning …show more content…

The role of a nurse educator clearly met personal expectations. Billings and Halstead (2016) suggests that a major role of a nurse educator is to facilitate learning by effectively transferring their knowledge to others (Billings & Halstead, 2016). To do so, educators must engage in the scholarship of discovery, implementation, application, and teaching (Billings & Halstead, 2016). In addition, educators must evaluate learner achievement of desired outcomes (Billings & Halstead, 2016). During the practicum, I was provided with numerous opportunities to support the professional development of students and nurses. For example, I facilitated student learning by observing participants perform physical assessments and provided constructive feedback to allow for modification of incorrect assessment techniques. In addition, I used Socratic questioning during post-conference discussions to enhance the students critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which will most likely enhance their future practice. Likewise, I facilitated nurse learning regarding how to properly triage patients, administer cardiac medications, and care for patients with tracheostomies. In addition, I provided staff (i.e., nurses) in-services pertaining to cleaning reusable medical equipment (e.g., blood pressure cuffs, etc.) and the use of several new products (e.g., clear cuff, etc.) at the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center (DVAMC). Equally important, I have …show more content…

First, I was not aware that educators must be knowledgeable of how political and institutional factors influence their roles and responsibilities (“National League”, 2012). For example, during the program educators were informed that he or she needed to rearrange their planned teaching activities to ensure that staff were up-to-date on core competencies and aware of hospital policies/procedures to pass an upcoming accreditation (i.e., The Joint Commission) survey, which clearly impacted their workload and stress levels. In addition, several educators had to rearrange vacation plans causing discontent in the department. Secondly, I identified a personal gap in knowledge exists for participating in curricula development. Although, I gained some experience during the program with revising nursing curricula (e.g., Mental Health, lesson plans, etc.), I realize that additional practice is necessary to gain clinical competency. Thus, I have set person goals and plan to network with senior nurse educators to acquire new knowledge and skills to enhance my future

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