Optometry Program Entry Essay

The main claim to this paper, is to prove, to have effective communication with patients and their

What began as mere admiration for my childhood optometrist quickly evolved into a fervent aspiration when I began working as an optometric technician at Eye & Vision Care. Having been myopic since the age of 6, I have always had an interest in the inner workings of the eye and decided to apply to this job, without any concrete career plans in mind.

Every time I go job shadowing there is a recurring question that people never fail to ask, “Why do you want to be an optometrist?” Nowadays, we live in an age where generally much of the population are attached to screens. When one watches videos online the typical resolution preference is 720p or higher, and when one comes across a video

An eager interest in the workings and anatomy of the eye has stemmed my interest towards a career in optometry. My fondness for science came from reading the book ‘The Man Who Mistook His Wife for His Hat', which recounts the case histories of patients lost in the bizarre, apparently inescapable world of neurological disorders, this drove my passion past the scope of the curriculum, engaging with ideas independently to follow a career in optometry.

Optometry is the perfect fit that blends my professional goals, my interests in science, and healthcare with individual strengths of compassion, relational service, and leadership. It is affirming when passion meets purpose, and for me, the optometry profession is just that. My passion in life is to serve others and to improve their health and well-being, while my purpose is to reach my full potential as a medical provider. My inspiration to pursue a career in optometry arises from a combination of my natural strengths, my life experiences, and my triumphs over life’s hardships.

During my placement, I also developed good communication skills. I learned how to communicate effectively with clients to enable the provision of health care. When addressing clients, I avoided the use of difficult medical terms and opted for simpler words that were easily understood by all. I also used a variety of efficient communication methods such as allowing clients to express themselves, providing sufficient time for discussion and maintaining eye contact with clients. And to those clients that did not understand English, I sought the assistance of a trusted

Communication is so important in a healthcare and social care setting for a number of reasons. The patient and the healthcare professional need to understand each other clearly in order for the patient to receive the best possible

What drew me to the field of optometry specifically is the fact that our eyes can be considered one of our most precious gifts. Growing up my siblings always needed some sort of corrective lenses, leaving me in the dark so to speak. When I was younger I suffered a corneal

These include, maintaining eye contact, to show interest, nodding to show following to details, paraphrasing back to confirm understanding, asking questions for further clarification. These communication skills demonstrate a base value of respect, patient-centeredness and confidentiality and demonstrate non- judgementalness. Principles of care are demonstrated through effective communication that is dignity, safety, respect, confidentiality, trusting care relationship and job satisfaction.(Gibbs,2010)

Create a relaxed, kind atmosphere where the relationship between the physicians and patients are open and free in dialogue.

Over time it became clear that I did not dread the appointments at the Oregon Health and Science University hospital which specialized in eye care. The building looked out on a tree lined street that was like a painting in the fall as kids with the same eye problems sat in the waiting room. My charismatic, kind, surgeon, Doctor Stout, answered inquiries and interpreted complex terminology patiently, pun intended, while the anesthesiologist made me laugh. In essence, I felt at home. Considering myself someone with an “elderly” issue quickly shifted and sparked a new ambition in me to explore a career the medical

Write a brief description of the presence and therapeutic communication approaches you have tried in your practice for the last 3-weeks. Provide specific examples of patient situations in which you tried the approach.

Effective communication in the healthcare setting improves recovery rates and reduces pain and complication rates. (Wilkinson et al, 2003). Many complaints to the NHS are attributed to poor communication. Effective communication is reliant on the nurse working in partnership with the patient. It is essential that the nurse establishes a rapport and most of this will be achieved through the use of facial expressions. In my practice, it is important that develop a therapeutic relationship with the patients so that they can be able to put their trust in me. The therapeutic relationship is solely to meet the needs of the patient. In this relationship, there is a rapport established from a sense of mutual understanding and trust. To build a good nurse-patient relationship, I would have to show qualities of empathy, caring, sincerity and trustworthiness. During practice, if I am approaching a patient and the patient looks anxious, I should approach with empathy.

“Extensive research has shown that no matter how knowledgeable a clinician might be, if he or she is not able to open good communication with the patient, he or she may be of no help” (Asnani, MR. 2009). Effective communication plays a big role in healthcare and contributes to the quality of patient care and teamwork.

Since early childhood, I have been fascinated by the complexity of the human body. The curiosity for its functioning and potential dysfunction led me to medical school and allowed me to successfully complete my training at the University of Brescia In Italy; far away from my family, fending for myself, learning a different language, living in a different culture and studying without help.