Reflection Paper On Clinical Experience

My first encounter with a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesia (CRNA) was during my undergraduate nursing OB/GYN rotation. I was impressed with the CRNA when she placed the epidural to the patient in labor. I remembered patient had difficulty staying still due to the contraction, but the CRNA took her time to explain the procedure while comforting the distressed patient. Once the epidural was in placed and the medication started working, I could tell the relief the patient experienced. I realized then that a CRNA goes beyond the delivery of anesthesia, pain management and monitoring of patients. Thus, obtaining this degree will prepare me to ease the patient’s mind through education, pain management, monitoring, experience and compassion.

My first clinical experience for this nursing program was completed at New England Rehab Hospital. I walked in with some clinical experience but no experience in the realm of nursing or certified nursing assistants (CNA). During that first semester we followed CNAs to understand their job and gain basic nursing skills like bathing patients, bed making and other daily tasks. It was useful and I’m still happy we were able to have that experience. A situation that made me uncomfortable during that semester that one particular CNA never sanitized his hands when entering and exiting a patient’s room. In most hospitals and nursing facilities there is a “pump in, pump out” rule to abide by when entering and exiting a patients room rule to ensure health care workers are not spreading bacteria to themselves and other patients. This particular CNA admitted to me that he pretends to push the hand sanitizer and rub his hands together without actually getting any sanitizer in his hands. His reasoning was that he found it overly drying to use the sanitizer so frequently despite the hospital providing lotion as well.

During my first day of clinical, I encountered an issue that I believe is very significant. As a student nurse, our duty for this day was to follow our health care aide around the ward and assist in completing resident care. The resident required assistance in many of her daily tasks. The health care aide asked if I would perform one of those and do perineal care for her. I turned down her offer because I did not feel comfortable with my skill level. The resident had a bowel movement during the night. There was a significant odour in the room that overwhelmed me. I really wanted to leave the room because it was so unpleasant, but I stayed in the room so that the resident would not be embarrassed. This feeling of embarrassment, I assume,

Throughout my clinical experiences, there have been quite a few circumstances I have been placed in that have remained with me whether good or bad. All of them have been learning experiences for me whether it is how to improve and to do better next time from a mistake, for me to learn that this is or is not how a patient should be treated, how to handle family situations, and many others. One experience that I was able to participate in that will remain with me because I had not experienced this before was during my critical care rotation in the fall of 2015. This patient was dying and we were implementing comfort care for him.

This clinical experience took place at Peyton Elementary School and Prairie Heights Elementary School. Kamille, Ben and I were to teach hand hygiene, covering your cough and brushing your teeth to three Pre-K classes. First we developed a lesson plan and teaching aid for our students. Then, we gathered supplies such as spray bottles, dye, subject specific coloring sheet and a dinosaur with large teeth and tooth brush. Kids Rock dentistry in Colorado Springs was nice enough to borrow us the dinosaur and also gave us activity books for the kids. When we arrived at Peyton Elementary School at 0800, we noticed it was a very nice school. We met the school nurse at the office where we signed in. She showed us to classroom where the children

My second clinical day at Mercy Defiance Hospital, progressive care unit, was overwhelming but rewarding and very educational. Through the 8 hours I was there, I learned a lot. I engaged myself in many self-directing learning practices to futher promote my professional growth. My first time interaccting with my patient,I was joined with my clinical instructor. While in the room, I got to listen to to my patients heart, lungs, and bowel sounds. I was able to see and examine the patients ostomy bag, as well as help them to the bathroom. There were ways that I can improve my professional growth, suchas,having the confidence to not second guess my self about things to do in assessments. For example, I know how to assess the lungs, I should not second guess where to listen for the sounds. One of my goals for next week dealing with professional growth would be to have the confidence to know what I have learned and use it. My second one being to go into the room with a confident attitude and believe in myself.

A couple of years ago, my mom got a bellybutton pain in her lower-right side of the abdomen. It was an intense pain which moved all around her belly. She decided to ignore the pain, thinking it could be something temporary. Days went through and nothing could relieve the discomfort she felt. My dad decided to take her to a private doctor right away. The doctor had her do some blood tests accompanied by some others. When the results were ready the doctor asked us to take mom immediately to the hospital. He said something related to surgery and I lose control on myself. We had never been as scared of surgery as this day. We knew this kind of surgery was not as risky as others. The problem was hospitals in Honduras. Doctors back then did not care about the patient. Patients in the hospitals would get their wounds infected and they would die. I lacked trust in the abilities of the doctors. Not because they missed the knowledge required in doing this, but their interest in the patient was none. They knew the government was going to pay them either way. Therefore, they mistreated some patients. My mom received a

S: How was your clinical experience this week? This week was an okay week. I spent most of my time trying to get back into the swing of things. I was a little rusty at the beginning of the week but it got better as the week went on.

The purpose of this journal is to reflect on my experience and skills gained during my clinical placement at Ben Taub Hospital. On my first clinical day, I was excited and nervous at the same time. My first placement was in the PREOP/PACU area. I was assigned to help a patient who had been in the PACU area going on 2 days. Normally, once the patient comes from surgery they are only in the PACU area for a short period of time before they are discharged home or given a bed in another area of the hospital. This particular patient still had not received an assignment for a bed. The physicians would make their rounds to come check on him daily. The patient was a 28-year-old Hispanic male, non-English speaking, he had a hemicolectomy. He had a NG tube, urinary Foley catheter, and a wound vac. My preceptor had just clocked in and she needed to check on the patient’s vitals and notes from the previous nurse. Once she introduced me to the patient and explained while I was there, she then asked me to check his vitals. (Vital signs indicate the body’s ability to regulate body temperature, maintain blood flow, and oxygenate body tissues. Vital signs are important indicators of a client’s overall health status (Hogan, 2014). I froze for a quick second. I have practiced taking vitals numerous of times and I knew I could do it correctly. I started with the temperature first, when I was quickly corrected on a major mistake I had made by my preceptor. I HAD FORGOT TO WASH MY HANDS and PUT

My reflective clinical practice experience was based on my eight weeks placement in an acute mental health ward in a hospital. I was not sure of what to expect because I have never worked or placed in an acute ward and this was my second placement. Before starting my placement, I visited the ward and was inducted around the ward. This gave me a bit of confidence and reassurance about working in an acute ward.

Comparing my clinical experiences from last semester to this semester, I would say that I have already experienced more this semester than I would have at this time last semester. Even though I am doing LNA work while incorporating RN aspects, I feel the work that we are doing this semester is more RN aspect based rather than LNA work. Clinical was my favorite part of last semester, and it is still my favorite part of the semester. Over the past couple of weeks at Riverside, I have had numerous new experiences, including following a nurse, following the wound care nurse, and going in on my day off to follow both the wound nurse and the nurse practitioner of the facility.

It is obvious that all of our instructors have a common goal, which is for all of us to learn as much as we possibly can. I honestly think that by allowing as many opportunities as possible to see and experience as much as possible will help us all learn from our clinical experiences.

Clinical practicum has provided a valuable study opportunity to me.When I took care of a living person in wards,I could apply the skills which are learnt from indoor lessons in school and books.Also,I could achieve more knowledge outside textbooks.However,I find that there is a difference between the real situation and theory.In ward,nurses have to be multitasking and need to manage several patients,time is precious to them.Nurses have to make an effort to save time from different ways.To give an example,in the ward I worked in this clinical practicum,nurses connected the syringe to the end of tube and administered drug to a patient with nasogastric tube by giving pressure to pump drug solution down the tube.Thus ,the procedure finished in a few seconds.I learnt this method from them and applied it in my practice.However,I was stopped by the supervisor teacher during one of my practise.She told us that it was wrong to administer drug by using pressure.She then asked me for the right method.I was shocked in that time because I learnt this way from the

As a student of nursing program I am doing 220 clinical placements at True Davidson long term care. On the first day of my clinical, I was so excited and quite nervous too. On that day, I picked one patient and it was my first experience to handle the client individually. I am going to write about that I eventually learn something from my first clinical experience. My buddy nurse told me to go to client’s room and ready her for breakfast. Then, I went her room and said her to be ready for breakfast. She looks at me and seems angry. At that time my mind was wandering that what I did mistake to her. It was the fifth week of my 220 placement, however, that event has left a permanent effect on my mind and it comes to my mind on every

Also, the objective is to find patient’s document finding and correlate it with chronic disease process of elderly adults. With this reflection, I will discuss what I’ve learned, and my strengths and weakness in my clinical experience.