Reflective Journal Emergency Department

In the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography the article Indentured Servitude in the Chesapeake is taken from the court records of Virginia that describe what happened to indentured servants that ran away. This article also suggests historical events of the social order in the seventeenth century.

On November 1st, 2016 I had the opportunity to conduct an interview with Katherine M. Sawyer RN, BSN of Owosso, Michigan. Katherine, a female nurse who has worked in the nursing field for thirty-six years began her nursing career at Ingham Medical where she was a full-time staff-nurse for three years; then worked as a per-diem staff-nurse for eleven years. After working at Ingham for a total of fourteen years, Katherine obtained a position at Memorial Healthcare in Owosso where she worked as a nurse educator for fifteen years. Shortly after this she became a Basic Life Saving (BLS) instructor as her main role as a nurse educator was to provide nursing orientation and this additional role fit in perfectly. After some time she became involved in Quality Improvement for four years, and she has now switched back to the nurse educator role where she once again has the role of nursing orientation for Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), and Patient Care Techs (PCTs). The number of staff she teaches and orientates each month varies between one and ten individuals. She also teaches BLS and First Aid at Baker College of Owosso. Her contact information is as follows: Phone number (989) 413-1974 and e-mail address kmsawyer521@gmail.com. The purpose of this paper is to inform the reader of Sawyer’s role in the nursing profession as a nurse leader. Individuals will learn of Sawyer’s many different roles, responsibilities, and the organizational structure of Memorial

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Habersham County, Tom was feeling slightly nervous as he exited the staff lounge and entered the hustle and bustle of County Hospital’s ER to begin his first shift as an RN. The first few hours of his shift passed slowly as Tom mostly checked vital signs and listened to patients complain about various aches, pains, coughs, and sniffles. He realized that the attending physician, Dr. Greene, who was rather “old school” in general about how he interacted with nursing staff, wanted to start him out slowly. Tom knew, though, that the paramedics could bring in a trauma patient at any time.

Liberal education is essential for nurses to be able to provide care for diverse populations of people with respect to their cultural and social values. It helps the nurse decision making, addressing practice issues, inform decision making, to implement lifelong learning and communicate effectively. Basic organizational and systems leadership for quality of care and patient safety. It helps the nurse to provide quality care in numerous settings. Demonstrating awareness and basic understanding of the healthcare system. This ensuring the nurse is using improvement methods, principles of quality improvement and making sure to promote patient and family safety. Scholarship for evidence based practice is helping the nurse to understand the most recent evidence in her practice. This will help the nurse

In today’s healthcare system, nursing is a challenging field as a result of rapid technological advances and changes in healthcare policies. As a dedicated nursing professional, with a great passion for learning, I strive to stay on top of these changes. I am determined to increase my knowledge to be an instrumental part of providing quality healthcare. The demands of nursing are high; however the rewards are even higher. Nursing requires both a supreme understanding of the science of health, and a caring bedside manner befitting only those who seek a position of such a personal involvement in the well-being of a patient. Academically, I will put forth all of

It is incredible the change that can come with proper education on management for chronic illnesses. As an emergency nurse, we see patients who come to us when those steps have failed. It is frustrating to see patients deteriorate when a healthy, full life is possible if appropriate steps are taken earlier. Education has provided me this privilege to serve and educate my community as a nurse over the last two years. I am certain advancing my education will allow me the opportunity to assist in the continuing positive changes for the people of my

As a new graduate nurse, I am deeply passionate about starting my nursing career at Desert Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Department or Women and Infants’ Center. Prior to starting nursing school, I took an Emergency Medical Technician course where I had the opportunity to perform my clinical rotations in a Level I Trauma Center and assist in ambulance transports. My interest for working in a fast-paced environment and in unpredictable emergency medical scenarios motivated me to pursue my senior nursing preceptorship in the Emergency Department. During my preceptorship experience at Inland Valley Medical Center, Level II Trauma Center, I performed 120 hours of ED nursing care and safely treated trauma patients across the lifespan. I helped stabilize patients involved in motor vehicle collisions

Nearing the end of my shift in the Emergency Department, I was requested to accompany a patient while the nurse readied the discharge papers. Upon entering the bay, I met a very small and fragile patient who was anxious to go home. Conflicted between my primary duties and responsibilities to complete training for two inexperienced volunteers, I decided to put forth my interests in teaching by demonstrating compassionate care to my trainees. Although the patient repeatedly refused my assistance, I gave my best effort to calm her as I cloaked a warm blanket around her. As I listened to her confide in me of all of her hospital anxieties, I was shocked from the lack of quality care she had received which made her feel more sick after the first

This paper brings up my personal nursing philosophy that I am planning to deliver in my nursing career. I believe that nursing is more than merely as a profession, it also involves my medical knowledge combined it with a commitment to quality nursing care with compassion, respect, dignity, and advocacy for each patient. I believe that the interdisciplinary care and collaboration in the medical field are crucial elements that lead to a healthy relationship among healthcare professionals in promoting quality patient care that is individualized to each patient’s needs.

Soon after receiving my licensure, I began working at The Queen's Medical Center (QMC) as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the early part of 2004. Since becoming an RN, I have provided care to many patients and reassured countless numbers of family members. As an RN, I've also become the coordinator of care, patient advocate, and teacher to the many patients I cared for while serving as the eyes and the ears of the physicians. Similar to most RN, I enjoyed sharing the laughter with my patient and cringed at sight of their pain and despair. In addition, I've also been asked to serve as a Clinical Coach for some of the new RNs joining the QMC Ohana.

Throughout the history of nursing, nurses made vast strides to help it grow into the profession it is known to be today. Without clearly defined education and roles, the role of caring for the sick aimlessly moved amongst different groups of people from deaconesses, knights, nuns, and inmates until institutions were established for organized teaching programs. Today, individuals are eligible to take the Registered Nurse (RN) licensure test as soon as they complete the minimum of an Associates Degree in Nursing. However, there has been an increasing push for “making the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), or equivalent degree, the standard for entry-into-practice” (Altmann, 2011). Aiken et al. reported that recent studies indicate a decrease in morbidity, mortality, and failure-to-rescue rates in hospitals that employ larger percentages of baccalaureate prepared nurses (as cited in Altmann, 2011, p. 257). In addition, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently released a report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, and recommended the increase of BSN prepared nurses from 50% to 80% by 2020 (2011). In order for nurses to advance in the healthcare environment as professionals, they should be educated to the appropriate degree and be committed to lifelong learning. This paper will discuss professional identity in nursing and the implications of a bachelor prepared nurse.

To the Vanderbilt Nurse Residency Program admissions staff, As a senior nursing student at the University of New Hampshire expected to graduate in May, I am writing to express my sincere interest in the Nurse Residency Program at Vanderbilt Medical Center. Through my research and communication with current residences, I have been attracted to the opportunities Vanderbilt can provide me with as I begin my career as a nurse. While the fascinating field of nursing is ever evolving, my ultimate goals as a lifelong nurse remain stable. I intend to not only work towards my highest potential, but to do so with compassion. My practices have taught me that the world of nursing is not solely based on skills or classroom knowledge but rather, nursing is all encompassing involving many innate qualities.

Time spent at my mother’s bedside in the intensive care unit changed my perception of the nursing profession. I realized what unique value was integrated in comprehensive nursing care, which was built on excellence, compassion, and respect. I knew right then and there that nursing was a professional path which I would like to take. Changing my college major to nursing was not a difficult decision – I wanted to repay for all that courteous care my family received in the most vulnerable time of our lives.

Nursing can be a demanding career, but the benefits far much outweigh the challenges. Most importantly, it’s the rewards it offers by allowing an opportunity to make a difference in another person’s life through the provision of care when they need it. Just as Patricia Benner theorized in her book “Novice to Expert,” nursing encompasses both educational knowledge and extensive clinical experience acquired throughout one’s career. This far, I continue to acquire knowledge and clinical knowhow which will promote proper and efficient care to patients. Since I began practicing one year ago in a long-term healthcare facility, I have interacted with patients, families, physicians and other members of the healthcare team to coordinate patient’s care which has enabled me to gain confidence in myself. While I cannot deny that it was difficult to transition from a student to a licensed nurse, I learnt to overcome these challenges and focus on my strengths. Practicing as an LPN has provided a platform to learn and gain experience even though the duties and responsibilities are limited by the scope of practice.

This Friday, September 15th, I had my clinical observation experience in the ED. I was there from 7:00 am till noon, viewing the flow and duties of the nursing staff on the unit, as well as practicing the skills I have thus learned in school. Throughout most of the morning, I followed Jessica, who had been a nurse in the ER for ten years. It was an insightful experience that broadened my previously limited knowledge of the roles and experience of an emergency nurse.