What Is A Clinical Exemplar? Essay

Experience is sometimes regarded as the best teacher. Many things can be learned in a classroom and by formal academic study, but many cannot. Reflective practice is a form approach to learning through experience. Reflective practice is a lifelong learning process to promote continual development of the nurse. Reflective writing practice helps the nurse to gain knowledge and to challenge their own ideas and concepts. The idea of reflective practice is not only to see what happened, but to see the situation through new eyes, eyes that can help in personal growth and to develop ways to respond differently in the future.

Simulation is one kind of reflective tool that widely use in nursing education. National League for Nursing (NLN) described that simulation was a teaching technique that encouraged students to use and apply their theoretical knowledge in clinical scenarios (2015). NLN (2015) also mentioned that “simulation engages learners with diverse perspectives to reflect and reframe the understanding of practice, bringing thinking and doing together” (p. 4). Jones (2009) showed the similar view that reflective simulation was a critical learning process via practiced-based scenario activity that enhanced students to learn and to practice skills before they faced real situations. However, not all processes of simulation use reflection, it is just debriefing process.

In recent years, reflection and reflective practice have become well-known term with in the health care arena. They are words that have been debated and discussed with in the health care setting (Tony and Sue 2006). Reflective practice is essential for nurses, as nurses are responsible for providing care to the best of their ability to patients and their families (NMC, 2008). Reid (1993) states reflection is a process of reviewing an experience of practice in order to describe, analyse, evaluate and so inform learning about practice. Johns (1995) notes that reflection enables practitioners to assess, understand and learn through their experience. Reflective practice, therefore, offers nurses an opportunity to review their decisions and

As the surgical first assistant, I assessed the patient’s vital signs, the wound sites, and the overall condition after a handover to the PACU nurse. During this transition from the intraoperative phase, I endorsed surgical incision sites, dressings and patient’s postoperative condition.

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

In the absence of serious neurological deficits and persistent non-radicular low back pain, sufficient evidence has not been established on whether or not surgery is useful.

In this clinical setting, I felt welcomed and respected as each individual was informative and helpful to expanding my knowledge regarding wound care. At the beginning of the day, I was introduced to all the healthcare staff and was directed to each learning opportunity that was provided that day. Additionally, I was formally introduced to each patient by the designated health care worker to ensure that they were comfortable with me witnessing the procedure. The atmosphere in this clinical setting was tranquil including the artwork, lighting, and overall aroma. In regards to my personal items and privacy, I was kindly directed to an area in which my items were secure. Overall, I felt the environment in the wound care clinic was appropriate and professional and this was an additive to my comfort being in that

When the first patient entered the room, I noticed that he was wearing a hearing aid, so I had to speak a bit louder than usual. I greeted the patient, introduced myself, and asked his name and the reason for him visiting

I am extremely excited to begin my preceptorship on the Orthopedic floor at UPMC Presby. I am confident that this clinical opportunity will help me gain confidence and competency before graduation. I am unsure what to expect during this rotation. However, I would like to be pushed out of my comfort zone and forced to experience a new environment. I believe that challenging environments help facilitate the best possible growth in students, especially in the clinical setting.

My clinical duties performed that day involved practicing many of the skills I have learned throughout this nursing program. Initially, I was responsible for getting a good hand off report during our walking rounds that morning. I utilized the method Filipina had showed me during our first shift together. I went according to systems and this way I began to create a picture of Ms. R condition. She was there because she had a partial colectomy. During this procedure, the surgeons removed parts of her large intestine due to her history of bowel obstruction. She had an ostomy, which required that I put special care towards the newly created stoma. I was responsible for a full head-to-toe assessment. In addition, I was responsible for recording my findings on her chart in the computerized system. I passed her medications and was responsible for explaining what

Clinical exemplar is a process aimed at fostering self-awareness, empathy, critical thinking skills, professionalism, excellent communication skills, and individual’s well-being through purposeful and deliberate thinking by reflective writing. (Wald, H.S., Borkan, J.M., Taylor, J.S., Anthony, D., & Reis, S.P., 2012). Thus, reflective writing has quickly become part of the educators ' curriculum to teach students in the healthcare setting. This integration is very important because the aforementioned skills have proven to help develop a trusting and positive caregiver-patient relationship with long lasting positive outcomes for the patients and all involved. It also serves as a framework for other healthcare professionals to follow as the clinical exemplar presented below will testify. (Wear, D., Zarconi, J., Garden, R., & Jones, T., 2012)

I will continue applying this outcome after I graduate. I will continue using the references available for making a clinical decision while providing consultation to the customer or any health care professionals. For example, if a pregnant lady comes to the pharmacy asking for a recommendation about the use of Zantac during pregnancy, I will make sure to confirm through the resources available that Zantac is pregnancy category B and therefore it is safe to use in pregnancy before providing any recommendation to her.

My eight weeks’ clinical experience was different than the past. Once I arrived to the hospital, I cheeked my female patient’s shift report and nursing intervention. This time why different? my patient was in the isolation room. I have to wear PPE before I enter the patient room. I was nervous to cover my face, hand gloves and gown. when I entered the patient room, I greeted and asked about the night. The patient was tired and stared at me, she talked with low voice, it was very hard to here. I offered her to assist morning care. She waved her hand and said “not now”. I realized what I learned in the class the people who has pneumonia hard to breath and powerless.

It seemed like a normal day coming into work, it was a Tuesday. 6:45 a.m. on a Medical Surgical Floor, the night shift was eager to give report so they could go home, and all the day shift nurses were drinking their coffee getting ready for the 12 hour shift ahead of them. My name is Staci Deland, I am a Registered Nurse on a Pediatric Medical Surgical Floor. This day I am talking about is about to become much busier than it normally does. After rounding, one of my patient that was post-op day five from a laparoscopic cholecystectomy had changed since Monday. She had a history of emphysema and also was on 14L of oxygen via simple mask and her saturations were

My first clinical day took place on September 16th, 2015 at Saint Barnabas Hospital in Livingston, New Jersey. My preceptor Maria Brilhante, MSN, RN, is the manager of three units. The units that she manages are medical- surgical, bariatric, and stroke. The day began with me observing what goes on the unit during shift- to- shift handoff communication. I was introduced to the staff of all three units. On this day the unit was going through their last day of renovation. Maria had to wear a hat of an interior designer for one of her unit where here main office is located. We laughed and joked about it. Other mangers and physicians commended her on being able to still effectively managing her unit through all the chaos. The reality of it was that the unit needed to be altered to meet patient centered care and also equipment had to be positioned a certain way along with the nurses’ station being relocated so that nurses will be able to access them better. Before this day, I had not realized how important these little thing were in good patient outcome.