Management

Nurse managers should evaluate their management skills and take continuing education courses to improve their skills. They must listen carefully to staff concern and represent staff associates' wishes to top management. As you can see communication skills are very important to me. I feel that if I can communicate effectively I can conquer some of my fears of nursing.

Communication

I have learned that communication is important at all leadership levels. For this reason, it is important for nurse leaders to understand the communication process, to be able to identify barriers to communication. I believe that this is an important skill for any nurses to have and doing the change project I did lots of interviews and had to communicate with staff members of all levels.

This Semester.....

This semester I have learned a lot in this class especially how technology effects the nursing profession and also how evidence-based practice can influence the safety and outcome of patient care and how it can overall make us better nurses. I will never forget in an article I read recently regarding evidence-based practice. The author stated, "Always be able to answer why you do what you in nursing." That statement will always stick with me and that's a question I will ask myself often.

Change Project/Paper

Well I am excited to say that as result of my change project in the endo center nursing home patients will no longer be seen in this facility. It wasmainly due to the surveillance screening project that I did for my project. It was found that there was no way to get accurate information on these patients prior to procedures and they were not properly prepped. The decision stemmed from the lack of safety for the staff and other patients and family members that were at risk of being unknowingly exposed to contagious diseases. However, these patients will be referred to inpatient facilities.

Professional Nurse

I am very excited to be receiving my BSN. I have been through trials and tribulations to get here. I am sad to say it is not going to make a difference at my present job. They do not recognize the difference in degrees. I know that if I wanted to pursue other opportunities such as management, I am now able to do so without an employer questioning my education. For me, getting my BSN is a stepping to stone to the master's program and I am able to apply to the nurse practitioner program. I am honeslty taking away new information that I can use and apply in my career and I do not regret one day of it.

Infection Control in healthcare facilities

In the midst of doing research for my change project I find that many incidences involving infection control could have been easily prevented. Everyday hospital leaders choose what to spend their money on. They choose to give raises for administrators, build a parking lot and even build a new wing for the facility. The choice to implement infection control is often overlooked. Infection control is a fundamental issue of safety. As health care workers we must be the group that makes this happen better yet, demand that it happens. Prevention can only occur when top leaders target zero as their goal, invest in their infection control programs to assure the resources need for optimal programs.

This is a very serious issue. I have been reading lately of how physicians and nurses are reusing syringes and needles on patients. We know way better than this. This a scary thought that people would risk your life in this way. This is the reason why some people have little trust in the health care system. We must do better to protect our patience and ourselves.

Close to the End

My preceptorship has not been exactly what I expected it to be. However, I have observed from her perspective of what it takes to be an effective leader and have staff and others respect you. I have been working hard on this change paper/project and I feel that was good experience. Having wrapped up a Intervention project in another class was quite an experience. I was interacting with 6th graders.
During this preceptorship I have learned to be a better communicator with staff members. I feel that if you have an open door policy for your staff you will be respected a lot more. The staff will feel that they can to you and get help to solve the problem. During my experience with this semester, I have been convinced that I can go further and pursue my dreams of being a nurse practitioner. I think there are a few things that I have to work on but I can overcome this obstacle. I have learned so much this last semester and I think that it will make me a better nurse. Being introduced to evidence-based practice I look at situations with a different perspective. I will always ask myself and be able to explain: "Why do you do what you do as a nurse?"