Reflective Journal Nursing: Analyzing Different Medical Cases

Question

Task:Students are required to keep an account of their clinical learning experience in ajournai entry. Students are required to reflect and write an account of 3 to 4 of their experiences related to their specific area of practice. Examples of clinical experiences that student can reflect upon will include at least 3 to 4 themes as follows, but are not limited to: meeting the educational needs of the patients, families and significant others; functioning as a nurse in a multidisciplinary health care team, communication problems with colleagues/clients/clients’ families; clinical issues and ethical dilemmas. Students need to identify their personal and professional parameters for the way they have handled the experience that evolved from their clinical practice.

In the journal, students will also identify their clinical objectives to achieve an understanding of an advanced level of nursing practice. These objectives should be clearly stated in the introduction of the journal. Students will evaluate the achievement of the objectives and critically analyse and reflect on the experiences of their practice based on current literature.

Students will need to allocate time to reflect on their experiences in practice. Explore their personal thoughts, feelings and emotions, focusing on positive and negative aspects of the experience.

Answer

Introduction
Reflective practice is helpful for both academic and professional careers. In this context, it is noteworthy that the nursing professionals need to continuously evaluate their performance to ensure that the best practice is being delivered to the patients (Butts & Rich, 2019). In this context of this reflective journal assignment, the nursing professionals and students utilize reflective journals, which help to reflect and evaluate their own practices. In the following section of this reflective journal assignment, I am going to develop a reflective journal for evaluating my nursing practice. In order to do this in reflective journal nursing, I am going to utilize Gibb’s reflective cycle.

Description

Issue 1: Being an important part of the multidisciplinary team, I have undergone several situations, while working with others from different disciplines. For instance, while working the team, I have faced an issue with another RN, who was working before my shift. She was supposed to hand the patient over me for the night shift. While handling the patient, I found that she has not taken the note for the patient’s vital signs. When reviewed the patient’s details, I found that the last reading was taken at afternoon and no further review has been documented. Although I discussed the matter with her, she claimed that the patient was visibly stable and she had to handle the other critical patients too.

I felt uncertainty about the patient’s condition and I immediately took her vital signs and found that her blood pressure was significantly high than the last taken review. I immediately informed the team about the patient’s details, so that the immediate steps could be undertaken.

Issue 2: Another issue I faced, while dealing with an African patient family. I was assigned with a terminally ill patient, from African background. The patient’s husband was next to keen family member, who had little understanding about English. It was difficult for me to communicate with him in their local language. At that time, there was no interpreter in the organization, which created significant conflict.

I felt worried as it was essential to communicate with the patient’s husband for discussing the patient’s condition and other concerns. I immediately discussed the issue with the interdisciplinary team to take action in this regards.

Issue 3: Another issue I have faced in this reflective journal assignment, while dealing with a 85 years old Muslim patient in the male ward. The patient was having hygiene issue and he was unable to maintain proper hygiene and developed infection. He needed assistance in bathing and toileting. While attempting to help him, he refused to take help due to privacy. He claimed for male nurse, but at that time, all the male nurses were assigned to other patients. As he refused to take assistanceas refered in this reflective journal assignment, his infectious wound was getting worse, along with increased pain. In addition, he was also avoiding medicines and food products, which are having pork products, due to religious issue. However, in his medicine list, there were medicines, which are having pork extracts. It created an ethical conflict.

In the third situation of this reflective journal assignment, I felt confused thinking what should be done to help the patient, while being worried about his concern about his worsening wound. I immediately contacted the interdisciplinary team developed for the patient, to take immediate action for his issues.

Analysis
Issue 1: I revealed significant negligence regarding the ‘duty of care’ of the RN. She revealed that she had to attend others critical patients and this patient was visibly stable. However, she breached her responsibility and professional conduct. It might be harmful for the patient. I felt that I must take step ahead to eliminate such risk to the patients further.

Issue 1: I revealed significant negligence regarding the ‘duty of care’ of the RN. She revealed that she had to attend others critical patients and this patient was visibly stable. However, she breached her responsibility and professional conduct. It might be harmful for the patient. I felt that I must take step ahead to eliminate such risk to the patients further.

Issue 3: Analyzing the situation and consulting with the team, I revealed that it is a significant ethical conflict and the patient should be helped with appropriate support. Mujallad Gjukaj, Drewniak and Biller-Andorno (2018) revealed that nurses have to undergo such situation and they need to explore the abstract thinking skills for identifying the best solution for the patient, considering the ethical principle of non-maleficence and justice.

Evaluation / Interpretation
Issue 1: I reviewed the professional conduct of registered nurse and identified the ‘duty of care’ for RNs. It helped me to develop significant knowledge about the standard of practice. Then I discussed the issue with RN and the entire team.

Issue 2: Evaluating the situation I revealed that the organization’s negligence made the situation worse. The organizational management arranged another temporary interpreter from an external agency, to deal with the situation. The organization should take care of these issues further, through ensuring the effective human resource is present in the organization.

Issue 3: Considering the situation in the third case, I attempted to contact with a male nurse assigned to other patient and requested to take care of the patient during through his bathing and toileting and at that time, I would be taking care of the patients, he is assigned with. In addition, I consulted with the doctor and asked for giving some alternative medications, for the prescribed ones, which has pork products. Finally, I attempted to arrange a health education session for the patient to increase his awareness and develop a good rapport with him, which has been seen to be effective in these situations (Murdaugh, Parsons & Pender, 2018).

Action plan / outcome
Issue 1: Finally, based on my analysis, I developed a presentation regarding the RN’s ‘duty of care’ and presented to the team for adding value to the existing practices of the RNs. I developed significant knowledge about adhering to professional codes and achieving duty of care for ensuring safety of patients (Johns, 2017).

Issue 2: I developed significant knowledge about dealing with emergencies, where immediate actions needed to be undertaken by the nurses. In addition, I have also modified my PPD plan including the need for diverse language training for dealing with patients from diverse backgrounds.

Issue 3: I prepared educational session for the patient and made him aware of his issues and the need for him to take support. In addition, reviewing the ethical codes, I understood the way I can develop cultural sensitivity and show respect towards patient’s religious aspects.

Conclusion
In the above reflective journal assignment, the key focus was reflecting own nursing practices. The reflective journal helped me to develop significant knowledge and skills about my own practice, while highlighting the key areas, where I need to develop skills and competencies. I have learned a lot from my experience in this reflective journal nursing, while working as an RN with my assigned patients. I developed significant understanding about the importance of “duty of care” and “ethical considerations”, while dealing with patients. In addition, I have also developed problem solving skills for handling complex situations. The acquired knowledge and skills in this reflective journal nursing will help to shape my expertise further. Reflective journal assignments are being prepared by our nursing assignment help experts from top universities which let us to provide you a reliable best assignment help service.

Reference List
Gjukaj, D., Drewniak, D., & Biller-Andorno, N. (2018). Ethical issues faced by Muslim patients: An empirical study of Muslim and non-Muslim students’ perceptions. Clinical Ethics, 13(2), 67-74.

Butts, J. B., & Rich, K. L. (2019). Nursing ethics. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Murdaugh, C. L., Parsons, M. A., & Pender, N. J. (2018). Health promotion in nursing practice. Pearson Education Canada.

Johns, C. (Ed.). (2017). Becoming a reflective practitioner. John Wiley & Sons.