Service-Learning In Nursing Education, Essay Example

Integrate knowledge, theory, research and skills in planning and evaluating comprehension of care for individuals, families, and populations

In MSN 502, Advanced Nursing Roles, I wrote a paper on improving patient identification in the hospital.  Improper patient identification can lead to medical errors which can be fatal.  Theory and research formed the basis of my paper. The information/research for my paper came from nursing journals and magazines. I also used databases to find evidenced based articles related to this topic.  In my MSN 559 Nurse Educator Role option clinical 1. I applied this knowledge by educating a student that I was supervising in clinical.  She identified the wrong patient.  The patient assigned to her had to have a procedure done off the floor.

Patient identification is an essential component of the practice environment that requires much consideration and evaluation in order to prevent widespread errors that are inexcusable in the context of a high quality patient care environment. A patient’s identity must be addressed in a timely manner so that patients receive the proper treatment and focus in the nursing care environment. This process requires the treatment of all patients to be consistent with their specific needs, using patient identification as a primary focus to promote greater quality of care. The proper identification of patients will also support the continuous growth and development of any procedures that are necessary to minimize identification errors and to be successful in the appropriate treatment of all patients. It is believed that this process will enable patients to receive the best possible treatment once they are properly identified and their care is appropriately managed.

As a nursing educator, I will work directly with the nursing students, clinical staff nurses, and new graduate nurses to prevent patient identification errors. I will also incorporate training on procedures for checking and verifying a patient’s identity. This will be incorporated into the orientation process and be part of the continuing professional development for the staff. I will ensure that the nurses are giving bedside report educating the patient, and their families and employees involved in their care.  I believe that patients must be the critical priority for nurses and must be the primary focus for students, particularly as they aim to be effective communicators and seek opportunities to be successful in developing their skills and resources to contribute effectively to direct patient care. Nurse educators must provide effective guidance and constructive criticism as warranted in order to enable nursing students to be as successful as possible during this phase of their education and training. Nursing students must be able to respond accordingly and understand their roles in the delivery of nursing care and treatment at the highest possible level of quality. This process will encourage them to be proactive in obtaining the necessary education and resources to deliver care at the desired level.

Provide evidence-based, clinically proficient care using critical thinking skills in advanced nursing roles.

Evidenced-base practice (EBP) along with evidenced-based literature has helped the nurse educator guide nursing students having academic challenges in lecture and/or in clinic.  I delivered a lecture presentation on the Renal System to the nursing students at El Camino College Compton Center.  This lecture and clinic entailed renal disorders, dialysis, proper urinary catheter placement and care to prevent urinary tract infections (UTI).  This lecture was structured around an evidence base practice that states practicing hand hygiene immediately before insertion of the catheter, hand hygiene before and after any manipulation of the catheter site or apparatus, inserting catheters by use of aseptic technique, and sterile equipment, use of gloves, a drape, sponges, sterile or antiseptic solution for cleaning the urinary meatus can all decrease the risk of developing UTI’s.

Studies have also shown that proper management of catheters such as properly securing indwelling catheters to prevent urethral traction, emptying the bag regularly, keeping the collecting bag below the level of the bladder at all times and providing routine hygiene can prevent UTI’s from occurring.  Evidence based literature has helped the nurse educator guide nursing students who are having academic challenges in theory or clinical regarding a Foley catheter.  As a nurse educator, I will educate my students on this procedure. The proper insertion of indwelling catheters is an essential component of the practice environment and requires nursing students to understand the correct procedure in order to prevent a higher risk of infection for patients (Yoon et.al, 2013). This is best accomplished by using an interface that requires the minimization of gaps in care, along with proper infection control at all times in order to prevent infection risk as best as possible (Yoon et.al, 2013). As part of an educational strategy, the use of labels and routine monitoring provide a greater level of support for students as they learn this process, while also enabling them to fully engage in their training at the desired level (Yoon et.al, 2013). Furthermore, the educational curriculum must include the development of a strategic interface that will encourage nurse educators to incorporate evidence-based practice examples and techniques for students so that they are able to understand the impact of their behaviors on patient care outcomes and infection risk (Yoon et.al, 2013).

Design culturally sensitive programs and systems of care and services that meet the needs of diverse and vulnerable populations

In MSN 514, Health Promotion and Prevention, I wrote a paper that examined the factors that put some ethnic groups at risk for not receiving or having access to prenatal care.  For expectant mothers from disadvantaged populations, there are significant disparities that exist that contribute to high-risk pregnancies, births, and serious complications in many low-income communities (Ward, 2010).  A program designed for this target population must identify weakness and vulnerabilities that exist, such as lack of knowledge and access to appropriate resources.  A proposed education program will bridge these gaps and also provide a means of improving access and enabling this population to access resources that will positively impact this group.  Programs that support African American and Hispanic women require a high level of cultural sensitivity.  A specialized program will entail practical educational strategies that will suit this these two target populations, such as those associated with prenatal care, diet, and exercising, while also targeting the need for routine prenatal care by a physician in order to promote healthier outcomes for a mother and child.  As a nurse educator, I will teach the prenatal patients with the knowledge I already have.

Nursing education must encompass a number of different areas that will improve outcomes for patients who are classified as vulnerable from populations with limited access to resources. This process requires the utilization of specific resources that will capture the understanding of the needs of these populations and that will provide further support in the development of new practices for nurse-led involvement in providing care and treatment to vulnerable populations. It is important for nurse educators to provide their students with the best possible environment upon which to build their understanding of patient care and the needs of vulnerable populations, and this is best accomplished by using tools such as service learning and other resources that will enhance nursing care and delivery for patients (Groh, Stallwood, & Daniels, 2011). It is expected that through an understanding of service learning, there will be additional insight regarding the impact of nursing practice objectives that support patient needs and that influence how patients receive and respond to care and treatment, particularly those who are from vulnerable populations (Groh et.al, 2011). Nurse educators must be at the forefront of educating nursing students through a social justice platform so that all patients have a chance to receive the care and treatment that they deserve, minimizing or eliminating inequality in the process (Groh et.al, 2011). Therefore, nurses must be able to adapt to vulnerable populations and be able to administer care and treatment across different population groups in order to accomplish the intended objectives, while also considering how to improve upon existing protocols and treatment methods through evidence-based solutions that are likely to improve upon existing care and treatment (Groh et.al, 2011).

Integrate ethical theory and principles into nursing theory, research and practice in advanced nursing roles.

In MSN 531, ethical concepts in the nursing profession were explored and applied.  Beneficence is an ethical concept that was touched.  It is the act of doing of good. Healthcare professionals operating in education are vulnerable to unethical behavior.  On a regular basis, these individuals deal with ethical challenges such as showing favoritism in a clinical academic setting.  Research has shown that a subtle way of combating favoritism and its use in the academic setting is through the use of project based learning groups (PBL) in clinical academia.  Project based groups create a learning environment that make it more difficult for nursing instructors to play favorites, and less likely for students to feel isolated and deprived of equal opportunity to acquire knowledge in the field.    As a nursing educator I will use this tool.

For all nurse educators and nursing students, ethical behaviors are of the utmost importance to the preservation of care and in achieving a desired level of quality that will improve outcomes for patients. This requires nursing students to be proactive in meeting the goals and expectations of the nursing profession through these actions and in supporting the continued growth and development of a framework that will capture the spirit of nursing practice and the outcomes that might be achieved. Most importantly, nurses must be able to recognize the need to effectively contribute to the practice environment through continuous employment of ethical behaviors so that patient care is not unnecessarily compromised in any way. This requires nurses to be effective in understanding the importance of ethical behaviors and in the prevention of errors that may risk the lives of their patients. This process requires nurses to be successful in their efforts to achieve successful outcomes and improved quality of life for their patients by serving them in a capacity that promotes ethical responsibility and sound judgment in all decision-making processes. It is necessary for nurses to act in this capacity to serve the needs of their patients as best as possible, while also considering how to best approach their plans of care with the best possible outcomes in mind.

Advocate for healthcare policies and financing that promote, preserve, and restore public health

In MSN 513, I interviewed Senator Barbara Boxer on several world topics.  We discussed childhood vaccinations. During this interview, I gained knowledge that helped me advocate for a bill on childhood vaccination education. Since vaccinations are a critical and relevant topic in modern medicine, this issue must be addressed with the many population groups that are served in different healthcare environments. This will encourage the development of new ideas to improve public health initiatives, such as vaccinations, which are of critical importance to the overall support and direction of public health in the modern era. This process requires nurse educators and nursing students to be apprised of significant changes within the scope of the practice environment and to better understand their roles in shaping patient outcomes at the public health level. This will encourage the development of positive educational initiatives and guidance that will support patients as they seek opportunities for growth and change in the context of the nursing environment. Nurses must be able to deliver the best possible quality of care and administer treatments that will have a lasting impact on patient outcomes and in the delivery of care and treatment that will have a lasting impact on patients in the context of public health. It is believed that nurses will also work collaboratively to form new programs and initiatives to support public health endeavors that require their attention and support so that they are able to provide effective results and improve quality of life for as many patients as possible. This process will demonstrate that high quality patient care must be a critical priority for nurses and that without this context, nurses are unable to improve the quality of life of their patients over time.

References

Groh, C. J., Stallwood, L. G., & Daniels, J. J. (2011). Service-learning in nursing education: Its impact on leadership and social justice. Nursing education perspectives, 32(6), 400-405.

Yoon, B., McIntosh, S. D., Rodriguez, L., Holley, A., Faselis, C. J., & Liappis, A. P. (2013). Changing behavior among nurses to track indwelling urinary catheters in hospitalized patients. Interdisciplinary perspectives on infectious diseases, 2013.