Summary
Medical professionals play a significant role in society because their responsibility is to treat individuals and save their lives. Since it is challenging to overestimate these specialists’ importance, it is worth mentioning that they should be involved in lifelong learning. This approach will help nurses, physicians, and other staff members sophisticate their skills, knowledge, and competencies in the health care industry. That is why I try to absorb as much information as possible from any course or activity because I understand that this strategy will be beneficial for my professional future. This course has provided me with essential knowledge of my professional practice, revealed my strengths and weaknesses, emphasized additional resources, helped me meet significant competencies, and taught me to apply skills to numerous practice spheres.
Professional Practice
This course is useful because it has allowed me to discover a few essential points concerning my professional practice. Firstly, I have found that theory is a solid basis for every practice decision. Even though some people can believe that theory is a set of outdated and abstract data, it is a source of useful information to apply in practice. Furthermore, Reed (2019) stipulates that theory and practice are interconnected since “nursing theory is informed by as well as a guide for practice” (p. 25). Consequently, it is rational to rely on theory when it is necessary to find a suitable solution to a current practical issue.
Secondly, the course has helped me understand that the use of various technological advancements can significantly improve professional practice outcomes. For example, the literature review of my DPI project stipulates those appropriate electronic devices and systems have the potential to increase repositioning effectiveness to minimize pressure ulcer incidence. This discovery is significant because it can result in possibly better patient outcomes. This information denotes that my future professional practice will aim at identifying the most significant technological advancements to improve health care service. It is possible to conclude that these two issues are interconnected because a focus on theoretical information will help me identify the required devices and systems faster.
Personal Strengths and Weaknesses
The process of taking this course has helped me identify some of my strengths. Firstly, I am good at working with scientific databases and identifying relevant and credible studies. This useful feature results in the fact that it is not challenging for me to find the necessary information to make significant decisions or solve a current issue. Secondly, the ability to do critical thinking is another strength that has surfaced while taking the course. I revealed this skill when it was necessary to identify the gap between research findings and practice implementation. This assignment allowed me to identify an area of the health care industry that needed improvement. It is possible to conclude that these strengths will make me a better medical professional.
Simultaneously, it is worth mentioning that the course has demonstrated my weaknesses. It has surfaced that managing time properly is a significant challenge for me. If I have much time to complete an assignment, it often happens that I start working on it close to a deadline. The desire to do everything at once is another weakness because this issue prevents me from focusing on a single task. It is good that I have identified these weak points because I have an opportunity to eliminate them from my professional practice. Thus, it is possible to mention that the course has provided me with many significant benefits regarding my future.
Additional Resources
Although the information above has proved that the course implies significant benefits for my professional career, it is still possible to mention the additional resources and abilities that could have influenced more optimal learning outcomes. On the one hand, I think that it is more reasonable to introduce more digital technologies in the learning environment. It relates to the use of smartphones, tablets, and laptops instead of or in addition to traditional textbooks. This approach is promising because it contributes to visualizing the content, making it easier for students to memorize all kinds of data. Dani (2019) also admits that digital learning contributes to student engagement, increased motivation, and better learning outcomes. Thus, it is possible to suppose that this phenomenon can bring essential benefits to nursing education.
On the other hand, I am sure that learning outcomes will improve if students get a constant ability to apply knowledge into practice. According to a study by Hee and Yun-Jeong (2018), nursing students are impressed with better results when they actively engage in clinical practice activities. This phenomenon leads to the fact that these students cooperate with qualified medical professionals and multiple patients, which provides them with the necessary experience. This information means that it is reasonable to organize special practice hours when nursing students will have the ability to cooperate with other health care professionals and adopt experience.
Competencies Aligned to the Course
Even though there is some room for the improvement described above, I have managed to meet the competencies aligned with this course. Firstly, a focus on surfing numerous databases to find relevant studies has taught me that it is necessary to find evidence-based information to deliver high-quality care to patients. It is challenging to overestimate the significance of this strategy for my future career. Secondly, I have mastered a significant competency to apply all the learned information into practice. According to Tan et al. (2018), this approach will lead to enhanced clinical and behavioral skills. These two competencies prove that nurses should establish a persistent link between research and practice.
Thirdly, following ethical principles is another competency that I have acquired over this course. Various learning materials demonstrate that ethical issues are an integral element of nursing practice, and that is why it is necessary to address them and avoid possible problems. Finally, this course has allowed me to understand the importance of leadership qualities and competency. I have noticed that the health care industry is a challenging environment where one should be able to act and make decisions quickly. Consequently, the course has taught me how to take responsibility and manifest leadership in front of different challenges.
Reflection on Personal Knowledge and Skills
In addition to that, it is possible to mention that the course has allowed me to accumulate personal knowledge and skills in various areas. Firstly, I have become familiar with interprofessional collaboration principles because I will work with multiple medical professionals in the course of my practice. According to Lim-Saco et al. (2018), human energy is interconnected and continuously moving among people, meaning that individuals should cooperate to improve one another’s skills and abilities. Consequently, I will do my best to achieve productive interprofessional collaboration because of the given course.
Secondly, a focus on cooperation has also demonstrated that all medical professionals are responsible for addressing population health concerns. The course has shown that almost every population layer is subject to some health issues, which makes the health care providers’ role even more significant in society. For example, children suffer from obesity; adults have hypertension; the older population is subject to pressure ulcers. In this case, it is necessary to understand that medical professionals’ responsibility is to provide the entire population with decent care, and the course helps comprehend this idea.
Thirdly, the course has increased my understanding that it is rational to introduce new practice approaches and technology in my professional activity. Based on scientific literature, I have found, for example, that technological devices lead to enhanced effectiveness of repositioning and turning interventions to reduce pressure ulcers. That is why it is reasonable to keep identifying evidence-based theory to find useful advice regarding various spheres of the health care industry.
Conclusion
The paper has demonstrated that the given course is a source of meaningful information. It is so because it has provided me with useful knowledge and skills that will be beneficial for my future career. The course has helped me discover my strengths and weaknesses, which is necessary to keep developing and become an even better health care provider. In addition to that, I have improved my critical thinking abilities, interprofessional collaboration skills, knowledge of population health concerns, and others. Consequently, it is challenging to overestimate the significance of the given course for my future professional career.
References
Dani, V. (2019). How to improve student learning outcomes with digital learning. Kitaboo. Web.
Hee, K. J., & Yun-Jeong, K. (2018). The clinical practice experience of nursing students. Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development, 9(3), 558-562.
Lim-Saco, F., Kilat, C. M., & Locsin, R. (2018). Synchronicity in human-space-time: A theory of nursing engagement in global community. International Journal for Human Caring, 22(1), 1-10.
Reed, P. G. (2019). Intermodernism: A philosophical perspective for development of scientific nursing theory. Advances in Nursing Science, 42(1), 17-27.
Tan, K., Chong, M. C., Subramaniam, P., & Wong, L. P. (2018). The effectiveness of outcome based education on the competencies of nursing students: A systematic review. Nurse Education Today, 64, 180-189.