Development of Self as Nurse

Scanning Your Environment

Self-Assessment

Reality Check

Career Vision

Career Goals

-In my third year clinical placement, my nurse mentor was organized and possessed excellent communication skills when dealing with the interdisciplinary team and the families of the newborns within her care.

-Environmental constraints when looking for a job includes: job availability, changes in the healthcare economy (e.g. budget), and being up against many competitors wanting the same job.

-Environmental resources: Nursing school faculty and also the clinical setting.

-The opportunities of learning in my school setting is very diverse and have contributed in my decision and focus on working with newborns and their families.

-Important social and health issues in my community would be many older adults in the community are staying home. As more of these older adults stay home they are at increased risk for falls and possible burns due to their declining motor skills and sensory senses.

– Current nursing issues affecting my local area would be a decrease in nursing jobs for new graduates. Older nurses are slowing turnover by taking longer to retire, and new graduates are flooding the market.

-Many nurses use technology to document patient care and also to communicate with others in the interdisciplinary team.

-Interventions to prevent stress and burnout and to retain nurses are critically necessary to ensure efficient and quality client care.

-Global Health issues such as the Ebola virus disease in West Africa is currently now traveling all over the world. It is vital for nurses and nursing students to stay well informed about this severe illness in order to educate clients and the public to help prevent spread.

-Horizontal violence is a global nursing issue affecting many nurses and their practice.

-Practicing in the clinical setting as a nursing student has allowed me the opportunity to spend additional time with my clients and learn more about who they are as a person as oppose to viewing them as walking diagnosis and room number.

-It is essential that I Maintain balance and values in all aspects of my life because nursing can be quite stressful at times and a good support system is needed to help cope with stress.

-In the clinical setting, I am able to therapeutically support my clients and tend to their needs while still maintaining my professional boundaries.

My most significant accomplishments while in the nursing program would be receiving an invitation to join York University’s honor society for being the top 15% student in the faculty of health.

-As a result of an increased self-awareness and increased knowledge base in my forth year, I feel that I am much more interactive and confident with members of the multidisciplinary team and with the patients.

-New knowledge and skills that I have acquired since my last self-assessment would be there is an increase in my ability to perform technical skills such as monitoring, setting up and administrating IV medications and also inserting a urinary catheter using sterile technique to my clients.

– In the beginning, I had some time management issues due to saving my charting until towards the end of the shift, which then resulted in me leaving clinical late. Now, I ensure that I document as I go; thus improving my time management in the clinical setting.

– I am known as a hard worker and focused individual which has been evidenced by the numerous academic recognition awards I have received.

– I have been told that my strengths in the clinical setting include patient education, patient advocacy, and meeting the client’s basic needs. The key areas for development that I need to improve upon would be memorization of lab values.

–Often times, people describe me as a good listener and very patient and caring.

-My assessment of my accomplishments compared with others assessments of me are quite accurate when being compared together as I feel I am a hard worker that prides in giving quality patient care and producing work of the same caliber in the classroom.

– I am hopeful that I will receive my request for the NICU as my final practicum as I have met the additional requirements needed for this specialized area; by going this route, I may be able to take part in the new grad initiative and hopefully secure a job if available.

– I have been able to identify my strengths and weaknesses with the help of my preceptor and my own reflection in clinical and theory practice. I am optimistic about what my nursing career holds in the future and also gaining the ability to grow and learn as a person and a nurse in my clinical experiences.

-I am an expert practice neonatal intensive care nurse that works with a diverse group of young clients and their families in a large teaching hospital in the downtown region of Toronto. In the clinical setting I have been recognized for my extensive knowledge base, my ability to work effectively and efficiently under high levels of stress and also collaborate effectively with the interdisciplinary team. In accordance with the College of Nurses (CNO) standards of practice, I ensure that my nursing practice is always being guided and supported by current research; In addition I have been diligent in taking continuing education certificate courses at available colleges and universities online and locally. Through years of experience I have perfected the craft of building the nurse-client relationship by utilizing therapeutic techniques which will enable me to provide comfort and support to families in my care.

Short term

1. Network with other nurses in the NICU through a professional organization and related interest groups.
2. Use nursing practice placement experiences gained in my previous semesters and final integrated practicum to develop necessary competencies in this area of practice.
3. Connect with nurse mentors in the NICU clinical setting that I have worked with previously and use them as a resource.
4. Get a staff nurse position in a Neonatal intensive care unit upon graduation and passing the NCLEX

Long term

1. Take additional courses in order to become more knowledgeable in providing client and family centered care when attending to neonates.

2. Become a specialized Nurse Practitioner- (Need to complete the Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner certificate program at Ryerson University, subsequent to obtaining my Master’s Degree in Nursing.)

Career Plan

Action Steps

Resources

Timeline

(When to accomplish)

Indicators of Success

(How will I know I have succeeded?)

Next Steps

(How will you market yourself?)

1) Speak to up to three faculty staff members who could possibly become mentors in the area of neonatal intensive care or pediatrics.

2)Through my environmental scan, identify the professional skills and nursing practice competencies that are essential to working competently in the NICU

3) Speak to past nursing students and current nursing staff who have experience working on the neonatal intensive care unit.

4) Meet with the placement coordinator to discuss and understand placement requirements for forth year students entering into specialized integrated practicum areas (e.g. NICU).

-Faculty members with a pediatrics and neonatal intensive care background

– Utilize contact information obtained from the Nurse manager on the NICU.

-The College of Nurses website

-Registered nurses association of Ontario

– Canadian Nursing Students’ Association

-Nurse manager and staff on the NICU at Trillium health center.

-Colleagues that just finished the nursing program in previous year.

-Nursing practice placement coordinator

-Faculty members with related neonatal intensive care background

June 2015

April 2015

March 2015

November 2014

1) Make appointments with selected faculty members who have a neonatal and pediatric background to discuss the possibility of becoming my mentor.

2)- Ensuring that environmental scan is continually updated as my self-assessment or career vision may change. These updates indicate that significant changes may have occurred around me as I move forward in my job or education.

-I will also attend professional association meetings.

3)-Connect with former colleagues who have graduated in the previous year via telephone or social media nursing groups to get feedback.

– Contact nurse manager via email to let her know of my interest in obtaining a new grad initiative position

4)-Contact the placement coordinator and related persons to establish a meeting time and place to discuss questions that I may have in regards to integrated

Practicum.

As a new graduate nurse, I am aware that I may not have much experience when compared to a more “seasoned” nurse when applying for the same job position; but I am confident in my abilities and know that I am able to learn and adapt to my environment with much quickness and efficiency. I am able to be my own best marketer when in a setting that requires selling of self by ensuring that I am being represented in the best possible way and utilizing all available resources. I am a member of The Golden Key International Honor Society in which I am able to attend conferences and workshops locally, provincially and nationally. This will allow me the opportunity to connect and network with colleagues who I may be able to call upon for advice and direction if needed. This will further aid in my success of being employed as new graduate nurse in my dream job the NICU.