Author: mmammone

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Effects of Covid-19 Reflection

The effects of Covid-19 on the population has been detrimental. It can be seen in all aspects such as physical, psychological, and social well-being. People mask up for going into the grocery store, maintain at least 6 feet social distance, and remain sheltered in their home for most of the pandemic. These precautions to contracting the virus have physical and mental effects that have damaged many. Society as we once knew, will never be the same. This pandemic has caused lasting effects in society and the health of civilians. Even though vaccinations have been on the rise, the effects of the pandemic can still be seen by everyone day to day. Personally, this pandemic has caused physical and mental stress that required perseverance and guidance to get through.

            Within the medical profession, I can see a side of the virus that most people are not able to see. As a health care aid, I get to be in contact with potential Covid positive patients that are going through a slew of symptoms. Seeing patients in a resident home at such a critical time makes me reflect on what I will be doing as a nurse. It makes me think about the care I am providing to the patient. I strive to help as many people as I can while providing the most efficient care. This is challenging when I have family and friends who are currently suffering themselves. I reflected on the situation at hand and it made me think deeply about what I was doing. I had to set aside my emotions of the pandemic and hold myself accountable. This was done through the right mindset and perseverance. I focused on the task that was currently right in front of me and achieved what I had to do. This allowed me to focus on my job and discover how important basic nursing concepts are through my role. I was educated on how important safety, decision making, and prioritizing is when it comes to being a nurse. I got to participate and observe in patient care in one of the most challenging times in health care. Without the essential nursing concepts, the patient would not receive effective and efficient care. This would ultimately result in a deteriorating client who would not be able to over come the effects of their disease. I reflected on the role of a nurse and how important it is to focus on the patients and what they need. The patient not only needs someone to physically take care of them, but also a support system through this unprecedented time. This pandemic has delivered a lot of questions as it relates to ethics, nursing practices and the development of nursing students.

            A student nurse has it challenging enough to get their feet wet during nursing school. A lot of practices and procedures are new and require hard work and dedication to achieve success. This pandemic has thrown a curve ball into what nursing students can expect from all aspects of what it takes to become a nurse. Yet, what still holds true, is that a nurse still needs to hold a leadership position in the community, profession, and social circle. The CDC has guided the community as to what prevention measures should be taken to reduce the risk of contracting the virus. The job of a nurse is to be a primary educator to patients and people around, so they understand these prevention measures. Remaining at least 6 feet social distance, preforming proper hand hygiene, wearing a mask, and getting regularly testing are all factor into key prevention education. The nurse should practice what they preach to ensure that the people they are educating understand the importance and know how to do such tasks. By holding this leadership role in the community, the prevention measure should become more effective as more people know what they should be doing. There has been a lot of debates surrounding the efficacy of the Covid-19 tests, whether masks are effective, and exactly how the virus works. It is best that the nurse educates themselves by looking at evidence-based articles that provide substantial evidence as to what is effective and not. Sharing this information should be a priority for the nurse as nurse’s don’t just care for their patient, they care for everyone in need. Doing so can more challenging than anything. There is always going to be people who disagree and that is okay. It is important as a nurse and a leader, that the information is spread just so that people are educated and can make decisions for themselves. The community needs nurses to step up to influence and help citizens during this time.

            The pandemic will have everlasting effects on the community. I believe that hygiene and prevention will play an important role in how things are done. The wellness of the community will become cleaner and focus on how to prevent further instances like this from happening again. This also brings along the negative effects of the pandemic that has been brought up. The mental health aspect of being in solidarity and isolated for an extended period can be challenging to many. The community is going to need time to heal after this prolonged exposure to a new way of life. It is going to need a strong support system full of many health care professions that are available for everyone. There will be new leadership positions for nurses that include further care in education, prevention, and treatment. These can include new practices for talking about mental health, delivering vaccines, and being apart of the patients support system. These things may not have been prevalent in past years, but with this pandemic, they should become priorities for every nurse and health care profession. These changes will not come easy, but everyone needs to do their part to keep themselves and their community safe.

            Society has been challenged to their limit during this unexpected pandemic. We collectively have come together as a group to solve this prevailing issue. We are unsure of what the future holds for us. With vaccine roll outs in full effect, we need to hunker down until we can return to some normalcy. The obstacles that we have faced have been overcome by dedication and hard work. Things will return to normal at some point, and it is important to keep that in mind. The well-being of people will return, and we will be stronger than we ever were. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and we all need to stay focused, dedicated, and advocate for one another to achieve harmony.

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Assumptions

Ethics in the nursing profession is prevalent every day. Nurses have to guide themselves through various ethical situations and provide the best response. They need to be well aware of the situation on use resources such as evidence based articles to help explain and implement procedures and treatment. Examining these articles can help provide the patient with a sense of comfort as the nurse holds the knowledge to the ethics as they present. Generation of evidence can be done through various ways and can entail the contribution of the nurse. A nurse can report the symptoms the patient is receiving from the treatment and help navigate the causation of the symptoms. A nurse can also tell if the treatment is working effectively by examining the physical patient and trending labs results. This is done so that the medical profession can understand how a procedure of treatment is affecting the patient. It can also open up new ways to do such tasks that will better affect the patient in a positive way. Ethics plays a major role in providing care and it is the duty of the nurse to provide the best care by doing and participating in evidence based studies.

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Appraisal and Synthesis

Our topic of discussion has been very interesting to use. We have found articles that follow on both sides of for and against the use of cannabis for symptoms related for Parkinson’s disease. This disease has no cure so it is the job of the health care team to explore and find new treatment options that best suites the patient. Our research and analysis of our articles made us really think about ethics and how they can play a role in what treatments work some patients. Some cultures and religions may be against the use of cannabis, but the nurse should always educate patients on the variety of options that they have. Without education, the patient could be left guessing what to do rather than making an informed decision.

This critical appraisal did not change my mind, rather, enforce what I had expected. I knew cannabis could play a role in sleep and muscle tenacity in patient’s who have Parkinson’s disease. I am family with Michael J Fox who is currently sufferings from mild Parkinson’s. We watched videos on him to get a better understanding of how the disease works and affects patients. Our findings still lead us to resort to further research before providing a strong recommendation for or against. This does lead me to follow up on the topic as more research is found out about the efficacy. My teammate and I both agreed with the articles that are pro cannabis as they can be affective. The process of articulating the paper has been a challenge. We both have very expansive minds that can counteract each others views. We debated and both came down to the same consensus. Our writing styles are both different as well but I feel like this can compliment our paper by providing different views intertwined with each other. I feel like our hard work through this process of figuring out our challenges will ultimately benefit us.

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Simulation Alternative Assignment 1

               Watching these interviews, I could gain insight into the feeling in the room and got to observe and listen to questions and how the patient responds. This is key to observing as different patients can react differently to certain questions. The videos feel very real, as if they were not a simulation, which gave more insight into the role of therapeutic communication during the mental health assessment process. In one of the scenarios, my classmates started to talk about the patient’s job and what they liked most about it. This invoked a positive reaction where the patient who was more reserved, opened-up a little more and started describing their work life. This type of communication is beneficial as it can get the patient to talk more about what is going on, in turn, will allow the staff to get to the bottom of the patient’s issue.

In another video, my classmates effectively used various therapeutic communication techniques to build a trustful and caring patient-nurse relationship. Some of the techniques that were observed was silence, active listening, reflection, summarizing, and acknowledgement. These techniques worked well in having the patient express what is going on, as well as, build on the relationship. This intervention as such is extremely beneficial to the patient. Communication is key in almost all situations. Speaking with the patient and observing and listening to what they have to say is vital to understanding and treating the issues at hand. It can help the patient identify themselves what is going on which can lead to a solution. Therapeutic communication should be used in all scenarios regardless of what the patient is going through. These simulation videos demonstrate the efficacy of therapeutic communication and that it is immensely beneficial.

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From Inquiry Through Discovery

After thorough development or our PICOT question and retrieving peer edited articles, we found that some revision was needed. We decided to look at a broader age group in which we included anyone receiving the medical marijuana with any age. This helped in finding more article as needed for our paper. In continuation of developing our paper, we looked in depth at each article chosen to compare results and see if they would fit in the scheme of our paper. We want to create a connection between the articles that include the major nursing theory. This was not as easy as it seemed and developed challenges. First was in choosing a theme that correlates with he articles and the scheme of the paper that we want to deliver. This in itself presented a challenge as there was not many theories that we could intertwine into the paper. This made us question some of our sources and we decided to take a look for other sources that could present new information. In doing so, did not completely resolve our issue, rather, gave us more knowledge of our topic and how to discuss it in our paper. With these challenges came success. We were successful in defining what our articles mean and how they relate to each other. With the class activities, we were able to understand what the articles meant and how the information is presented relates to what we need to know. This was not an easy task and required work but we now have a better understanding of what each article is trying to portray. This project has been a challenging one but with determination to succeed, these challenges have been over come so far.

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Planning The Journey

Eric and I plan to be very successful in drafting and writing our team project. We cooperate and listen to each other very well and this will set us up for success. We will be on top of each other throughout this whole project as we live together and can keep each other accountable. If one of us is lacking in our part, we will communicate that and find the most effective compromise to the issue. A benefit we have is that we live together and can do each part together. A down fall is that we both can procrastinate at times but I believe this will not be an issue for this project. This project will benefit my communication with others and increase my ability to problem solve. I look forward to getting after it during this project to show case my abilities.

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Mental Health Stigma

  1. There is a substantial amount of stigma that revolves around mental health. This negativity can be sourced from the lack of knowledge of the reoccurring issue. A lot of people are unaware of how prevalent mental issues are in society. It is hard for people to conceptualize that one is suffering from a mental illness when society is so focused on observations and physical appearance. Just because one cannot see the disability, does not mean that the disability does not exist. It is important for people to educate themselves on issues that are frequent in a lot of people. Self-stigmas can also be derived from societies outlook on people with mental illnesses. People are so focused on there public appearance they forget to be themselves. Society looks down upon people with these disabilities, which in turn causes self-stigma. It is important to understand your condition and work to better yourself without the negativity.
  2. Culture plays an important role in everyone’s conception of wellness and illness. It works with values and beliefs to form the basis of what you believe in. With this, it could deter people from getting screenings done or taking medications that can help a person improve their condition. If a person grows up without the knowledge or awareness about mental illnesses, then they are less likely to seek out help. Religion can also play a similar role in the influence of a person’s response to mental illness. It can give a person direction and influence decisions in their daily life. It is important to establish what values and beliefs you believe in and incorporate them into your own wellbeing.
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Empathy & Compassion Reflection

Nursing is a very difficult and challenging profession. It requires long hours and hard work to routinely ensure the health and safety of their patients. Nurses hold certain qualities that allow them to effectively provide care in the most effective and efficient way. Some of the qualities include leadership, determination, and showing empathy and compassion. Empathy and compassion form part of the backbone when it comes to providing patient care. It instills that you are there for them and care about who they are, rather than just a patient with a number. Both qualities play an important role in providing care and can contrast in many ways.

Empathy directly focuses on the ability of the nurse to understand and share the feelings of the patient. This contrasts to compassion, as compassion dives deeper with the understanding of feelings by acting and holding the desire to help. Both terms have the same subject topic, but both take different directions to patient care. In terms of providing care, empathy is when a nurse would sit down with a patient and try to understand how they are feeling through a difficult situation. The nurse would be a support system for the patient. Compassion would be the nurse feeling and understanding the situation of the patient by acting and implementing interventions that would overall benefit them. They both have a specific and unique place while being a primary aspect of providing care.

Compassion and empathy can be seen in many shapes and forms. Jean Watson, a nurse theorist and professor, constructed the 10 Caritive Factors, within Watson’s Theory, that demonstrate compassion and empathy. The theory explains the framework of how nurses provide care in the most productive and efficient way. Compassion and empathy are concrete characteristics that influence the effectiveness of the framework. Watson’s 10 Caritive Factors include the following

“1.The formation of a humanistic-altruistic system of values

2.The instillation of faith-hope

3.The cultivation of sensitivity to one’s self and to others

4.The development of a helping-trust relationship

5.The promotion and acceptance of the expression of positive and negative feelings

6.The systematic use of the scientific problem-solving method for decision making

7.The promotion of interpersonal teaching-learning

8.The provision for a supportive, protective and corrective mental, physical, socio-cultural and spiritual environment

9.Assistance with the gratification of human needs

10.The allowance for existential-phenomenological forces”

The first factor includes the nurse’s ability to form relationships with the patients that is professional yet personal. This includes expressing empathy and compassion towards the patient as you care for them as they are your family. The nurse respects the patient’s values giving them a sense of identity. The second factor incorporates the beliefs of the patient by expressing empathy to allow the patient to accept the terms of their condition. The relationship formed promotes positive health during treatment. The third factor identifies differences in patient care by incorporating different methods of compassion and empathy. The nurse holds the ability to distinguish these differences and act accordingly to provide efficient and effective care. The fourth and fifth factor develops communication that is present in compassion and empathy that entitles the patient to a healthy relationship. The patient, as well as the family, is heard and feel they can trust the nurse with any issue regardless if it is positive or negative. No judgement is mad nor does the family feel guilt for the things they say and do within the practice of patient care. The sixth and seventh factor focuses on compassion by implementing problem solving strategies to promote the health of the patient. The nurse must educate, inform, guide, and explain processes to the patient. The decision-making aspect of these factor can be derived from the nursing process as nurse’s are always looking to improve their skills. The eighth factor looks at the patient’s environment and holds the nurse accountable for providing a safe mental, physical, sociocultural, and spiritual environment. Empathy and compassion play a role by establishing and implementing strategies that promote a healthy environment. The ninth factor involves a nurse’s intuition as well as communication strategies to decide the hierarchy of needs when it comes to patient care. Compassion and empathy aids in decided which needs come first. The nurse identifies what works best with the patient as well as their needs and establishes the order as to which they will be implemented. The tenth and final factor includes the spiritual needs of the patient. The nurse uses empathy and compassion to learn about what spiritual needs the patient has. The nurse sets aside their own beliefs to help aid the patient during care. These factors can be seen in every hospital, long term care facility, and even my clinical rotation.

My experience at clinical was full of effective communication and hands on learning. I went through my daily tasks such as taking vital signs and performing bedside assessments while keeping in mind the necessity of empathy and compassion. One interaction caught my attention when providing care. I was preforming my bedside assessment on an older female patient who was recently admitted. She had fallen in her bedroom and was awaiting the results of her CT scan. She was very distraught and emotional about the situation as she sat in her bed. A little nervous myself, I sat down and expressed empathy through listening to her concerns. We talked about her daughters, her husband, and herself. She expressed how frightened she was that this was her third fall this year and how her health is deteriorating. I ensured the patient, as well as, educated her about some precautions that will help eliminate the risk of falling. I encouraged her to enhance her physical, mental, and spiritual responsibilities through various activities. I expressed compassion by guiding her through these difficult times. This process proved to be effective as the patient demonstrated a more relaxed demeanor.

Reflecting on this experience, it was not particularly perfect. I was timid and quite to start the conversation. As it went on, I started to gain confidence and was efficient and effective with my communication. Next time, I would look to build off this experience to help ensure other patients who are dealing with issues. I will actively listen and express empathy and compassion through my communication. In doing so, will provide comfort and acceptance of the patient. I will also keep in mind the 10 Caritive factors that are apart of Watson’s Theory. This will ensure that the patient is able to trust me with what they are telling me in a nonjudgmental and honest way. This is the standard for all nurse’s regardless of where they are located or what they are practicing.

Nurse’s everywhere are very different yet very similar. They can all come from different backgrounds but all focus on the well-being of the patient. They hold the needed qualities to provide effective and efficient patient care. Compassion and empathy are two of the most vital qualities that each nurse holds. It is these qualities that comfort, support, and give a sense of self to patients during a very critical time in their life. Patients are more than just paying customers. Patients are people who have loving families and emotions. They are citizens of our community that work for the better of others. They are the people who come to us in search of help and it is the job of the nurse to protect them.

                                                                        References

Jeffrey D. (2016). Empathy, Sympathy and Compassion in Healthcare: Is There a Problem? Is     There a Difference? Does it Matter? Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 109(12).     446-452. doi:10.1177/0141076816680120

Rexroth, R., & Davidhizar, R. (2003). Caring: Utilizing the Watson Theory to Transcend       Culture. Health Care Manager, 22(4), 295-304.

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How I Made a Difference

The first clinical rotation of my nursing career was more than exceptional. I reinforced procedures learned in class, learned new hands on techniques, and built communication strategies with patients. This experience will be the foundation of my nursing career and I will look to build off it. Not only did I reinforce my techniques, I also managed to help and make a difference in a patient.


I was performing my bedside assessment on this little old lady. She was the sweetest and kindest patient I had. We talked about the Portland campus and how my nursing education was going. In doing so, I cracked a couple of funny comments about nursing school, and she chuckled. I explained to her that it was my first ever clinical experience and to just bear with me through this process. I was a little nervous but also excited to take what I have learned in the lab and practice it in person. I started with the neurological exam and moved down to the rest of the
body. I auscultated her heart and lungs, palpated her abdomen, and examined her skin. Through the exam I gained confidence. I provided descriptions, education, and reasoning with each movement and analysis. I was as thorough and informative as I could be. With this, the patient gained the greatest outcome of it all. Once I finished, the patient was grateful. She said that I was the first person to tell her why they were doing these tests. She was amazed as to how complex
the human body was. She did not know about capillary refill, skin turgor, or even pedal pulses. I was the most informative person to who her as she gained knowledge and understanding of how these things work. I thanked her as I finished the exam for being supportive through my first assessment. She thanked me back for teaching her these new topics. I left the room and never saw her again.

The situation could be small or large but no matter what, it is important to make a
difference. The small conversation I had with this patient will go with her through the rest of her life. As little as it can seem to many people, it is as great as anything to the patient. Things aren’t going to be easy at times in the nursing profession, but it is important to take a step back and observe the greatness that nurses do and to reflect on the influence you have on people.

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Medication Reconciliation Reflection

Doing the medication reconciliation was very interesting to me. I learned a lot about my family history as well as some of the medications they use. It is interesting to see why a doctor decided to prescribe these and see how they work together with other prescribed medications. A lot of the safety concerns with my patient were the same. It made me think they would have a greater possibility to see these adverse effects. Yet, this was not the case. The main safety concerns seen was headache, dizziness, and nausea. These symptoms are typical for a lot of medications and are seen in a lot of patients. An important aspect that was noted is that the patient required reading glasses to read. I mentioned to the patient that they want to always have their glasses when they are going to take their medications. This will limit the risk of double dosing or missing a dose by taking the wrong medication. The patient had a full understanding of what each medication was for, how to take the medication, adverse effects of the medication, and surrounding teachings of the medication and condition. The patient was on four different medications in which the goal was to lower blood pressure. Upon review, the patient stated that it was the only combination of medications that would stabilize and keep the blood pressure in normal range. It is important that the patient knows what medications they are on and what they are used for so that they are trying to diminish the underlying condition. With all of this, there was no serious drug to drug interaction that the patient had. The medications all fell under a moderate consideration but no serious interactions. Then patient was very responsive and receptive to teachings that included a nutritional reboot, increased exercise, as well as reducing stress. I hope to follow up soon with the patient to see how they are handling the goals set to help the patient live a healthy and happy life.

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