Reflection of Nursing Career free essay sample

As I complete my first two weeks of class, I am learning how important an educational focus is towards advancing my career. After our assigned readings I realize that a nursing education has a very significant impact on career advancement and professionalism. A nursing career offers many choices for practitioners and demands accountable and competent practice. Nurses are key members of the healthcare team, striving to provide excellent care to individuals, families and groups of all populations. Competent and safe nursing practice is reliant on a nurse’s dedication to lifelong learning and professional development, as well as commitment to quality and organizational policies and procedures. A nurse’s role goes above and beyond that of a care and includes a responsibility towards patients, families and co-workers. The work of Bowden (2003), exemplifies the complexity and depth of the nurse’s role in, Enhancing our Nursing Practice through Critical Reflection. This article pays tribute to the art of reflective practice, where quality of nursing practice is the focus. We will write a custom essay sample on Reflection of Nursing Career or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The broad range of responsibilities placed upon today’s nurse demands that critical thinking is developed through purposeful reflection where the goal is to strive for excellence in practice (Bowden, 2003, p. 29-31) After taking a look at what a nursing career means to me I am able to relate what nurses complete each day to a provision in The Code of Ethics. I feel my personal career is in line with and parallels the American Nurses Association’s The Code of Ethics. As I read each provision of The Code of Ethics I am able to reflect on my practice and correlate each provision to the care we as nurses complete each day. Provision 1 is based on providing excellent patient care to all patients regardless of race, socioeconomic status or personal values. Provision two affirms that our primary responsibility is to our patients and their families. The third provision speaks to the responsibility of health promotion, wellness and advocacy. This is observed in my daily practice as I oversee the care we provide to our patients and families and ensure the adherence to policies and procedures to protect them. The fourth provision addresses accountability And responsibility for our practice. Through practices such as critical reflection and adhering to policies and procedures nurses are able to improve the quality of care they deliver. The fifth through seventh provision define the need for maintaining personal growth and development, continuing education and environmental improvement. Nurses complete this every day by maintaining competencies and quality improvement processes. The eighth provision refers to collaborating with all members of the health care team. Finally the ninth provision is about values and integrity, principles I carry with me each day of my practice (American Nurses Association, 2001, p. 1-14). After correlating each provision of The Code of Ethics to the care I provide and oversee each day, I can determine several motivating factors to remain in my current profession. It is rewarding to me to see the positive impact I make on patient care, including helping patients and families develop and meet their goals. I am pleased to have the respect of the medical staff and to be involved during times of clinical decision making. I have also found that being a role model for my colleagues is a satisfying experience. I want to continue in my current position and hope to make further career advancements as I complete my Bachelors of Science in Nursing. I strive to improve the care I provide and the job I do each day. I have developed three short term and three long term goals for myself. Short Term Goals: 1. I will join the American Nurses Association within one month. I have learned of many benefits they provide for registered nurses and the multitude of information available for members on their website. I will begin implementing a formal form of Gibbs Reflective Cycle with staff in the next week. I hope to facilitate staff develop critical thinking skills and critical reflection to improve the quality of care they deliver (Bowden, 2003, p. 30). 3. I will complete my first course to my Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree successfully. Long Term Goals: 1. I would like to complete my BSN within two years and enroll in a Masters’ degree program. I am looking into education or health care management and organizational leadership. 2. I would like to become certified in critical care as I have a substantial background in this area. I would like to complete this within one year. 3. My final goal is to become a manager of a critical care unit. I would like to improve staff development and employee retention. I feel obtaining my BSN will impact many of my goals in a positive way. I realize I am only at the beginning of the program but as I begin reading and researching articles for our forums and papers, I am learning about the importance of continuing education for career advancement. I feel I have for many years utilized an informal form of critical reflection and look forward to supporting staff towards utilizing a formal and reflective process aimed at improving their own practice. Obtaining my BSN is an essential in my career advancement goal. I work in a small community hospital and with the new reimbursement plan from the Health Care Reform, it has been predicted by our institutional leaders that a consolidation of services with a larger magnet institution is likely. I believe my broad range of skills, including my experience in medical-surgical nursing, telemetry, critical care and some telephonic case management of the Medicaid population as well as my current experience as a clinical supervisor places me in an excellent position to continue my practice; however I understand the necessity of obtaining a BSN degree. In closing most of my goals directly correlate with obtaining my BSN. My short term goals are a result of new knowledge I have gained from this class or involve successfully completely the class and moving forward towards my degree. My long term goals involve completing my degree and enrolling in a Masters’ program so I may meet my optimal goal and career of managing an intensive care unit. I feel I have many clinical strengths and focusing on continuing education will benefit me in my future. The nursing profession is continually changing and becoming more complex. I feel in the near future a bachelors’ degree will be the preferred entry into nursing practice.