Mission Statement:
My mission is to uphold the sanctity of life, whether that is promoting health, caring for the ill or honoring the wishes of the dying. Nursing care will be provided holistically, caring for the mind, body and spirit. This vision statement will serve as a reminder that I have been called to bring a healing touch to my community and world.
A. Explain how the specific artifacts or completed work or both in your portfolio represent you as a learner and a healthcare professional.
Through completion of the WGU courses, I have grown not only in knowledge, but also in skills for professional practice. While every course had a different subject matter, each one taught me the value of perseverance and seeing my goals to completion. In the field experience of Community Health, I had practice self-advocacy skills in order to secure the needed interviews and field hours. This is a learned trait I have taken to the work place. This professional portfolio serves as representation of the hard work and dedication I apply to learning and the skills I bring to the nursing profession.
B. Discuss how the specific artifacts in your portfolio represent your professional strengths.
In the Leadership Learning Experience, I demonstrated my problem solving abilities by identifying a current problem we are dealing with in the hospital and subsequent proposal of performable solutions. In this task I also demonstrate my open communication strategies to work well with all disciplinary team members. In the first task for the course Organizational Systems and Quality Leadership, I demonstrate my cultural sensitivity and problem solving skills by eliciting help from the community to assist my team to grow in their knowledge and sensitivity to cultures different from their own.
C. Discuss challenges you encountered during the progression of your program
Some of the biggest challenges I encountered with the online BSN program was with self-motivation, dedication and time management. As a full-time nurse, wife, mother of two and full-time student, it was always easy to find other important things that needed attention. I had to learn to remind others that time for school is a priority and I must remain dedicated to it so I could complete tasks in a timely fashion. By allotting specific blocks of time where family knew that was strictly for school minimized distractions and helped me stay motivated to finish what I was working on in that time block. The more papers and projects I finished, the more motivated I became to finish the program.
D. Explain how your coursework helped you meet each of the nine nursing program outcomes.
The BSN program prepared me to fulfill the following nine nursing program outcomes:
During the time with WGU, I learned improved strategies for conflict resolution and the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication. In addition, I strengthened my communication skills as I confidently participate in multidisciplinary team meetings, present research findings and mastered electronic documentation in medical records. I have sharpened my critical thinking from a learned scientific approach that I apply to the clinical setting. I further strengthen these skills by staying abreast with national and state laws as well as my hospital policies. I have a deepened sense of responsibility to do what is right and readily accept accountability as my knowledge of standards of practice and professional guidelines with ethical concerns has grown immensely over the past year. As a WGU, BSN trained nurse, I have learned to draw from past experiences, scientific research, and human psychology when communicating with patients of many different backgrounds and mental capacities. Taking into account the developmental stage, present illness and other conditions helps me better understand patient condition, effective strategies for communication and development of interventions to best meet their needs. I am able to incorporate both theoretical and empirical knowledge and apply conclusions appropriate to the clinical setting. Knowledge and tools gained through the coursework at WGU has helped me become more aware of my own attitudes and beliefs that may influence how I feel about others with different values, cultures or beliefs from myself so that I can provide appropriate, culturally sensitive care to all different types of patients. Armed with new leadership skills, I will exhibit my talent as a mentor to new nurses, using my knowledge to educate others and foster a culture of safety that affords patients the best chance of healing. As a member of the interdisciplinary team, I will advocate for the patient, communicate their conditions, needs and priorities in order to draw from as many as possible sources and provide the best possible plan of care leading to better patient outcomes. I am able to assess cross culturally factoring in one’s genetic makeup to determine patient needs and considerations related to disease prevention, detection and management. I am able to effortlessly use all forms of digital communication. I access electronic medical and health records and utilize electronic charting all while building a clinical picture of the patient and use this information to assist in determining patient needs while taking care to protect patient privacy at all times. All of these skills have developed and grown throughout the length of the BSN program time and clinical work experience.
E. Analyze how you fulfilled the roles of scientist, detective and manager of the healing environment during your program.
There were multiple times during coursework I had to act as a scientist while examining a problem, proposing a hypothesis and evaluating research findings so I could select appropriate applications either for a school paper or situation at work. The detective role came when investigating topics for school projects or building the patient history for a new admission at work. I fulfill the role of manager of the healing environment when I devise an intervention to improve patient care when designing a school project or when working as a nurse. I also act as manager of the healing environment anytime I communicate patient needs to other members of the interdisciplinary team. This also happens during shift report when I relay patient situation, background and plan of care when transitioning a patient to the next nurse.
F. Discuss how you have grown professionally since the beginning of your program.
In the last year spent working through the BSN program I have experience immense growth both personally and professionally. Prior to beginning WGU I was a good, competently trained nurse. Since enrolling and working through the courses, my newfound leadership skills have been recognized and I have recently become the unit’s mentor to new graduate nurses that join our team. I draw from my recently acquired knowledge of effective teaching techniques, strategies to lower barriers and encourage compliance through positive reinforcement and scientific backing. The WGU experience has prepared me to grow within the nursing profession and be recognized as a leader and valuable member of my hospital team.
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