Journal Entry

Practicum Experience Plan Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example

Revisit the goals and objectives from your Practicum Experience Plan. Explain the degree to which you achieved each during the practicum experience.

Prior to the practicum experience, my goals were to (1) be able to select and select screening instruments and interpret results, (2) identify appropriate evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for medications, and (3) formulate a diagnosis based on the DSM-5 using assessment data. At the end of the practicum, I was able to use appropriate psychiatric assessment tools, perform comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, identify recommended medications, and establish treatment plans with little to no supervision.(Practicum Experience Plan Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

Reflect on the three (3) most challenging patients you encountered during the practicum experience. What was most challenging about each?

During the practicum, I encountered a significant challenging experience with difficult patients. These encounters included patients with communication/language difficulties, resistant patients, and manipulative patients. The patients with communication/language difficulties, including children, depressed or anxious adults, influenced assessment trajectory and outcomes. Resistant patients were often frightened, angry, defensive, or angry, making it difficult to use standard assessment procedures. Manipulative patients developed impulsive attempts to manipulate the assessment and treatment plan using, among other means, threats of suicide, guilt, and rage.(Practicum Experience Plan Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

What did you learn from this experience?

The significant lesson I learned from the experience with difficult patients is that professional cooperation between the patient and health practitioner is critical for a comprehensive mental health assessment and definitive diagnosis. Trust and collaboration allow the mental health practitioner to obtain the information needed to make a diagnosis (Ball et al., 2015). I also learned that collaboration with other mental health practitioners is critical for effective diagnosis and treatment. Collaboration allows mental health practitioners wot work together to meet the physical and mental health needs of patients (Ee et al., 2020). Skills such as effective communication are crucial in sustaining collaboration among mental health personnel.(Practicum Experience Plan Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

What resources were available?

The resources available included psychological toolkits, online databases (for mental health diagnosis and treatment), and site supervisors. The resources were aided my practicum experience and learning.(Practicum Experience Plan Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

What evidence-based practice did you use for the patients?

I used the comprehensive soap notes and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) for assessment and diagnoses. The MMPI is an evidence-based psychometric test used to assess psychopathology and personality traits (Floyd & Gupta, 2021). Soap notes are an evidence-based documentation method used by healthcare personnel (Podder et al., 2020). Soap notes aided structured and organized documentation of mental health patients’ subjective, objective, and assessment data and consequent diagnosis and treatment planning.(Practicum Experience Plan Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

What would you do differently?

I would engage in more assessments to improve my communication skills and cultural competency with another opportunity. Communication skills and cultural competency are crucial for effective patient assessment, diagnosis, and treatment (Ball et al., 20145). Therefore, I would engage in more patient exposure experience to enhance my ability to diagnose mental conditions.(Practicum Experience Plan Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

How are you managing patient flow and volume?

Effective communication and time management were the primary strategies I used to manage patient flow and volume. I effectively communicated information from one end to the other as required to mitigate patient flow issues from one unit to the other. Equally, I planned for my working time, performing assigned tasks at the right time to ensure efficiency and productivity. (Practicum Experience Plan Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

How can you apply your growing skillset to be a social change agent within your community?

I can apply my growing skillset to support healthy relationships within the community by helping people manage their psychological and emotional wellbeing. Equally, I would use my interpersonal communication skills to respond to social oppressions and systemic inequalities that contribute to society’s rising mental health cases. Lastly, I would use the best available evidence to improve clinical practice quality to promote a culture of excellence and support victims of social injustices. (Practicum Experience Plan Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)