Lauren Jacobsen

Final Analysis

As nursing school reaches its end and I reflect on this opportunity I have had in

school, I recognize how much I have grown in my knowledge, skills, and attitudes

throughout the program. With the completion of two hundred and two hours in the

Emergency Department setting, as well as all the other clinical settings I have been able

to experience, I am astonished on the amount I have learned in three short years. I am

now better able to recognize important assessment data, analyze, and implement plan of

care for patients of all varieties. I am also confident in my hands on skills as I have now

completed IVs, EKGs, accessed ports, diagnostic testing (flu swab and strep tests),

participated in code situations, CPR, medication administration, and many more. It is

also important to note that when I began this journey in nursing school I remember my

first clinical rotation vividly. I was timid and shy as I entered the unit, and was scared to

even enter a room without a fellow peer tagging along. I lacked confidence and was

frightened that the knowledge I had wouldnt be enough. Today, after many patients later

I walk into a patients room confidently yet humbly and care for each and every patient

with love, compassion, and empathy realizing the vast amount of knowledge I have

gained that I may draw upon. Through my clinical experience I have realized that life is

short, every decision matters, things can change in a matter of seconds, I must always be

on my toes, family is an important component of healing especially in the pediatric

population, and that I personally can make a difference. Today, I put on my scrubs with

honor and realize the great strides the nursing profession has been able to make over the

years and I am blessed to part a part of this wonderful profession. It is important to

realize although nursing school has prepared me immensely I do recognize room for
improvement as I begin this journey to becoming a registered nurse, and no longer a

student. As I begin to care for patients on my own after graduation, I know one area of

growth will be time management and the ability to care for my patients with the upmost

efficiency without losing proper bedside manner and jeopardizing patient- nurse

relationships.
Throughout nursing school I have gained a special attitude toward my future

profession. I have learned that nursing is a unique and intimate career in which one must

be selfless and dedicated to serve those in need. It is providing love, compassion, and

dedication through every encounter no matter the circumstance. Nursing is practicing

loving kindness no matter an individuals ethnicity, race, denomination, gender, or any

other facet. It is attempting to create and maintain optimal health and wellness for the

most individuals possible. Nursing can often have trials and tribulations for those who

choose the career, but it is also being able to provide kindness in ones actions and words

and to provide fair and just treatment to all patients. Taking on the role of a nurse means

you wear many hats including a patients friend, advocate, healer, and listener.

Throughout nursing school I have gotten to recognize all of these components mentioned

above and am excited to be able to implement them as I enter into the professional

nursing setting.
I would like to share a personal story from a clinical experience that demonstrates

my growth in knowledge, skills, and attitudes learned throughout the nursing program. A

patient presented to the Emergency Department after being seen at his primary cares

office. He was experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath and a consistent

cough for a couple weeks. He was sent for further evaluation and for suspicion of

pneumonia. After being evaluated the physician ordered an x-ray, blood work, and
nebulizer treatments to assist with his difficulty breathing and to evaluate for pneumonia.

The patient received two nebulizer treatments and began to feel better. The physician

order one last nebulizer treatment after the x-ray came back normal in hopes of being

able to send him home. While administering the third nebulizer treatment the patient

began to experience tachycardia. Tachycardia can be a normal side effect of nebulizer

treatments, but after a couple minutes the monitor began to show atrial fibrillation. After

checking on the patient he appeared to be symptomatic and continued to remain in atrial

fibrillation. This was my first patient on my own in clinical immersion and I immediately

had to use my critical thinking and assessment skills to determine what to do next. After

noticing that the patient was in atrial fibrillation I knew I must act quick and efficiently. I

prioritized tasks that needed to be done while caring for the patient. I immediately

notified the physician, obtained a repeat EKG, blood work and continuous cardiac

monitoring. While administering Dilitizem I continued cardiac monitoring closely.

Additionally, to not only treating the patient physically I determined that another

important aspect to a situation such as this one is to keep the patient and family informed

of what is going on and what the plan of care is. The patient was visibly scared and

nervous and the wife continued to worry about her husband. The family was immediately

relieved when I updated them on what was happening and what we were doing to help

address the issue. The patient was later discharged with family. At the beginning of

nursing school and clinical I would not have had the confidence and critical thinking

skills to care for a patient such as this one. Now, today I can excitably say, I am able to

care for patients with confidence and have the ability to rely on the knowledge gained

throughout my three years at Bon Secours.