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Program Competency Reflection

Delaware Technical Community College - Stanton Campus

NUR 460-5W1: Nursing Capstone
Instructor: Dr. Kathy Sokola
Andrea DiMartino
April 22, 2021
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Program Competency Reflection

Pursuing a career in nursing is much like building a home. First, the structure is laid out

with the associate degree. This develops the foundation of the nurses' skills by digging into the

sciences of nursing, cementing their critical thinking skills, then framing their understanding of

the world at large through a wide range of topics. This framing included mathematics, sociology,

developmental psychology, and rounded out with English and research skills. Though this

framework functionally transitioned someone into a nurse, the nurturing of that nurse into a

nurse leader and professional requires far more work, which is where the bachelor program

comes in. At Delaware Technical Community College, there are nine Program Graduate

Competencies (PGCs) which must be met to prepare students for completion of their bachelor's

degree. The RN to BSN program is broken down into courses to address these competencies with

supporting skills and knowledge enhancement through general education course including

research and composition, world history, and mathematics and statistics. These competencies are

the parts of the home that ensure it will withstand the tests and trials of time, and the nurse’s

capability to adapt and grow throughout their career.

The first step in continuing the development of the nurse professional is the application of

skills of inquiry, analysis, and information literacy to support evidence-based professional

nursing practice (PGC 3). Nursing Research and Technical Writing comprised one of the

cornerstones of this process by enhancing the nurses’ skills in research to support evidence-based

practice and to understand the validity of the data they found. In nursing, taking research from

raw data to implementation at the bedside is essential to ensure that the nursing profession

continues translate research and understanding into positive patient outcomes (Chien, 2019).
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This was accomplished through developing skills that are necessary in critical writing and

nursing research, such as scholarly evaluation of evidence and effective communication.

Students are taught that another cornerstone of nursing is advocacy, and it is essential to

advocate for patients in every way possible, including ensuring the future of patient centered care

through participation in the development of legislation and policy at local, state, national, and

global levels (PGCs 5 and 6). Through Nursing Policy and Global Health courses, I was guided

on ways nurses can impact change at all levels and develop an understanding of healthcare issues

beyond the scope of my own experience and understanding. Nurses play a vital part in effecting

change globally and guiding healthcare practice in ways that ensure equitable access and holistic

care (American Nurses Association, n.d.). With this guiding principle of advocacy, nurses like

myself become change agents in healthcare by working with other health professionals to

develop care plans and address issues that impact patients. Because nursing does not function

alone, it relies on the understanding, support, and collaboration of other health professionals,

while ensuring that the focus of the care is always centered on the patient and respecting their

individual health goals and needs (Epstein & Street, 2011). To achieve these skills in the

program, I was guided by other nurse leaders through instruction, mentoring, and practicum

experience in much the same way construction is overseen by a foreman. This allowed the nurse

leaders to guide the student while giving them the freedom and support to use their own unique

skills to enhance their own experience.

In the degree program, there are ways for students to guide the direction of their research

and further build their understanding in several ways, such as selecting additional courses that

support the nursing profession while adding a global perspective to the nurses' view. For my own

experience, I chose to understand more about sustainability and functions of society to explore
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nursing from a more global perspective. By diversifying my understanding of people and their

cultures through additional Sociology courses, as well as Global Health classes and World

History, I was able to establish a better understanding of how culture and environment can shape

healthcare policy and practice (PGC 7). Promoting health globally and locally as a way to

combat disease, both through education and advocacy, helps to evolve nursing from a

reactionary profession into one that cultivates relationships with patients based on reaching their

own health goals (World Health Organization, 2021).

Through courses including Nursing Leadership and Nursing Policy I was given

opportunities to demonstrate leadership skills to promote patient safety and the delivery of high-

quality healthcare (PGC 2). This was accomplished through practicum skill development and

collaboration as well as by working with other nurses in the program on group projects and

discussions. Multiple studies have shown a direct link between leadership and patient outcomes

in various ways including shorter hospital stays, fewer readmissions, and total number of

hospitalizations (Wong, 2015). These courses also provided opportunities to practice

professional nursing within an ethical framework (PGC 8) through discussions with peers and

additional research. Discussion boards were frequently incorporated to facilitate vital

conversations on a broad range of topics, particularly in discussions of ethical issues, to allow

multiple perspectives and varied life experiences which help to bring to light issues that I may

not have experienced previously. These discussions brought up a larger range of issues in

healthcare that effect my patients including healthcare disparities due to income, location, and

even race. Because ethical healthcare is a human rights issue, it is vital that nurses worldwide

have a varied and broad understanding of issues related to concerns such as social justice and end
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of life care. Because of this, the ANA’s code of ethics is another cornerstone of nursing which

supports nurses and guides practice in many ways (American Nurses Association, n.d.).

One of the courses I had not expected to strike a chord with me was Nursing Informatics

which satisfied PGC 4. Like the plumbing and electrical systems in a house, the informatics play

a vital role in patient safety and outcomes in innumerable ways and impact nursing practice in

nearly every aspect. This program allowed me an opportunity to explore ways that systems and

programs enhance nursing practice and support nursing skills to reduce or prevent patient harm,

guide conscious use of supplies, and reducing the workload for nurses. With varying

technologies, nursing informatics improves patient outcomes by reducing incidences of medical

errors and improved adherence to assessment schedules and other tasks that have been shown to

directly indicate recovery rates, incidences of adverse events, and other patient sensitive

outcomes (Dykes & Collins, 2013).

Finally, continually supporting my professional knowledge and understanding with a

focus on lifelong learning (PGCs 1 &9) is essential to remaining at the top of my profession.

With an ever-changing understanding of disease progression, health promotion, and lifestyle

interventions, nursing is a career that requires constant adaptability and education. Part of this is

addressed through the nursing licensure system which requires continuing education on varying

topics related to patient care and the changing field of healthcare. Meeting these minimum

standards is not enough to ensure a nurse is equipped to holistically care for their patients

(Qanbari Qalehsari et al., 2017). The Nursing Assessment and Pathophysiology courses

expanded my understanding and identification of health and disease processes, and the Statistical

Reasoning course gave me the tools to better understand the information I found. One of my

experiences that helped to bring a focus on my own nursing future was the development of a
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Professional Nursing Philosophy. This document explored and developed a clear picture of my

own nursing theory and priorities in healthcare. However, there is always room to grow in

nursing, just like there are ways to build better and stronger homes. Over time, my ongoing

dedication to learning will lead me down new paths in nursing, such as my future pursuit of

certification in Drug and Alcohol counselling, to adapt to the changing needs of my patients.

One of the tools we were given to evaluate our educational growth and goals was the

SWOT analysis which evaluates the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to a nurse

from a professional standpoint (Carlson, 2021). Through this analysis, I was able to identify

areas in which I had additional opportunities to expand my own knowledge, especially when

related to my nursing specialty of geriatrics. This gave a unique perspective which highlighted

the shortcomings of my current knowledge and skill base, but also developed a blueprint for my

future career and how to achieve new goals and seek new opportunities.

Though the timing of my degree program was faced with unusual challenges, such as a

global pandemic, the experiences and opportunities it has presented will continue to impact my

choices and pursuits in nursing practice. Just like living in a finished house, just because the

structure is complete, that does not make it a home. This is not a time to rest, but rather a time to

continue to expand and improve, delving into my personal practice and honing my skills and

understanding. In the future, I still plan to complete my gerontological certification, become

licensed in drug and alcohol counselling, and find ways to improve geriatric care on a large scale

through my ongoing research and advocacy. Finishing this step is not a conclusion, but rather the

next step in finding my home in nursing.

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References

American Nurses Association. (n.d.). Ethics. ANA. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-

policy/nursing-excellence/ethics/.

American Nurses Association. (n.d.). Health Policy - American Nurses Association (ANA).

ANA. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/health-policy/.

Carlson, K. (2021, March 12). A SWOT analysis for your nursing career. Nurse.com.

https://www.nurse.com/blog/2016/07/19/a-swot-analysis-for-your-nursing-career/.

Chien, L.-Y. (2019). Evidence-Based Practice and Nursing Research. Journal of Nursing

Research, 27(4). https://doi.org/10.1097/jnr.0000000000000346

Dykes, P., & Collins, S. (2013). Building Linkages between Nursing Care and Improved Patient

Outcomes: The Role of Health Information Technology. OJIN: The Online Journal of

Issues in Nursing, 18(3). https://doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol18No03Man04

Epstein, R. M., & Street, R. L. (2011). The Values and Value of Patient-Centered Care. The

Annals of Family Medicine, 9(2), 100–103. https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.1239

Qanbari Qalehsari, M., Khaghanizadeh, M., & Ebadi, A. (2017). Lifelong learning strategies in

nursing: A systematic review. Electronic Physician, 9(10), 5541–5550. https://doi.org

/10.19082/5541

Wong, C. A. (2015). Connecting nursing leadership and patient outcomes: state of the science.

Journal of Nursing Management, 23(3), 275–278. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12307

World Health Organization. (2021). Health promotion. World Health Organization.

https://www.who.int/health-topics/health-promotion#tab=tab_1.
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Appendix A: Program Graduate Competencies

1. Integrate general education knowledge, skills, and aptitudes to advance nursing education

and growth in professional practice.

2. Demonstrate leadership skills to promote patient safety and the delivery of high-quality

healthcare.

3. Apply skills of inquiry, analysis, and information literacy to support evidence-based

professional nursing practice.

4. Integrate information management technology to improve patient outcomes.

5. Advocate for patients and the nursing profession with regard to healthcare policy at the

local, state, national, and global levels.

6. Direct patient-centered care through advocacy, interprofessional communication,

collaboration, and delegation.

7. Integrate health promotion and disease prevention practices to positively impact the

delivery of healthcare to diverse populations.

8. Practice professional nursing within an ethical framework.

9. Demonstrate lifelong learning that empowers personal and professional growth.