Reflection for SIM Lab 2/12/22 – Christopher Gong

I enjoyed the overall simulation experience where I was immersed in the role of a
psychiatric nurse, utilizing my knowledge to start a therapeutic conversation with people with
diagnosable mental health disorders. The first actor that I roleplayed with had ‘bipolar borderline
personality disorder’ which was an interesting experience. There were a lot of unexpected
aspects of the conversation that opened my eyes to the reality of mental health nursing;
maintaining stature, adhering to SOLER (sitting at proper angle, open posture, leaning forward,
effective eye contact, relaxed), developing a good rapport, and meeting the client’s goals. Going
into the lab with little to no knowledge about the client’s behavior was riveting and something
new. What I took away from the experience was to be as prepared to face any situation while
being professional and resourceful. Debriefing after each recorded session was also very helpful
and important as discussion allowed me to reflect on my verbal/nonverbal communication skills,
what I excelled in, what needed to be worked on, and knowledge I could take away from my
peers’ actions. After the ‘Alcohol abuse disorder’ conversation, it made me aware about the
specific types of questions that I have to ask and how in-depth they must be in order to extract
necessary information related to the case.