E-Portfolio: Checkpoint 1

Introduction

Throughout my time in college, I’ve always wondered what the reason was for taking so

many classes that weren’t related to my field of study. For example, taking a speech class and an

introduction to early Christianity class has nothing to do with nursing. More than thinking about

how I can use my knowledge gained from those classes, I was bitter and reluctant to agree that
they can be used for my future as a nurse. However, I found one common theme throughout

taking all the courses that would eventually lead up to my being in nursing school. That theme

was and is learning. The classes and subject of study may not have anything to do with nursing,

but what was important was the fact that I was learning. My E-portfolio will showcase three

different papers/projects I completed in nursing school that will showcase how I was able to use

what I learned to excel in these assignments.

The first assignment I’d like to present is my research paper on the rewards and

challenges of the nursing practice. It was completed in March of this year for my Essentials of

Nursing Practice class. Research papers were always exhausting for me in my early middle

school and high school years, and it seemed to get more confusing and difficult as I entered

college. However, taking English I and II allowed me to gain a better understanding of how to

write better, more efficient research papers. This gave me a better foundation on which I was

able to build upon when writing this research paper for my nursing class. When I look at this

paper, it surprises me that I was the one who wrote this paper. It may not be perfect, but I did

receive a 100% on it and it encouraged me and validated that I had learned well from English I

and II.

The second assignment I’d like to present is my infection control project that I completed

earlier this year in May. It was for my Concepts of Nursing I class, and it was different than a

research paper. Unlike research papers, this project required me to identify the problem and find

solutions to that problem. I believe many classes and subjects from before nursing school helped

me with this project. Reading comprehension, math, chemistry, and more classes were all classes

that have helped me to correctly identify the problem at hand. Compared to when I was younger

and lazy, I learned from these courses to read the directions clearly, focus on the problem, and
brainstorm ideas to find a solution. I was able to use those skills for this project and although it

felt a bit more difficult, I was able to produce clear solutions to the problems presented in the

scenarios. I was particularly proud of this because of what I was able to come up with during my

brainstorming. I surprised me that I was able to come up with these solutions and helped boost

my self-esteem.

The last assignment I’d like to present is my health history project that I completed just

last month. It was for my Concepts of Nursing III class and this project required me to practically

apply what I’ve learned. This project required me to interview, physically assess, and educate a

person of my choosing the way nurses do. This was nerve-wrecking and scary to even think

about. Although I’ve never had to do this before, I have learned how to communicate and speak

with people throughout my time before nursing school. Taking a speech class helped me to speak

better in front of crowds and lots of other classes required me to do that when presenting

projects. However, what helped me the most with this project was not the classes I took, but the

time I spent meeting new people and making new friends through it. I believe this is what helped

me with this last project, and I did well.

My time in college has been long and it still seems like there’s no end in sight. However,

the arts and skills classes that brought me to where I am today are special in that I spent my time

learning arts, skills, and life. The first assignment helped me to become better at finding things

out and articulating them, the second assignment helped me to be better at problem solving, and

the last assignment helped me to learn that I can continue to learn how to be the best nurse I can

be. All three assignments allowed me to apply what I’ve learned throughout my first four years

of college and while they might not be anything special, they showcase a little bit about me and

how I’m still learning as a student and a person.