1

Isabella DeMarco

NURS3840

M5: Semester Reflection

For me, this semester has been a series of trials and tribulations. I developed a core set of

values that I would like to carry throughout the duration of my nursing career. In the future, I

hope to expand and broaden these values and know that I will always be able to draw from them

when making difficult decisions. I have already utilized my core values in the clinical setting

through the care that I have given to my patients. In encounters with patients, I referenced

knowledge that I acquired from this class involving topics such as legality, ethicality, and

nurse-patient communication. I feel that my application of evidence-based knowledge provided

enrichment to both me as well as my patients. This being said, the semester has been extremely

difficult for me but has also been extremely rewarding. I have had many personal challenges

going on throughout the semester which shows me that I need to ask for help when necessary

and expand on my organizational skills. I don’t think that I’ve fully overcome these challenges,

however, I do believe that I have improved on my reactions to these challenges and in return

have changed outcomes. I hope to continue to work on myself as I navigate these personal

challenges. Next semester, I will change how frequently I check my canvas page and hopefully

reach out for help if necessary. At the beginning of this semester, I was really struggling which

ultimately negatively impacted my mindset, dedication, and coursework. However, the work that

I did submit was thoughtful and expressive. I ensured that my work in this course was reflective

of my feelings as an individual and displayed the knowledge that I have acquired throughout the

semester. I am most proud of myself for not completely giving up even when my personal life
 2

made it increasingly difficult to put focus into school. Overall, I am satisfied with my work but

would change some things in my approach to learning. One of my favorite papers from this

semester was the Theory-Based Practice paper, and I would consider using this as an artifact in

my Eportfolio. I feel as though it is an accurate display of my most essential core beliefs and

values. My experience in this course was not necessarily different than what I expected, but I

also was unsure of what to expect coming into it. It has truly proved to be a learning experience

that has helped me discover the type of nurse that I would like to be, as well as who I want to be

as a person.