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Applied Learning Paper

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

NSG/PHI 280 Caring in a Diverse Healthcare Environment

Instructor’s Name

24 April, 2023
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Question 1

Ever since this course kicked off, I have gained various skills that have shaped my

profession in a positive way. I did not value teamwork and thought that as a healthcare worker I

can be effective when operating in autonomy. However, I have grown as a healthcare

professional and come to appreciate the efficacy of collegiality. Ever since I started working and

collaborating with my colleagues, I noted an improvement in the healthcare outcomes. I have

become a friend to the patients making them outpour my heart as I dispense holistic care. My

communication skills, passion for the job, and ability to multitask has significantly improved. I

realized that practicing self-care helped me forge better relationships with other individuals and

myself which is instrumental when it comes to living a balanced life when attending to the

physical, emotional, and mental health.

From the pre-test that I did when the course commenced, I rated myself 9 out of 10 as a

caring person on a Likert scale ranging from 1-10. Well, I can honestly say that I was wrong

because I believed caring for other people was the true meaning of being a caring person and that

self-care was just focusing on your own issues. Fortunately, I metamorphized from that cocoon

of negative thinking after taking the ‘caring in a diverse healthcare environment’ course. I have

learned a lot of things for my professional growth and well-being and most importantly I known

self-caring has nothing to do with selfishness.

The reflection showed that I needed to care for other peoples more than even myself and

that this was easier. The good thing is that I am able to determine what other people need. Before

learning the course, I was not even able to determine what I needed. I would give myself 8 out

10 after taking the course. Additionally, I deduced that being a professional and more so a
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healthcare professional, it demands that I have to take care of myself first and then care for

others but the latter needs more responsibility and accountability.

Learning how to keep a journal was a game-changer in my life and as a professional. I

was able to discern the parts of self-care routine that I needed to change and that would make me

happier. I was challenged to change my behavior of seeing small things as acts of self-caring but

rather enhance my routine gradually but constantly and noted significant change. For instance,

when am hungry, I would go for a balanced and nutritious food; when I take a bath - a self-caring

act, I usually add shower steamer – a self-caring act; and I also relieve stress by going to church

or even use social media, though I prefer going to church more. I also engage in physical

exercise which helps in maintain fitness and has caused a dramatic change in my well-being.

Before taking the course, I was not consistent in my exercises. After taking a review of my self-

care routine, I noted that I needed to be consistent and I cannot regret making this decision. I

realized that though running had immense impact on my physical well-being, it also gave me the

opportunity to clear my head, connect with my physical setting, do some uninterrupted thinking,

and treat myself to release endorphins.

I learned that you give people what you have and that self-care is when I am mentally,

spiritually, and physically well enough to achieve my level best. If I take too much food, I would

stop caring and almost give up and of course this would lead to clumsiness, procrastination, and

failure to complete my tasks. In such instance, I used to take some days off work in order to

regenerate, watch a movie, read a book, go for a spiritual retreat, or even grab some coffee and

doughnut. It all depend on what I require at the moment. I am careful enough and maintain

openness of my ears and eyes to hear and see who needs my attention and care even if they have

not said it.

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For instance, I would babysit my colleague’s child when she needed help, covered for my

workmates in case they failed to show up at work, and helped my neighbor pick up her grocery

among other things. I have discovered that helping other people is rewarding in many ways. As a

healthcare professional, spending a lot of time with the patient led to a substantial effect on

patient experience. Nevertheless, I need to care for myself if I have to improve on patient

experiences. Without caring for yourself, its hard to care for others. I do believe that I possess the

required positive energy of peace, joy, and love to achieve all this; when you care for other

people by showing them love, encouraging, listening, forgiving, and comforting them, it comes

back in peace and joy.

Question 2

Sacred work does not have a formal definition but a person recognizes it not by the type

of work he or she is doing but by the elements or qualities present. In my case, I would say that

sacred work teaches us about the intent as well as attention we usually bring to the moment. As

such, listening is one of the key aspects of sacred work and listening is the benchmark of all

prospects. Sacred work is always infused with listening energy and service. A hospital cleaner

will have his or her work sacred as a result of an intention and attention that is not present in

some healthcare workers hearts and hand. I always listen to myself and others around me as a

way of doing sacred work. Every time I do sacred work, I am rewarded more as compared to

what I did. If my friend is in melancholic moods, I will always let her know I can give a shoulder

to lean. I also engage in small talks with the visitors or even patients when I discover they are

alone.

I am of the opinion that having the heart of a servant is when I genuinely enjoy the

provision of service to the other people; when I find purpose and fulfilment in helping people as
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well as providing for their needs; I respond to abrasiveness and rudeness in a calm and kind way

to diffuse situations. Communication is a key aspect of daily caregiver’s practice and stressful

situations. The very moment is started learning about being a caregiver, that is the moment

reality hit me that hospitals are built on effective communication and without it they would

crumble like a house of cards. As a frontline healthcare worker, I had to communicate to do my

job; talking to the patients to ease their anxiety. I have to educate them and their families on

various prevention measures and also explain therapy plans, investigations, or medications. I also

take such evaluations back to the doctors and allied healthcare teams to tailor my services and

meet patient needs and of course none of this can be effectively accomplished without proper

communication.

Question 3

Healthcare practice has evolved over the years and so is diversity. Cultural diversity

affects the healthcare practice and comes with ethical contemplation on the manner in which

healthcare professionals are supposed to care for the patients. As such, I believe that it is

important to prepare myself for this encounter and give the most competent care for each patient.

To fully comprehend the culture of a person, I am always ready to receive any information that is

given to me. I do ask questions when needed and as I know some cultures will always see

invasive questions as intrusive. If the patient happens not to understand English, I will always

ask and even request an interpreter because I would like them to understand all the instruction

and information am giving, I can also understand what they are telling me. In person or virtual

interpreters are very effective as a friend or family us not always educated in healthcare or may

not even be fluent in their language to the extent of interpreting effectively. A similar procedure
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is used for the people that use sign language. I could use a pen and paper, however, having an

interpreter is the best decision and makes the patients feel included.

I believe that overcoming existing barriers between the patient and healthcare provider is

part of my job. To this end, I have to understand and overcome anything that would higher

provision of a holistic and culturally competent care. Most of the patient are from diverse

background and therefore I take time to learn and understand them and not just helping them be

admitted and then get discharged, they have to get what they came for in the best way possible. I

always strive to connect and care for them at a profound which is instrumental to their healing

process. As a professional healthcare provider, I usually demonstrate dispense holistic care. I

always see patients as who they are, respecting their religions and opinions. I have to care for

their physical, mental, and spiritual well-being and not just the medical condition. The emotional

state of a patient could have something to do with how he or she feels medically and physically

and as time progresses healthcare professionals must come to terms with this fact. This applies

will equal force to my life and is also a part of self-care.

Throughout the semester, I learned about caring for myself too in the same way I do to

others. Making my self-care as important as other individuals have made me see how much it has

impacted my life and the differences it had brought. Therefore, taking care of ourselves align

with caring for others too and this has a substantial implication on myself and other people.