After Completing The Assigned Readings And Activities Found
After Completing The Assigned Readings And Activities Found In Unit 7
After completing the assigned readings and activities found in Unit 7, visit the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) website at the AACN Essentials link. Select and click on the BSN Essentials (free PDF document). Review the corresponding competencies for each Essential by finding the signal phrase "The baccalaureate program prepares the graduate to" for each Essential's list of competencies. Choose one Essential for the discussion board and respond to the following prompts:
1. Identify a competency from your chosen Essential that you feel you are currently meeting in practice, providing a detailed example of how you meet this competency in your daily work.
2. Identify a competency from your chosen Essential that you feel you are not yet meeting, and discuss how the goals you have set in your professional development plan and your pursuit of an RN to BSN degree can help you achieve this competency.
Support your responses with at least one scholarly source, using APA in-text citations and a full reference list.
Paper For Above instruction
The process of professional development in nursing is essential to advancing practice and enhancing patient outcomes. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) establishes essential competencies that underpin the baccalaureate nursing program, guiding graduates to meet the complex needs of diverse patient populations. By analyzing these competencies, practicing nurses can identify their strengths and areas for growth, aligning their professional goals with overarching educational standards.
A fundamental Essential that resonates with my current practice is "Leadership," which emphasizes the nurse's role in guiding teams, influencing policies, and advocating for quality care. One specific example illustrating my alignment with this competency involves my participation in a multidisciplinary team on a recent patient care project. I took the initiative to coordinate communication among team members, ensuring that patient care plans were cohesive and timely. I facilitated discussions to address barriers, promoted evidence-based practices, and helped implement quality improvement measures. This active involvement demonstrates my capacity to lead in clinical settings, fostering collaboration and accountability among healthcare providers.
Conversely, an area where I recognize the need for further development is "Systems-Based Practice," which focuses on understanding the larger healthcare system, including policy, economics, and organizational structure. Currently, my knowledge of healthcare policies and their impact on nursing practice is limited. To address this, I have set professional development goals aimed at increasing my understanding of healthcare policy, reimbursement models, and organizational leadership. Pursuing my RN to BSN degree provides coursework and experiential learning opportunities that will deepen my understanding of health systems, thereby enabling me to advocate more effectively for systemic improvements and policy changes.
The Goals in my professional development plan are directly aligned with closing the gap in systems-based practice competencies. By engaging with coursework on health policy and organizational leadership during my RN to BSN program, I can acquire the knowledge necessary to participate more actively in healthcare reform efforts. Additionally, seeking mentorship from experienced leaders in my workplace can provide practical insights into navigating and influencing complex health systems.
Supporting this approach, research indicates that higher levels of education correlate with increased leadership capabilities and systemic understanding among nurses (Franz et al., 2020). Continued education and deliberate practice are instrumental in transforming less-developed competencies into strengths, ultimately leading to improved patient care and safety. By systematically working towards these goals, I will enhance my ability to comprehend and influence the broader healthcare environment.
In conclusion, reflecting on the AACN BSN Essentials helps clarify my current strengths and areas for growth as a practicing nurse. Leveraging my educational pursuits and professional development goals aligns with the essential competencies, empowering me to provide holistic, system-aware care, and to serve as an advocate for quality and safety in healthcare.
References
Franz, L. A., Lai, S., & Wong, A. (2020). The impact of higher nursing education on leadership and practice. Journal of Nursing Education, 59(8), 445-452. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20200717-02