Bi-Weekly Practicum Journaling: Every Two Weeks You W 505473

Bi Weekly Practicum Journalingevery Two Weeks You Will Submit A Refle

Bi-weekly Practicum Journaling: Every two weeks, you will submit a reflective journal to the discussion forum for review by course faculty and your classmates. All are expected to engage and support one another by sharing these experiences in a supportive, constructive, professional environment. Journaling is an active learning technique that is meant to enhance reflective practice (Blake, 2005). Reflective practice involves looking back over what has happened in the practice setting in an effort to improve performance or to encourage professional growth (Ruth-Sahd, 2003). Your Weekly Practicum Journal is: A personal, introspective subjective account of your practicum experience and how your practicum experience relates to Healthy People 2020 and course objectives.

Include events that occurred in your practicum experience, and be sure to describe your thoughts and feelings about those events. How did your perceptions change? What did you learn that was unexpected? Describe your thinking about your thoughts and feelings regarding the new learning you experienced. Connected to South University's College of Nursing Conceptual Framework Pillars (Caring, Communication, Critical Thinking, Professionalism, and Holism). Connected to prior coursework and experiences through reflective analysis.

Written in a scholarly, academic style using APA style format. Two or three sentences are not sufficient nor are daily logs/reports of activities. Citations should conform to APA guidelines. You may use this APA Citation Helper as a convenient reference for properly citing resources or connect to the APA Style website. The assignment has to be on a diabetic/hypertensive patient admitted to a cardiac/telemetry floor. Re-admitted because of uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension.

Paper For Above instruction

The following journal entry reflects on my practicum experience with a re-admitted patient suffering from uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension, in the context of my learning aligned with course objectives, Healthy People 2020, and the South University College of Nursing Conceptual Framework. This experience reinforced the importance of holistic, patient-centered care, emphasizing the pillars of caring, communication, critical thinking, professionalism, and holism, which are essential for effective nursing practice.

During my shift on the cardiac telemetry floor, I encountered a patient recently readmitted due to poorly controlled diabetes mellitus and hypertension. The patient appeared distressed, with elevated blood pressure readings and hyperglycemia despite prior medication adherence. My initial perceptions of management were challenged as I observed the complexities of multifaceted treatment plans and the importance of thorough patient education. I felt a mixture of concern and curiosity as I evaluated the factors contributing to the patient's readmission.

This encounter deepened my understanding of the significance of comprehensive assessment and individualized care plans. I observed the nurse practitioner discussing medication adjustments and lifestyle modifications, highlighting the importance of communication and critical thinking. The nurse’s ability to educate the patient about lifestyle changes and medication compliance exemplified holistic-focused care, considering the patient's social, emotional, and physical health domains.

Psychologically, I reflected on how I felt about the patient's initial non-compliance and the potential barriers they faced, such as health literacy, socioeconomic factors, and access to care. My perception shifted from viewing patient non-adherence as solely personal failure to recognizing systemic and environmental influences that obstruct effective management. This aligns with Healthy People 2020's objectives of reducing health disparities and promoting health literacy (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2020).

In terms of professional growth, this experience reinforced the importance of critical thinking and effective communication in delivering safe, patient-centered care. It prompted me to consider how to involve patients in shared decision-making processes, respecting their autonomy while providing evidence-based guidance. I learned that fostering trust and understanding through open dialogue enhances patient engagement and adherence, which are vital for managing chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension.

Connecting this experience with prior coursework in pathophysiology and pharmacology, I recognized the physiological mechanisms underlying uncontrolled blood glucose and blood pressure, underscoring the need for vigilant monitoring and timely interventions. Additionally, reflective analysis of this clinical situation illuminated the necessity of integrating the nursing process—assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation—to optimize patient outcomes.

In conclusion, this practicum experience has strengthened my commitment to holistic, compassionate nursing care that emphasizes therapeutic communication, patient education, and critical thinking. It also highlighted the importance of addressing broader social determinants of health to achieve health equity in chronic disease management. This aligns with the core values and pillars of South University’s College of Nursing and supports my professional development toward becoming a competent, empathetic nurse dedicated to improving patient outcomes in complex clinical situations.

References

• Blake, H. (2005). Reflective practice in nursing. Nursing Standard, 19(44), 49-52.
• Ruth-Sahd, L. A. (2003). Reflection as a foundation of professional growth and development. Journal of Nursing Education, 42(7), 297-298.
• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2020). Healthy People 2020 objectives. https://www.healthypeople.gov
• Clark, L. A., & Greenwood, J. (2019). Managing uncontrolled hypertension in primary care: A case study. Journal of Community & Public Health Nursing, 36(3), 105-112.
• American Diabetes Association. (2021). Standards of medical care in diabetes—2021. Diabetes Care, 44(Suppl 1), S1–S232.
• Guan, T., et al. (2018). Socioeconomic determinants of hypertension control. Journal of Hypertension, 36(4), 905–912.
• Institute of Medicine. (2003). Health literacy: A prescription to end confusion. National Academies Press.
• Peters, R. (2017). Addressing health disparities: The role of nurses in promoting health equity. Nursing Outlook, 65(6), 657-663.
• Pop-Busui, R., et al. (2017). Diabetic neuropathy: A position statement by the ADA. Diabetes Care, 40(2), 136–144.
• Whelton, P. K., et al. (2018). 2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 71(19), e127–e248.