Currently Precepting At A County Family Practice Clinic

I Currently Precept At A County Clinic Family Practice Though My Prec

I currently precept at a county clinic family practice. Though my preceptor sees all ages of life from pediatrics to geriatrics, the majority of the patients I encountered during my time with my preceptor are adults (young twenties to early sixties). We had a few pediatric patients as well as Women’s health-related cases. Next year in February and March, I plan to follow a pediatric FNP and an FNP in Women’s health clinic. This will fulfill the requirements for this course.

As of now, I completed the SOAP notes for:

• Adult Pulmonary (Asthma)
• Pediatric/Teen HEENT (Common Cold)
• Adult GU (Pyelonephritis)
• Adult Musculoskeletal (OA)
• Adult Wellness Check-up
• Adult HEENT (Acute Sinusitis)

These graphs show that I have completed 3 Pediatrics out of 80 required cases, 31 Geriatrics out of 100 required cases, and 8 Women’s Health out of 40 required cases. Overall, I need many more cases in each criterion. My next preceptor is an Adult Nurse Practitioner, which will satisfy the required 100 geriatric cases. It has been a valuable and enriching experience for me.

I learned a great deal from my preceptor and her team of nurses and medical assistants. I gained insight into how their clinic operates. I have seen over 250 patients in this clinic alone. One of the most memorable patients was a man in his late 70s. He is very polite and mentally sharp for his age. He appears to be strong and is highly involved in his medical treatment. I am amazed at how he lives his life to the fullest, based on his stories of his youth. If given another opportunity, I would like to learn more about his lifestyle and beliefs to tailor his treatment accordingly.

The following three complementary tactics can support and strengthen the doctor-patient relationship by focusing on patient needs and concerns (Delbanco & Gerteis, 2022):

• Clinicians should consider each patient as a unique individual by integrating a "Patient’s Review" that addresses their preferences, values, and needs, alongside standard organ-specific examinations.
• Employ survey tools and other feedback mechanisms to gather patients' clinical experiences, which can be compared locally and nationally to improve practice quality.
• Encourage collaboration between patients and clinicians to develop treatment plans and share information, facilitated by electronic health records and patient portals.

Out of the six SOAP notes I submitted, I have completed the following:

• Wellness visit for an infant (< 12 months)
• Wellness visit for a child (1-12 years old)
• Wellness visit for an adult
• HEENT for a child
• HEENT for an adult
• Cardiovascular (C/V) for an adult

To complete the program, I aim to see more pediatric, women’s health, and geriatric patients in the family practice setting. The clinic I am precepting at sees numerous patients, and I am confident I will meet all SOAP note requirements before program completion. The clinical requirements are summarized in the following table:

At the start of my clinical rotation, I was nervous and somewhat overwhelmed by the volume of patients my preceptor saw. I shadowed her for the first two days, learning her diagnostic process and reasoning. She was very accommodating, answering all my questions about treatment methods and medications. During patient encounters, I oriented myself to their charting systems, including ordering tests, referrals, and e-prescribing. By the third day, I was seeing patients independently, with my preceptor available for consultation. One particularly memorable experience was informing a 42-year-old Hispanic woman and her husband about her breast cancer diagnosis. The couple was emotional, but my preceptor maintained professionalism and compassion. Four weeks later, I saw her husband as a patient for his physical exam; he remembered me and shared updates on his wife’s condition. Building therapeutic relationships with patients and their families is essential for treatment adherence and improved health outcomes (Molina-Mula & Gallo-Estrada, 2020).

Paper For Above instruction

The clinical preceptorship experience offered a comprehensive insight into family practice, emphasizing the significance of patient-centered care and the importance of building trusting relationships with diverse patient populations. Throughout this rotation, I engaged with a broad spectrum of cases, notably gaining exposure to adult, pediatric, and women’s health conditions, which are critical in primary care settings.

One of the key lessons was understanding the value of individualized patient assessments. Delbanco and Gerteis (2022) advocate for an organized review process that considers patient preferences, values, and needs alongside traditional examinations. This holistic approach enhances diagnosis, treatment adherence, and patient satisfaction by acknowledging each person’s unique context. Such strategies are particularly relevant in primary care, where continuity and trust are vital. Implementing patient feedback mechanisms, such as surveys and portals, allows clinicians to gauge the quality of care from the patient’s perspective and identify areas for improvement, fostering transparency and shared decision-making.

My clinical journey involved numerous patient encounters, including wellness visits across age groups, HEENT assessments, and cardiovascular evaluations. These experiences reinforced the importance of thorough history-taking, physical examination, and patient education in developing effective care plans. Particularly memorable was informing a patient's family about her breast cancer diagnosis. This encounter underscored the emotional complexities involved in delivering serious news, highlighting how professionalism, empathy, and clear communication can help navigate challenging conversations.

Additionally, observing the operational aspects of the clinic provided valuable insight into interprofessional collaboration. The team of nurses and medical assistants played a crucial role in delivering quality care, coordinating patient flow, and supporting diagnostic and treatment processes. Working closely with them enhanced my understanding of team dynamics and the importance of coordinated efforts in primary care. Over 250 patients were seen during my rotation, providing extensive exposure to common and complex clinical scenarios.

Statistically, I have made progress toward meeting clinical rotation requirements, with specific cases completed in pediatric, geriatric, and women’s health categories. Despite initial apprehensions, I found the rotation to be enriching, allowing me to develop clinical reasoning skills and to understand the holistic needs of patients of all ages. My upcoming rotation with an adult nurse practitioner will further fulfill the geriatric caseload, ensuring comprehensive clinical experience.

From a professional growth perspective, I learned the importance of cultural competence, effective communication, and compassionate care. The memorable case of the elderly patient living actively into his late 70s illustrated how lifestyle and attitude significantly impact health and wellness. If given further opportunity, I would explore his personal beliefs and lifestyle to optimize his health strategies. The rotation reaffirmed my commitment to patient-centered practice, emphasizing empathy, respect, and tailored interventions.

In conclusion, this clinical experience provided foundational skills in patient assessment, communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The insights gained will serve as a cornerstone for my future practice, guiding me to provide holistic, respectful, and effective primary care tailored to individual patient needs. Continued engagement with diverse populations and embracing innovative communication tools will heighten the quality of care I aim to deliver in my career.

References

• Delbanco, T., & Gerteis, M. (2022). A Patient-Centered View of the Clinician-Patient Relationship. Journal of Healthcare Practice.
• Molina-Mula, J., & Gallo-Estrada, J. (2020). Impact of nurse-patient relationship on quality of care and patient autonomy in decision-making. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(3), 835.
• Benner, P. (1984). From Novice to Expert: Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing Practice. Prentice-Hall.
• Epstein, R. M., & Street, R. L. (2011). The Impact of Patient-Centered Communication on Health Outcomes. Journal of Family Practice, 63(Suppl 4), S7–S10.
• Levinson, W., et al. (2010). Developing Physician-Patient Communication Skills. Family Medicine, 42(9), 643–651.
• Beach, M. C., et al. (2006). Relationship-centered care: A model for training healthcare professionals. Journal of the American Medical Association, 296(9), 1056–1060.
• Tariman, J. D., et al. (2012). Effects of patient-centered communication on trust and treatment adherence among cancer patients. Oncology Nursing Forum, 39(4), E350–E357.
• Shapiro, J., et al. (2014). Teaching empathy through patient narratives. Medical Education, 48(1), 86–94.
• Stewart, M., & Roter, D. (2017). Patient-centered communication, shared decision-making, and the healthcare experience. International Journal of Family Medicine, 2017, 1–8.
• Street, R. L., et al. (2009). How clinician-patient communication affects health outcomes: A review of the evidence. Patient Education and Counseling, 76(2), 193–201.