Career Development Reflection

The first skill the nurses identified that I would like to develop over time as a nurse is understanding from experience. Many of the nurses in the video explained how understanding from experience helps them make connections with their patients and provide comfort in their time of need. Learning to be grateful for every day as a nurse is also something I learned from this movie. All these nurses talked about what a privilege it is to know at the end of the day that you have helped someone in some way, and I would really like to implement that reflectiveness when I begin practicing as a nurse. Finally, I want to build on advocating for myself as a nurse. This is an essential skill that I can begin to build on when I am in school and don’t understand a certain concept. This skill also helps to prevent burnout, which is very real in the healthcare setting.

             The population that spoke to me from the NURSES movie was the Glide foundation. This foundation serves the homeless and financially struggling people of its community, which I haven’t had a lot of experience within clinical practice. These patients may have substance abuse disorders, which the Glide foundation has developed a program for. The Glide foundation also provides services such as assessments, referrals, and free vaccinations for patients in need, who typically wouldn’t have access to this care. The Glide foundation has a mission to make others feel comfortable reaching out for help, so they can receive the healthcare they need. 

One of the statements by one of the nurses that works for the Glide foundation really impacted me in this video. The nurse stated, “I still enjoy the rain and snow, but now I think about how some of our patients are laying on the pavement during those days.” This really demonstrated cultural humility to me and made me especially grateful for all the resources I have access to. Understanding the struggles others go through will ultimately make you a more compassionate nurse and will help you have an open mind to care for all kinds of patient populations.

On the current floor that I’m working on, we frequently have patients admitted who are suffering from substance use disorder. I would like to improve my knowledge in this area of care so I can ensure these patients are treated equally and so I can provide the best care possible. I feel that patients with substance use disorder are often stigmatized in the hospital, and by learning more about the disorder I reduce the stigma on my floor. 

            When I interviewed for my first nursing job a few weeks ago, I thought about this question and how I would answer it if it came up in my interview. I also talked with one of my previous nursing professors, and she gave me a great piece of advice when she said I should back up my strengths with my patient experience/evidence. One example I thought of when she said this was how I am a very empathetic person. One specific patient encounter came to mind, where I held a patient’s hand and talked through her anxiety about a procedure she was going to have. She told me how much that meant to her, and how much it helped that I stayed with her while through her anxious period. I utilized this evidence in my interview to provide an example of how I am empathetic.

            I also used examples of my work experience at UNE as a SASC tutor and UNE undergraduate admissions ambassador. Both of these roles have provided me with key leadership skills and have taught me how to interact with people. These jobs have also shown me how to help people who are struggling, whether that is with an admissions decision, or with a concept in a nursing class that they can’t quite grasp. 

When attending this interview, I also thought of my weaknesses or challenges I may face in the workplace. My inexperience as a clinical nurse is the first thing that came to mind. I presented this in my interview by stating that even though I didn’t have experience as a clinical nurse, I am eager to learn all that I can, and I feel comfortable asking my coworkers when I need help. I also talked about how I am a perfectionist, and how that can make nursing difficult at times since you can never predict how a day is going to go. I explained how working as a can has helped me learn how to adjust in the moment, and truly prioritize what is important for my patients, instead of getting everything done perfectly.