Professional Nursing Synthesis Portfolio

In Appendix __ and ___ (Case studies and Rhabdomyisis), I have been able to exhibit  critical thinking. I have been able to undertake analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of data gathered from observation, experience, reflection, or communication as a guide to belief or action. I have also been able to acquire substantial clinical reasoning which entails a capacity to remember facts, organize them in a meaningful whole, and then apply the information in a clinical patient care situation. As a nurse, I can make use of reasoning to help in formulating principles or guidelines as a basis for my nursing practice judgment decisions.
II. Decision Making Skills
In Appendix ___ (Ethical Dilemma), I have significantly enhanced my decision making skills. As a novice, I acquire clinical judgment and skill over time. Knowledge is refined through actual clinical experience; this moves me from a rule-based, context-free stage to a more analytical, logical and intentional pattern of thinking. To effectively provide a conducive learning environment, I have been exposed to venues for examining and developing my problem solving and reasoning skills towards making clinical judgments. These venues transpire through numerous learning experiences, one of which are ethical dilemmas.

III. Nursing Care and Management of Clients
In Appendices __ and ___ (Case studies and Mariners Harbor project), I have effectively enhanced my skills in nursing care and management of clients. These experiences can help me in developing the learner from the novice phase to being an advanced beginner in nursing. Experiences such as this enable the formation of meaningful related information on the basis of what I have learned in the classroom. There is an expectation that with more experience, I can move from the level of advanced beginner to the level of competence by program completion.
Clinical judgment is defined as nursing decisions about which areas to assess, analyzing health data, prioritizing which task to do, and who should carry it out. For clinical judgment to be assessed as sound, it should be arrived at using critical thinking and logical reasoning, that will enable the deduction of valid conclusions, and the decisions that may be borne from these.
IV. Effective Communication, Collaboration and Negotiation
In Appendix ___ (Visiting hours in the ICU), I have been able to appreciate the importance of working with multidisciplinary professionals. I realized that synergy and collaboration are important for the ultimate welfare of the patient. This set-up also allows for his holistic healing.
V.  Professional values and behaviors
In Appendix __ (Nursing Philosophy), I was able to hone my professional values and behaviors. I believe that while technical competence is a core requisite to becoming a successful nurse practitioner, being values and ethics driven are equally important. In the absence of policies or concrete guiding principles, values are the only guideposts on which decisions may be hinged or anchored against. I am thankful that I was taught ethics and have also had the opportunity to make ethical decisions on the basis of such knowledge. I realized that deciding with a clean conscience makes for competent and sound nursing practice, which substantially determines nursing effectiveness.
VI.    Teaching and Learning
My experience in being a nurse educator has further been honed through Appendix __ (Mariners Harbor Outreach) where I was able to instruct indigents and minority patients about palliative care. I felt that this has brought me a step closer to my aspiration of being a nurse educator. As a future nurse educator / coach, I would like to conduct research projects, participate in professional associations and interact with other nursing academics and practitioners. I would also continue to practice my profession in the clinical setting. This is an effective tool in ensuring that I continue to be clinically competent as I train future nurses.
VII.   Research
Through integrated literature reviews and critiques (Appendix __ and ___), I have been able to hone my research skills. I have learned how to critically analyze both quantitative and qualitative data to be able to draw meaningful conclusions from them. These exercises on critical thinking and analysis have forged the theoretical foundation of my nursing practice, which is applied and honed in the clinical setting. These have taught me how to read and understand statistics, as well as data drawn from qualitative methods. Critiques have also allowed me to point out the limitations of research studies and ascertain the validity of research results.
VIII.   Leadership
Through Appendix __ (Nursing Philosophy paper), I have been able to strengthen my resolve in being a transformational leader-nurse. I have learned that being a charismatic or transformational leader entails articulate a realistic vision of the future that can be shared, stimulate subordinates intellectually, and pay attention to the differences among the subordinates. By defining the need for change, creating new visions, and mobilizing commitment to these visions, leaders can ultimately transform organizations. In effect, the ultimate goal was to make a real dent in the lives of people that I come in contact with by helping them authentically.
IX.     Management
In Appendices ___ and ___ (Nursing change paper/ Visiting hours paper), I have come to appreciate the importance of working within a multidisciplinary setting. Such appreciation has also helped me appreciate diversity and synergy in working with other professionals.
X.     Lifelong learning and professional career development
In Appendices __ and ___ (Alziheimers project/ Does advanced practice… nursing paper), I have broadened my career horizons. Through these, I have manifested how I have progressed in the practice and have also been able to open new doors for learning and for sharing these wins with my colleagues.