Essay on My Journey as a Nurse: Childhood Inspiration and Beyond

Introduction

The documents below describe my skills and achievement as a nurse based on quality and safety, evidence-based practice, applied leadership, and community and population health. First, to speak of my career, why did I end up doing it, what still keeps me going? This questions can be answered by the following;

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My childhood experience has been a driving factor for me to pursue a nursing career. Whenever I was sick or got injured, I used to be taken to an individual nurse who was a friend to our family. She would give me specialized, caring attention that quickened my recovering and which made me at some point to prefer staying at her place to our home. I admired her kind, caring character, and this inspired me to pursue her career.

My friend's parent dying at a hospital due to unspecialized attention from the doctors and nurses frustrated and made me to desire entering into the position that I can be able to take care of the sick and vulnerable while in hospital. Sometimes it is hoped that makes a dying patient survive. If a patient realizes that someone cares for him/her, then he/she might have the will to come back to normalcy.

Caring for others is just a part of me. It pains me to watch others suffer, yet I can at least do something to get them out of their devastating condition. It gives me a sigh of relief and also happiness in helping others also to feel happy or relieved. I, therefore, enjoy doing my work and being sincere, I have no intention of undertaking another job different from this if given an opportunity.

Quality and safety

To speak of quality, I am a certified nurse registered under a union for doctors and health workers. This means that my services are being monitored by the relevant authorities concerned with health quality. There are guidelines and specifications in my career, which I must not go beyond but within. Ethical standards are also set for every health worker, and they must adhere to them and am not excluded. That I mean, for instance, I cannot get to work while drunk or not sober. I am required not to be rude to my patient in any case. Last year, I was awarded the best caring nurse of the year in my hospital and was proud of it. Does this not speak of the quality of my services?

I have always ensured the safety of my patients and myself throughout my career and life events. I adhere to all rules and regulations concerning the protection of the patients and myself and follow the guidelines for nursing procedures effectively during any work activities.

On evidence-based practice

I have been able to use the current best evidence conscientiously, explicitly, and judiciously in making crucial decisions about the care of individual patients in and out of my hospital. My research evidence has been used in making decisions about a specific group of patients. They, in my opinion, the need for unusual, specialized, or preferences and desires for the treatment procedures. Patients have also expected that we, as healthcare professionals, can read, critique, and synthesize research findings and interpret existing evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Evidence-based practice has helped me as a nurse to provide high-quality patient care based on my research and knowledge rather than because of the usual way of conducting health practices based on strong traditions, different myths about nursing, advice of fellow health experts, or outdated reading sources. For instance, if clinical questions arise, should I look to a nursing textbook for the answers? Put into consideration that books are not published every year, and new information may not be included in the edition that you have.

However, in my quest to use evidence-based practices in my career, I have experienced some of the following challenges:

• Lack of administrative support from my hospital
• Lack of knowledgeable mentors who can assist when the need arises
• Insufficient time to research due to the hospital's day-long activities
• Some research reports/articles not readily available
• Difficulty in accessing some of the research reports and articles
• Complexity of some research reports

Applied leadership

I have emulated servant leadership to influence and motivate my colleagues and juniors by building relationships and developing the skills of individual team members. I have made sure that the needs of the individual team members are addressed. My management has ensured that the entire team has input into decision making based on the organization's values and ideals. My listening, acceptance, awareness, and persuasion skills have created devoted followers who willingly follow my order. I have also used transformational leadership skills to build relationships and motivating my staff members through a shared vision and mission. It has earned me staff respect and loyalty since I have let them know that they are essential, and have helped them do things they weren't sure they could do by giving them encouragement and praise. As a democratic leader, I have encouraged open communication and staff participation in most decisions. Workers are given responsibility, accountability, and feedback regarding their performance.

I have used Management by Walking Around (MBWA) style to check on clinical issues and keeping the environment looking homelike, with this I have been able to observe team members interacting with patients, let my staff know that am interested in them and their work, evaluate the quality of care being delivered and demonstrate my interest in daily operations. Regardless of the leadership activity needed, I have always acted with integrity, set realistic goals, communicated clearly and often, encouraged others, recognized the successes of my team members, and inspired them to provide the best of care. Ultimately my actions have been reflected by my staff in the care they give to my patients each day.

Community and population Health

As a public health practitioner, to improve my population and community health, I have understood and optimized the health of my population broadly in terms of geography. I have advocated my local hospital and government authorities to influence the social determinants such as poverty, shelter, and education since they are the main determinants for the population health. Merely having better living conditions, safer work environments, and access to clean air and water will lead to significant improvements in the health of our community. I have also been actively engaged in forums campaigning against drug abuse. I give health and social counsel to those who feel they need it. I therefore view my services as a social responsibility that has helped me to achieve and fulfil my childhood dreams.