Assignment: Journal Entry | Nursing Term Paper
Assignment: Journal Entry
Critical reflection of your growth and development during your practicum experience in a clinical setting has the benefit of helping you to identify opportunities for improvement in your clinical skills, while also recognizing your strengths and successes.
Use this Journal to reflect on your clinical strengths and opportunities for improvement, the progress you made, and what insights you will carry forward into your next practicum
​To Prepare
Refer to the “Advanced Nursing Practice Competencies and Guidelines†found in the Week 1 Learning Resources, and consider the quality measures or indicators advanced nursing practice nurses must possess in your specialty of interest.
Refer to your “Clinical Skills Self-Assessment Form†you submitted in Week 1, and consider your strengths and opportunities for improvement.
Refer to your Patient Log in Meditrek, and consider the patient activities you have experienced in your practicum experience. Reflect on your observations and experiences.
In 450–500 words, address the following:
Learning From Experiences
Revisit the goals and objectives from your Practicum Experience Plan. Explain the degree to which you achieved each during the practicum experience.
Reflect on the three (3) most challenging patients you encountered during the practicum experience. What was most challenging about each?
What did you learn from this experience?
What resources did you have available?
What evidence-based practice did you use for the patients?
What new skills are you learning?
What would you do differently?
How are you managing patient flow and volume?
Communicating and Feedback
Reflect on how you might improve your skills and knowledge and how to communicate those efforts to your Preceptor.
Answer the questions: How am I doing? What is missing?
Reflect on the formal and informal feedback you received from your Preceptor.
​Rubric Detail
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​Content
​Name: PRAC_6635_Week11_Assignment_Rubric
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Assimilation and Synthesis: Content Reflection
Points Range: 50 (50%) – 50 (50%)
Reflection demonstrates a high level of critical thinking in applying and integrating key course concepts and theories from readings, lectures, and/or Discussions. Insightful and relevant connections are made through contextual explanations and examples.
Points Range: 40 (40%) – 49 (49%)
Reflection demonstrates moderate level of critical thinking in applying and integrating key course concepts and theories from readings, lectures, and/or Discussions. Connections are made through explanations and/or examples.
Points Range: 31 (31%) – 39 (39%)
Reflection demonstrates minimal critical thinking in applying and integrating key course concepts and theories from readings, lectures, and/or Discussions. Minimal connections made through explanations and/or examples.
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 30 (30%)
Reflection lacks critical thinking. Superficial connections are made with key course concepts and resources, and/or assignments
Assimilation and Synthesis: Personal Growth
Points Range: 30 (30%) – 30 (30%)
Expresses solid evidence of reflection on own work. Demonstrates substantial personal growth and awareness of deeper meaning through inferences, well developed insights, and significant depth in awareness and challenges. Synthesizes current experience into future implications.
Points Range: 20 (20%) – 29 (29%)
Expresses moderate evidence of reflection on own work. Demonstrates satisfactory personal growth and awareness through some inferences, insights, and challenges. There is mention of the future implications of student’s current experience.
Points Range: 10 (10%) – 19 (19%)
Expresses minimal evidence of reflection on own work. Demonstrates less than adequate personal growth and awareness through limited or simplistic inferences made, insights, and/or challenges that are not well developed. Minimal thought of future implications of student’s current experience.
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 9 (9%)
Expresses inadequate evidence of reflection on own work. Personal growth and awareness are not evident and/or demonstrate an impersonal experience. Lacks personal insights, challenges, inferences, and/or future implications are overlooked.
Written Expression and Formatting
Points Range: 15 (15%) – 15 (15%)
Well written and clearly organized using standard English, characterized by elements of a strong writing style and basically free from grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling errors.
Points Range: 11 (11%) – 14 (14%)
Above average writing style and logically organized using standard English with minor errors in grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling.
Points Range: 6 (6%) – 10 (10%)
Average writing style that is sometimes unclear and/or with some errors in grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling.
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 5 (5%)
Poor writing style lacking in standard English, clarity, language used, and/or frequent errors in grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling. Needs work.
APA
Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
No APA errors
Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Contains one to two (1–2) APA errors
Points Range: 2 (2%) – 3 (3%)
Contains three to five (3–5) APA errors
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 1 (1%)
Contains more than five (> 5) APA errors
Total Points: 100
​Name: PRAC_6635_Week11_Assignment_Rubric
This is the self assessment form submitted I submitted in Week 1 PRAC 6635 Clinical Skills Self-Assessment Form
Desired Clinical Skills for Students to Achieve
Confident (Can complete independently)
Mostly confident (Can complete with supervision)
Beginning (Have performed with supervision or need supervision to feel confident)
New (Have never performed or does not apply)
Comprehensive psychiatric evaluation skills in:
Recognizing clinical signs and symptoms of psychiatric illness
Differentiating between pathophysiological and psychopathological conditions
Performing and interpreting a comprehensive and/or interval history and physical examination (including laboratory and diagnostic studies)
Performing and interpreting a mental status examination
Performing and interpreting a psychosocial assessment and family psychiatric history
Performing and interpreting a functional assessment (activities of daily living, occupational, social, leisure, educational).
Diagnostic reasoning skill in:
Demonstrate knowledge of psychopathology of mental illnesses through discussion for different age groups and mental illnesses
Developing and prioritizing a differential diagnoses list
Formulating diagnoses according to DSM 5 based on assessment data
Differentiating between normal/abnormal age-related physiological and psychological symptoms/changes
Psychotherapeutic Treatment Planning:
Provide psychoeducation to individuals and/or any caregivers
Promote health and disease prevention techniques
Self Assessment skill:
Develop SMART goals for practicum experiences
Evaluating outcomes of practicum goals and modify plan as necessary
Documenting and reflecting on learning experiences
Professional skills:
Maintains professional boundaries and therapeutic relationship with clients and staff
Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams to improve clinical practice in mental health settings
Identifies ethical and legal dilemmas with possible resolutions
Demonstrates non-judgmental practice approach and empathy
Practices within scope of practice
Selecting and implementing appropriate screening instrument(s) and interpreting results:
Demonstrates selecting the correct screening instrument appropriate for the clinical situation
Implements the screening instrument efficiently and effectively with the clients
Interprets results for screening instruments accurately
Identifies the need to refer to another specialty provider when applicable
Accurately documents recommendations for psychiatric consultations when applicable
Summary of strengths:
My strength includes creating a good rapport with the patient which is needed for patient to build trust and open up during interview. I make a great team member which is needed to coordinate with the other multidisciplinary health care-team. I Approach all patients with a listening ear and a non-judgmental practice approach which makes patients comfortable to talk with me despite their religion, gender, ethnicity or condition. I attend my patient with empathy and out of these I win favor very quickly from the patient.
Opportunities for growth:
I need growth in:
Differentiating between pathophysiological conditions and Psychopathological conditions.
Recognizing clinical signs and symptoms of psychiatric illness
Performing and interpreting a mental status exam.
Performing and interpreting a comprehensive and /or interval history and physical examination(including laboratory and diagnostic studies)
I will work with my preceptor to improve these skills by writing down a plan which will be my goal for this clinical preceptor period. After writing this plan, I will follow it through by working closely with my preceptor and asking questions in areas where I need clarification. These will help me in improving these identified need for growth. By the end of this preceptor period the identified need for growth will have have moved from “Beginning to mostly confidentâ€.
Now, write three to four (3–4) possible goals and objectives for this practicum experience. Ensure that they follow the SMART Strategy, as described in the Learning Resources.
THESE IS AN EXAMPLE FROM A FRIEND
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Journal Entry
kiikkkkk
PMHNP, Walden University
PRAC 6635: Psychopathology and Diagnostic Reasoning Practicum
Dr. kkkkkkkkkkkk
02/06/2021
Part One
Revisit the goals and objectives from your Practicum Experience Plan. Explain the degree to which you achieved each during the practicum experience.
I have learned a lot about diagnostic testing. I feel I have a “working knowledge†of what requires monitoring with pharmacological treatments. I feel much more confident in this skill. I have not mastered this skill but I feel more confident I will learn more as I progress.
My preceptor took time to explain the concept of differentiating pathophysiological and psychopathological in detail. I feel very confident that I have reached this goal and will be able to apply this knowledge in practice.
I have had much opportunity to develop psychodynamic treatment plans throughout this practicum. I have become very skillful and feel I reached my goal.
I have used several different screening and diagnostic tools during this practicum. My preceptor and the didactic part of the practicum gave me ample opportunity to learn more about the tools. I have successfully implemented this skill and reached my goal.
Part Two
Reflect on the three (3) most challenging patients you encountered during the practicum experience. What was most challenging about each?
Patient One- JS was difficult because she did not see anything wrong with her lifestyle. She is a recovering alcoholic who believes drinking a little is ok. She is also an opioid addict who believes using cannabis helps her to manage opioid misuse. She demanded medication that would make her “feel†something.
Patient Two- JR was challenging because he was so jaded regarding psychotherapy and sharing his feelings. He has a lot of physical issues that he focuses on. He is schizophrenic and paranoid toward new providers.
Patient Three- AJ was very challenging because she needed so much more than I could provide. She requires much support almost on a daily basis. She has much potential to improve her quality of life and she deserves a therapist who can dedicate more time to her.
Part Three
What did you learn from this experience? I learned I have much to learn. I also learned how important it is to understand different treatment modalities in order to offer the patient individualized treatment.
What resources did you have available? I had many resources including two psychiatrists, a psychiatric PA, and an LCSW. I also had two other students with whom I could discuss topics with and learn from.
What evidence-based practice did you use for the patients? CBT and DBT
What new skills are you learning? I am learning diagnostic skills, communication skills, and business skills.
What would you do differently? I would start building professional relationships with the patients sooner.
How are you managing patient flow and volume? Planning for the day and number of patients before starting in the morning.
Communicating and Feedback
I can improve my skills and knowledge by researching evidence-based material and asking questions. I communicate my skills and knowledge by sharing evidence-based articles and completed assignments with my preceptor. The feedback from my preceptor was good information weather it was from doing well or missing the mark. I received useful information in feedback.
How am I doing? I am feeling much more confident and much less nervous about my chosen career path.
What is missing? I have a lot of missing pieces that will come together as I progress in my academic efforts. I feel like I have experienced a good start with the completion of my first practicum
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