Discussion: Career Goals: Strengths and Challenges Related to Nursing Practice Competencies
The provision of healthcare to adults across the whole lifespan has continued to change because of several variables that include the changes in disease structure, rapidly aging population and reduced birth rates in the country. For example, a Family Nurse Practitioner working with adult patient having an acute medical problem will be required by the health institution to provide a short term intensive care (Misto, 2017). However, when the treatment is completed, the adult patient will still need to be provided with home care support for continued treatment and ensure that the patient is cared for with dignity and respect until the end of life (Misto, 2017). For this reason as an advanced nurse practitioner, I am often expected to provide comprehensive care that will be able to meet the diverse and complex needs of the patient. This may not look at the work settings, since all nurses are required to do this, it is expected that nurses will be able to combine different information sources especially when it comes to the advanced nursing practice and decision-making.
Among my career goals as a Family Nursing Practitioner is to develop skills that can help me contribute to the nursing society as a professional. I am supposed to implement my professional responsibilities by providing the right care and protecting individual lives to support the patient's activities regarding daily living. I understand that to be in a position to accomplish my goals, also requires that I work on my different competencies and use them in my daily work. This is because competency looks at the nursing care abilities that I have acquired through learning and experience. According to Aslan & Pekince, (2019), nursing competencies looks at potential abilities that enable Family nursing practitioners to effectively work under particular circumstances and the motivation that requires me to show my usefulness through such abilities. Competency will also look at individual behavioral characteristics which are based on my interests and influenced by my attitude and motivation. It will look at some of the traits that can help me achieve in my nursing practice.
As an advanced nursing practice, I have my strengths and weaknesses in my competencies. One of my major strengths includes the fact that I can apply nursing care knowledge and built interpersonal relationships with both my patients, patient families, and my colleagues. I realize that I am very good at communicating with patients even in difficult situations like having to make an end of life decision (Misto, 2017). In my experience of taking care of patients, I realize that one needs good communication skills if they have to treat the patient with a lot of respect and dignity since the patient is the client, assuring them of unbiased care and support is very important.
However, one of my major weaknesses has been in decision-making, in most cases, I have found myself empathizing with the patient so much that it takes long before I can make a firm decision regarding patient care(Adibelli, & Korkmaz, 2017). Due to this, I always prefer having to work as a team, I usually like selecting a team of nurses and physicians who will have strengths that I do not possess. By doing this we can provide the patient with the comprehensive care and support the client will require.
Looking at the aspects of nursing competencies and practice on adult patients, I can say that the advanced nursing practice course is going to help me champion my strengths while also improving my weakness. I am so much interested in the aspect of nursing leadership and administration, which will provide me with the required skills to become a more advanced nursing practitioner.
References
Adibelli, S., & Korkmaz, F. (2017). The factors affecting nursing students’ learning in clinical practice. https://doi.org/10.5176/2315-4330_wnc17.38
Aslan, H., & Pekince, H. (2019). Determining nursing students' evidence-based practice competencies and effective factors. Medicine Science | International Medical Journal, (0), 1. https://doi.org/10.5455/medscience.2019.08.9062
Misto, K. (2017). Family perceptions of family nursing in a magnet institution during acute hospitalizations of older adult patients. Clinical Nursing Research, 28(5), 548-566. https://doi.org/10.1177/1054773817748400
