Nursing Assignment Help - Professional Practice Portfolio

Nursing Assignment Help - Professional Practice Portfolio

1.1 Description and Components of a Professional Practice Portfolio

A professional practice portfolio is a documentation of one’s achievements, skills, and experiences related to the nursing practice. It presents the peers, employers, and other interested parties with the path taken by the nurse to achieve the current milestones (Charlotte, 2015). In addition, it provides a clear picture of where the nurse is currently in terms of profession and education. A professional practice portfolio should not be confused with a curriculum vitae which entails basic information regarding the nurse including personal information and institutions attended. The professional portfolio further identifies evidence of the expertise and competencies that the nursing practitioner has developed from the experiences (Cope & Murray, 2018).

There are several components of a professional nursing portfolio. These include the name and demographics of the nurse, the health records such as current physical and immunizations, and educational achievements. The nurse acquired licenses should also be provided as well as the specialty certifications (Hickey et al., 2017). Different nurse cards such as BLS, CPR, and NALS should be provided including their renewal dates (Charlotte, 2015). The CEU certificates, professional organization memberships, personal nursing philosophy, and list of professional projects should be provided. Other components include performance appraisal, professional awards, scholarly achievements, performance evaluation letters, recommendation documents for career development, and short term and long-term goals.

1.2 Argument

The use of a professional nursing portfolio can be demonstrated profoundly in an interview situation. In career development, a core activity is exploring diverse and profound opportunities (Waddell et al., 2015). Once a nurse has been invited for an interview, a nursing portfolio may be required by the organization besides the CV. The human resource specialist may request the portfolio for the hiring team to have a better review and understanding of the individual competencies and achievements prior to being engaged in the actual interview. According to Cope and Murray (2018), the importance of the portfolio is to validate the information provided in the CV rather than replacing it. Through the detailed accomplishments by the nurse in the portfolio, the hiring team is able to scrutinize the application and select the most suitable candidate. Besides, the portfolio provides documents and licenses which assert the role and responsibilities of the nurse. The portfolio further shows the individual’s accomplishments which reflect on the nurse competencies (Chang, Lee, & Mills, 2017). During the interview, the nursing professional will carry and use the portfolio for substantiating the responses to the questions. In case the hiring team had not earlier requested for the portfolio, it is important for the interviewee to leave some copies with them for further analysis.

The merits of the portfolio are centered on providing comprehensive information to peers, employers, and other interested parties regarding the nursing practitioner. This information which includes a better understanding of the Scope of Practice, professional experience, education, awards, and evaluations provide the portfolio reader with a better understanding regarding the individual rather than the face to face conversation (Haverkamp & Vogt, 2015). Notably, a better developed professional portfolio provides the employer with satisfaction regarding the nurse for consideration in the job placement. The portfolio as a complement of the CV also shows the organization quality of the individual thus enhancing the chances of being considered in an opportunity. To the nursing practitioner, the portfolio provides insights on the accomplishments and goals which inform the professional development plans. The portfolio is also characterized by a few challenges. Developing the portfolio requires time and professionalism to ensure that all components are included (Alexander & Stewart, 2016). A poorly developed portfolio missing components provides a negative perception regarding the individual which affects the reputation and convincing power to the employers that the individual should be considered for the available position. For individuals with numerous accomplishments, a detailed portfolio which is also clear and organized is imperative. The nursing professional is further required to update the portfolio regularly which is tasking.

1.3 Management and Leadership

Leadership entails the act of motivating and influencing a group of individuals to act in a similar direction of achieving a common objective while management is defined as the process of directing and leading an organization to achieve its goals through effective use of appropriate resources (Giddens, 2018). Leadership competencies are critical in achieving the set objectives. The central competence is teamwork and collaboration which enables the individual to work with others to achieve the common goals. Primarily, these competencies can be categorized into three. These include leading self, others, and the organization. Besides teamwork and collaborative skills, the leader should foster change to address the organizational challenges, demonstrate quality decision making in solving problems, act as a source of influence to others, be innovative and taking risks, and demonstrate comprehensive knowledge regarding the organization (Demeh & Rosengren, 2015). In every action, it should be guided by ethics and values. Interpersonal and communication skills are also vital in promoting teamwork regardless of diversity affiliation.

Although the definition of management and leadership differ, most of the competencies are similar. In management, core competencies include communication, delegation, and ability to motivate others (Pihlainen, Kivinen, & Lammintakanen, 2016). Communication skills involve the ability of the manager to converse and relate with others to determine the direction the organization should head. Delegation, on the other hand, entails the ability to tap the employees’ and teams’ strengths and power to achieve the organizational mission and vision. In motivation which is the foundation of transformation leadership, managers should demonstrate the ability to give everyone morale which improves the individual’s output. Another competence is task and organizing management which involves the ability to prioritize activities, build systems and procedures for the team to work better and achieving the set objectives (Fischer, 2016). Effective managers should also be patient and demonstrate teamwork. It is also essential for them to be visionary and have a self-development behavior.

The importance of a professional practice portfolio in evidencing the abovementioned leadership and management competencies is based on detailing the skills and knowledge gathered over time. In addition, the evidence of these competencies such as awards, certificates, performance evaluation results, and membership proofs are outlined in the portfolio for marketing the individual among the employers (Charlotte, 2015). To showcase the nursing expertise, clinical competence, leadership skills, and education in the field, the portfolio is a profound tool which should be accompanied by proofs.

2.0 Professional Standards

2.1 Situation Description

During my last clinical placement, one of the common situations was to work at the triage section. Being a nursing student, the limitation in the roles and responsibilities warrant working together with registered nurses and physicians to establish the challenges affecting the patient and how they can be averted (Wojnar & Whelan, 2017). One time I was placed in the triage section where the roles involved interacting with patients and taking their vital signs to establish the urgency in their conditions and which departments they would head. At the triage unit, a number of activities take place which mainly involve interacting with the patient to establish their personal information and use it to inform the next step in providing care (Pereira et al., 2016). I worked with a registered nurse at this section where my role was to learn and demonstrate an understanding of using different instruments such as a thermometer, stethoscope, penlights, and pulse oximetry. In addition, it was my role to interact with the patients to establish their complaints and needs and prioritize the individuals based on urgency. The role of the RN was to monitor and correct my judgment on the area a patient would head next. Once a patient came to the triage section from the reception, I took the vital signs, fed the data in the computer and directed the person to the next location. The outcomes of the situation were to the satisfaction of the RN who noted impressive performance. I was able to interact with all the patients profoundly, took their vital signs, and directed them further according to their primary needs.

2.2 Critical Discussion

The roles of a student nurse are limited under the Scope of Practice. According to Argenbright et al. (2018), the fundamental guideline for these individuals is to work under an authorized nursing practitioner or physician. Their activities are also monitored closely to ensure that the processes are flawless. Some of their activities as noted by Van Lersel et al. (2016) include understanding the patient needs, administration of specific medications as directed by the RNs or other authorized professionals, providing nursing care to the patients such as assisting them to eat and charting the patient’s information. In addition, these individuals are required to learn and demonstrate understanding in using various instruments such as pulse oximetry and thermometer for checking the vital signs. While working in the triage section, my roles were to interact with the patient, take the vital signs and feed the information in the computer, and direct the patient to the next unit or steps. Since I was working under the supervision of a RN, I met the key guidelines for nursing students and functioned within my Scope of Practice.

Nursing practitioners are mandated by various guidelines according to their Scope of Practice. Cummings, Shin, Mather, and Hovenga (2016) espouse that nursing practitioners across different levels should demonstrate various competencies including leadership, teamwork, interpersonal, communication, accountability, and quality decision making. In accountability, every nurse should be ready to bear any consequences emanating from their actions. While working at the triage section, I demonstrated accountability through being ready for my actions and decisions. Whenever I was not certain about a choice, I would seek clarity from the RN to ensure quality patient outcome and welfare. Seeking clarity also enhanced the quality of my decisions (Anderson, Moxham, & Broadbent, 2016). In nursing practice, the professional is expected to demonstrate various standards such as conducting assessments, developing management plans, providing nursing care, and evaluating the outcomes. These standards ensure the quality and safety in nursing practice which are the fundamental objectives of healthcare organizations and nurses’ responsibilities.

My actions while working in this section reflected on these standards in various ways. I was able to perform patient assessments to establish their primary needs and direct them to the right department. In line with the professional standards, I also demonstrated effective teamwork through working with the RN and interpersonal competencies in interacting with the patients to establish their challenges (Harris, 2018). Prior to working in this section, I had researched on my responsibilities and the use of different instruments from the thermometer to the stethoscope. The combination of theoretical knowledge, guidance from the RN, and experience promoted the quality of my decisions. Although the triage section does not involve developing a management plan and outcome evaluation, my role in other sections including the wards and ICU revealed the proficient understanding of the nursing knowledge in conducting these activities. Throughout the process also, no incidence yielded negative outcomes which was a clear indication of my accountability and responsibility in my actions to ensure the quality of patient outcome. 

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3.0 Professional Membership

3.1 Peak Professional Nursing Organization

My professional standards lie in providing quality primary care that is innovative, informed, and in line with dynamic care. Based on these interests, the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA); a peak professional body which mainly supports nurses in primary health care is the most relevant. The membership for APNA may be individual or organizational (APNA, 2017). Also, the membership may be a student or graduate. For the members, they are required to subscribe to the APNA Professional Indemnity Insurance where the fee paid is dependent on the location. One also provides diverse information from personal details to professional which is used to create the membership. The APNA body is characterized by a number of functions and programs such as supporting online learning. APNA also engages in various projects including the nurse clinics which are essential in building the nurse capacity and providing quality and dynamic care. The organization also assists new nurses in transitioning to primary healthcare as well as individuals who may express interest in becoming primary care nurses. Providing support to its members include financial and online education. Besides members having the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills, they are also engaged in programs and conferences that bring them together for sharing knowledge. APNA is also involved in policy development, developing replicable and innovative care models, and enhancing practice. The relevance of APNA in my career is based on the organization’s capacity building endeavor which will benefit my career. Furthermore, I will have a networking platform and professional growth opportunities.

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References

Alexander, S., & Stewart, L. (2016). Establishing and maintaining a professional identity: portfolios and career progression. Transitions in Nursing: Preparing for Professional Practice, 259-276.

Anderson, C., Moxham, L., & Broadbent, M. (2016). Providing support to nursing students in the clinical environment: a nursing standard requirement. Contemporary Nurse, 52(5), 636-642.

APNA (2017). APNA. Supporting nurses in primary health care. Retrieved from https://www.apna.asn.au/

Argenbright, C. A., Sanford, J., Hart, V., Jordan, P., Bengtsson, M., Moriyama, M., ... & Iwamoto, Y. (2018). Making a Difference: Changing Nursing Students' Global Beliefs.

Chang, C. P., Lee, T. T., & Mills, M. E. (2017). Clinical nurse preceptors' perception of e-portfolio use for undergraduate students. Journal of professional nursing, 33(4), 276-281.

Charlotte, D. (2015). Developing a Professional Nursing Portfolio. Nursing Incredibly Easy, 13(1). doi: 10.1097/01.NME.0000457285.39465.5c

Cope, V., & Murray, M. (2018). Use of professional portfolios in nursing. Nursing Standard (2014+), 32(30), 55.

Cummings, E., Shin, E. H., Mather, C., & Hovenga, E. (2016). Embedding nursing informatics education into an Australian undergraduate nursing degree. Studies in health technology and informatics, 225, 329-333.

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Fischer, S. A. (2016). Transformational leadership in nursing: a concept analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 72(11), 2644-2653.

Giddens, J. (2018). Transformational leadership: What every nursing dean should know. Journal of Professional Nursing, 34(2), 117-121.

Harris, K. (2018). Nursing roles in integrated teams. In Integrated Teams in Primary Care (pp. 67-78). CRC Press.

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Pereira, S., Torres, L., Portela, F., Santos, M. F., Machado, J., & Abelha, A. (2016). Predicting Triage Waiting Time in Maternity Emergency Care by means of Data Mining. In New Advances in Information Systems and Technologies (pp. 579-588). Springer, Cham.

Pihlainen, V., Kivinen, T., & Lammintakanen, J. (2016). Management and leadership competence in hospitals: a systematic literature review. Leadership in Health Services, 29(1), 95-110.

Van Iersel, M., Latour, C. H., De Vos, R., Kirschner, P. A., & op Reimer, W. J. S. (2016). Nursing students’ perceptions of community care and other areas of nursing practice–A review of the literature. International journal of nursing studies, 61, 1-19.

Waddell, J., Spalding, K., Canizares, G., Navarro, J., Connell, M., Jancar, S., ... & Victor, C. (2015). Integrating a career planning and development program into the baccalaureate nursing curriculum: Part I. Impact on students’ career resilience. International journal of nursing education scholarship, 12(1), 163-173.

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