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In this essay, I will discuss three clinical skills that I undertook during the six weeks placement: Giving an insulin injection, hand washing and dressing a trauma wound. I aim to use Gibbs’ reflective model (1988 cited in Peate 2013) to reflect on the three skills because it is simple to use and understand. It will also enable me to reflect on how I felt whilst undertaken each skill. The six stages of Gibbs’ reflective model are Description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan. Reflective Account 1: Giving an Insulin injection Description When I and my mentor arrived at a patient’s home with type 1 diabetes, my mentor informed me that I would be giving the patient her insulin. My mentor checked the patient’s blood
Following Carol’s diagnosis, she would have been made aware of the pathophysiology of type 1 diabetes. Carol would have had explained the role of the immune system in the destruction of beta cells and development of type 1 diabetes. Following Carol’s recent hospital admission, she would have been informed of how the destruction of beta cells affects glucose regulation in the blood which would have brought on her recent admission. This is due to her beta cells being destroyed by the natural immune system, consequently destroying the production of insulin, therefore taking away her energy which we require each day, causing dehydration and high blood glucose.
Insulin is by far the most influential discovery in Canadian and world history. In Canada in 2008/2009 there were 2.4 million people living with diabetes and there are many more today. With out the discovery of insulin many people would not be able to live full lives. However, the discovery of insulin was not just an accomplishment Fredrick Banting and his colleagues had developed in the 1920s, it was a product of timing and luck on Banting’s part and the idea that he took from others was the product that changed the century.
Before the discovery of Insulin, the life changing hormone that had originated from the research and experiments of Charles Best and Frederick Banting, Type 1 Diabetes was considered to be a death sentence to anyone who was diagnosed with it. It was just a matter of a few months to a year, a countdown until someone found them laying on their deathbed. In the late 1800’s, scientists discovered that by removing the pancreas of a dog, it caused it to suffer from Diabetes. This started a surge of research from many scientists, but no one was able to come up with a cure for this killer disease. That is, until 1921 when Frederick Banting, along with Charles Best, were able to successfully extract insulin fr...
Until the year 1923 people who suffered from diabetes mellitus were incurable. There life could be shortened to weeks and no amount of oat cures, potato cures, or dietary constrictions could save them. There is only one known “cure” for diabetes and at the time it was yet to be found. In 1920 Doctor Frederick Banting a former University of Toronto graduate, and soldier, opens a clinic in London, Ontario. His life, at the time was falling apart, business was slow, he had very little money resulting in having to be supported by his girlfriends income, whom was considering leaving him, and money from his parents this resulted in plenty of embarrassment. However one cold fall night Banting had been lucky enough to be reading an article called “The Relation of the Islets of Langerhans to Diabetes with Special References to Cases of Pancreatic Lithiasis” by Dr. Moses Barron. The article talked about how the pancreas and islets controls the blood sugar levels in a human. After reading the article Banting had written “Diabetus. Ligate pancreatic ducts of dog. Keep dogs alive till acini degenerate leaving Islets. Try to isolate the internal secreation of these to relieve glycosuria” This vague idea sparked the discovery of what we now know as insulin.
At only 13 years, I was disheartened by the thought of having to inject myself with needles daily. The bewilderment and anger I felt during the first few months was intense. A coach at my middle school took me into his confidence, telling me how his Juvenile Diabetes played an instrumental role in making him a healthier and more aware adult. After the initial shock passed, I volunteered with the Juvenile Diabetes Association, and took a proactive role in helping children enduring the same emotional trauma learn to cope with our familiar burden. I met with newly-diagnosed diabetic kids, between the a...
Standardized order sets for Smith for complete orders. Sending the summary of care of medication from discharge nurse to admission nurse using a teach-back method within report between staff. Actually taking the time to ot in capital letters. Do the handoff look particularly for men that either counteract counter act each other or medications in the same classes being ordered face to face, hand-off and discussion about what has been given, what is still needed and what time frame for Rpn on pro, sorry, written as well as oral orders. Proper Documentation, bedside report, Med rec completed, discussed as a group action plan. Written medication lists reviewed with patient before they leave hospital and the same written Medical list sent to the post-acute provider. Repeat back and good reports by reviewing all medication and supplements the patients should be taken prior to discharge. Can also be readdressed and follow-up call. Send a copy with the patient of what they should be taking and what they should be discontinuing Medical record first. Have to be reported
Knowing the extensive impact of a new diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes would be helpful in creating a conventional environment for the newly diagnosed. There are many factors that will influence for a positive outcome from such a negative life changing event. Understanding that a chronic illness affects many aspects of one’s life is key to being successful in having control of the disease.
A long time ago, before our time, there was a sickness called diabetes. Not contagious, but yet hereditary and in some cases caused by excessive sugar consumption. Then, before 1922, this sickness was incurable but now it has been tamed. Yes I said “tamed”, and it has been tamed by a little 3 syllable word called insulin. It has come along way from what it was when it was first used and it changed life as we know it. Its impact on life will last forever and a lifetime. I know for a fact that if I ever cross the sickness that requires insulin, I would be the most grateful for the people who made it.
Looking back on my goals for this clinical day, I would state that I did meet my goals. My overall goal was to become familiar with the clinical setting and the tasks that I would be asked to complete, and I feel that I completely met this goal. As the day progressed, I found myself receiving more exposure to the clinical setting and how to effectively perform skills. Following the concept of safety, I do feel that I met a majority of my goals for safety. During the day, I was able to explore my assigned patient, both by viewing her medical record and by interacting with her directly. This process sanctioned me to acquire the necessary information for my three primary diagnoses, medications, and the start of my concept map. While working with my assigned patient, and other patients on the floor, I remained aware of my surroundings and implemented safety precautions when needed. In the process of patient care and safety precautions, I relied on my therapeutic communication skills to drive my interactions with the CNAs, the nurses, and the patients on the floor. Of my goals set, the only one that I did not completely accomplish was working on all of my beginner skills. Two of the skills I did not get to practice were feeding and bathing/showering. Because I did not receive exposure to these skills today, I plan on making sure I practice these two skills on the next clinical day. Overall, I am pleased with the first clinical day and everything I was permitted to accomplish.
Dougherty, L. & Lister, s. (2006) ‘The Royal Marsden Hospital manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures: Communication 6th Edition Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Within 30 minutes of teaching lesson, the patient will be able to injection insulin properly. The patient will be able to perform self-monitoring of blood glucose using a blood gl...
Davenport, Joan M., Stacy Estridge, and Dolores M. Zygmont. Medical-surgical nursing. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008, 66-88.
Our approach in managing wounds was far from being optimal in our own setting. After having read the article of Sibbald et al (1) and assisting to presentations during the first residential week-end, our approach at St. Mary 's Hospital Center 's Family Medicine Clinic must change. We were not classifying wounds as healable, maintenance or non-healable. We were always considering the wounds in our practice as healable despite considering the system 's restraints or the patients ' preferences. In the following lines, I will define and summarize the methods one should use in order to initial management of wounds and how to integrate it better to our site. The first goal we need to set is to determine its ability to heal. In order to ascertain if a wound is healable, maintenance or a non-healable wound.
I went to the operating room on March 23, 2016 for the Wilkes Community College Nursing Class of 2017 for observation. Another student and I were assigned to this unit from 7:30am-2:00pm. When we got their we changed into the operating room scrubs, placed a bonnet on our heads and placed booties over our shoes. I got to observe three different surgeries, two laparoscopic shoulder surgeries and one ankle surgery. While cleaning the surgical room for the next surgery, I got to communicate with the nurses and surgical team they explained the flow and equipment that was used in the operating room.
In this report, I will reflect on my professional development throughout this module, from when I started in September, to now. According to Beausaert et al. (2011), ‘the art of self-evaluation is an integral element of reflection and involves critical insight into understanding one 's strengths and limitations’. Therefore, my aim is to identify my learning needs and to recognise my personal skills and capabilities, as well as identifying areas of my skill set that need to be refreshed or extended to stand out in the competitive job market. By doing this, I hope to demonstrate knowledge of the skills that I have gained during this module.