Orthopedic Nurse Career Essay

In my future career, I will be working in the field of sports medicine and orthopedics as an orthopedic Nurse Practicioner. I will primarily be working with current injured athletes, helping them get back into the game and athletes whose injuries has forced them to return the nonathletic lifestyle. Sports vary just as much as the individuals who play those sports, which is why understanding sports psychology will make me a better practioner. By understanding and implementing sports psychology, I can help the athlete return to playing faster, make the transition as easy as possible, or help them return to a non-athletic lifestyle. Some topics that I will be implementing in my daily work routine from sports psychology includes self-confidence and intrinsic motivation, imagery, and the psychology of athletic injuries and career termination.

Evidence suggests that imagery can increase self-confidence, motivation, attentional control, and decrease anxiety, all aspects that need to be addressed in an injured athlete. Initially, I will have the athlete visualize simple motions based on their injury. Examples include walking, raising an arm, or throwing a ball. This would send sublimely neuromuscular patterns identical to the actual movement and prepare the athlete to do the actual motion. Furthermore, if I can get the athlete to start seeing themselves doing any aspect of their sport again, they will be more inclined to get better, stay motive, and work with the staff. Another aspect of imagery I would use is actual footage of the athlete or an adjusted video. The adjusted video would have the athlete with the injury doing various activities which should stimulate motivation and decrease overall anxiety. Another way I would use imagery is by finding athletes that were in similar situations who made it back on the field. The logic behind that is if I can get them to start thinking, he/she did it then so can