Reflective Essay On My Clinical Experience

Throughout my final ten weeks at my placement, I have grown and overcome so many obstacles. I have accomplished a wide range of skills since the beginning and have been improving on them as I gained experience. At my placement as a student nurse, I have gained a lot of confidence, skills, knowledge and experiences that have helped me act and work in a professional way. All the experiences I have had during the ten weeks of my student years have helped me in shaping me into a professional.

Clinical placements allow student nurses to put theory into practice with real patients and actual clinical situations. Every placement will challenge student, improve communication skills, build own knowledge and foster own reflective practice. It is one of the most interesting and exciting aspects of training to be a nurse. I personally believe that, students must be responsible for their own learning opportunities and understand the outcomes they need to achieve on placement, discussing any queries with their clinical supervisor. I always look for learning opportunities. I approach my clinical supervisor for her guidance to perform any new skills fall into my scope of practice.

I had seven weeks of experience at the medical floor, where I learned a lot about skills and how to work in the hospital environment. After the break

week, I had an opportunity to go to the operating room and watch some surgeries. I felt that it was an amazing experience I ever had before. I watched that all doctors and nurses work collaboratively at the operating room. They showed an amazing mutual understanding while performing surgery.
Furthermore, from week nine onwards I worked in the surgical unit. When I first arrived I was a little nervous as I didn’t know anybody and I wasn’t sure on what to do because I didn’t know their routine. The pressure eased off a bit after the first hour because my clinical supervisor came in to see me and asked me if I need her guidance for any new skills at the unit. My clinical supervisor’s supportive words made me feel confident. I explained her that, in addition to the care for my patient, I am following the primary nurse caring for patients with post-operative complications at the surgical unit. I learned about general procedures regarding how to approach a patient with post-operative complications. I learned how to effectively decide which assessments are priorities.
Also, at the surgical unit at times was hectic busy; at first when I started, the floor was busy and overwhelming for me. I was struggling to get into the routine of new floor. However, during the quiet times; I was able to reflect on what just happen and how, where I could systematically evaluate the nursing care plan; which heightened my skills in understanding of what and why. During these quiet times I broke the day down systematically into my own style of nursing. As a result, I could grow my confidence which gave me the stepping stones to able to be an effective critical think on a practical level in such changing situations.
In addition to that, changing from medical floor to the operating room and finally to the surgical floor on short blocks, made me question my abilities and confidence in working in clinical settings; which then often made me feel disjointed about my knowledge and skills of which pathway I wanted to take. When I reflect back the beginning of placement I was anxious and nervous about my each skills, however, towards the end of my placement, I was in a routine of the environment and could spend more time thinking about the process of; how, what and why for my new clinical skills and further develop them with more confidence.
I learned that when it is time to perform a skill, in any setting, I will take a step back and break things down systematically, not allowing myself to get overwhelmed by any perceived chaos, not even for a moment.The skills I have learnt during this placement will help me transition into any future nursing pathway set in my direction.

I feel that I am now growing in knowledge, experience and confidence, and that I am becoming more aware of my own beliefs and values, and also how they affect my nursing experience, and those of others. Finally, with regards to this placement, I must mention my most satisfying experience of my nursing career so

far.