Reflection Journal: Clinical Theory and Practice

So far over the course of the first 8 weeks of my clinical/theory experience, I’ve learned the fundamentals—checking vitals, rounding skills, addressing the daily needs of patients. My one clinical has been in a long term care facility, so it is not a place like an ICU or an ER where a great range of issues are encountered every new day. What I have learned, however, are some of the basic principles of nursing—how important it is to have humility, to exercise and develop empathy, and to understand the value of feeling needed as well as wanted. Oftentimes in my rounding I’ve observed that patients really have their day lit up by a few kind words and a few moments of the nurses’ time. For me, I realized that quality of care is not just about treating a patient’s symptoms but actually approaching them in a holistic way—and that means getting to know them, use my social and emotional and cultural intelligence skills to identify their needs, and showing them in a supportive manner that they have a friend.

One example that has stayed with me so far is a patient named Mrs. Smith. She is a 78 year old paraplegic with terminal cancer. I did not know what to expect with her initially—but what I found was a warm, loving, articulate and alert elderly woman full of kindness in spite of her condition. I saw that if she can face each new day with a smile and a warm feeling then so can I. I never expected to learn that from one of my patients, but my heart went out to her. While not every patient is going to be as sweet as Mrs. Smith, I learned that I need to treat every patient with the same kind of regard that Mrs. Smith treated every single care provider who entered her room. It did not matter if the nurse was sunny or having a bad day, Mrs. Smith was always solicitous and determined to show us some support. I know that in my professional development I will always think back on Mrs. Smith and remember how she personifies to me true quality of care.