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Program Graduate Competencies Reflection

Brooke D. Smith

Delaware Technical Community College

NUR460-201 Nursing Capstone

Dr. Wagamon

April 23, 2023

Philosophy

My own nursing philosophy was to demonstrate safe and compassionate care while

fostering our community's health and wellness by respecting and comprehending others' needs,

whether they be physical, psychological, or emotional. As I moved through this program, I

applied my nursing philosophy by developing professional relationships with my patients,

working with my preceptors to set attainable goals, and respecting cultural and spiritual beliefs

throughout my practicum sites.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths Weaknesses

· Highly organized · Easily distracted

· Professional · Failure of delegation at times

· Proficient · People-pleaser

· Punctual

Opportunities Threats

· Management/leadership roles · Lack of support/no incentive for continuing

· Continuing education toward professional education

growth · Employees are stressed, overwhelmed, and

over-worked

· Lack of motivation and morale

· High staff turnover

· Patient dissatisfaction
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As I mentioned in Week 2, this program has expanded my knowledge and skills by

emphasizing and enhancing patient interview skills, health history, and physical/psychosocial

findings and analysis. Technology advancements and electronic health data have enabled me to

improve individual, community, and population health outcomes. My overpowering sense of

being inadequate or insufficient was my sole learning gap. Reflecting on my personal and

professional growth throughout the RN to BSN program, I have conquered some of my

weaknesses and accepted that failure does not define me; I know when and how to delegate tasks

and set healthy boundaries without feeling the need to please my coworkers.

PGC 1: Integrate general education knowledge, skills, and aptitudes to advance nursing

education and growth in professional practice.

NUR 320 Health Assessment has prepared to conduct comprehensive health assessments

utilizing a variety of data collection methodologies holistically (Delaware Technical Community

College, n.d.). Although I have had prior experience with performing an assessment, I can

confidently interpret assessment data to promote health and prevent disease. During my

practicum experience in Population & Community Health, I assisted my preceptor in the

promotion of health and prevention of disease through wound care and education.

PGC 2: Demonstrate leadership skills to promote patient safety and the delivery of high-

quality healthcare.

NUR 400 Nursing Leadership assisted me in the achievement of PGC 2 my preparing me

to explore my leadership style through advocacy, interprofessional communication,

collaboration, and delegation (Delaware Technical Community College, n.d.). I have been

assigned as a Relief Charge Nurse on my unit and I feel better prepared to apply the knowledge,

skills, behaviors, and abilities to become a nurse leader for my unit and institution. I was able to
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observe my preceptor Brooke Gannon, RN, MSN, Clinical Nurse Manager for NUR 330, and

Brett Appelbaum RN, BSN, Nurse Consultant for NUR 460 exhibit different leadership styles by

ensuring standards of quality of care and aligning personal and professional growth.

PGC 3: Apply skills of inquiry, analysis, and information literacy to support evidence-based

professional nursing practice.

Nursing Research has helped me to develop research as a consumer through fundamental

ideas of nursing research and information literacy (Delaware Technical Community College,

n.d.). I can critically examine and transmit necessary nursing research and apply it to my clinical

practice by knowing the appropriate questions, integrating the evidence into clinical practice, and

evaluating the outcome.

PGC 4: Integrate information management technology to improve patient outcomes.

Nursing Informatics focused on the application of informatics and how it might be used

in nursing, emphasizing the convergence of information science (Delaware Technical

Community College, n.d.). Nursing informatics leverages technology to make it easier to gather,

analyze, and report data of higher quality about patient safety issues and health outcomes, as well

as to minimize medical errors and make it possible for better monitoring and reporting of those

that do occur to enhance safety (Carlow University, 2021). This course has prepared me to

understand better the Quality and Safety data discussed during my unit’s monthly staff meetings.

Examples of topics discussed are pressure ulcers, code status, barcode compliance/scanning,

meds in hand, CAUTI bundle, CLABSI bundle, progressive mobility, falls, length of stay,

readmission, communication with nurses, responsiveness, My Chart, pain reassessment,

discharge times, and hand hygiene compliance.

PGC 5: Advocate for patients and the nursing profession with regard to healthcare policy at

the local, state, national, and global levels.

Nursing Policy has equipped me to analyze the theoretical underpinnings of healthcare

policy that influence nursing practice (Delaware Technical Community College, n.d.). NUR 420

assisted me in becoming a better nurse advocate within my healthcare institution to help clarify

priorities, establish roles and expectations, and ensure the delivery of best practices.

PGC 6: Direct patient-centered care through advocacy, interprofessional communication,

collaboration, and delegation.

Global Health has prepared me to investigate healthcare concerns and health promotion

globally by understanding healthcare disparities from a multicultural viewpoint (Delaware

Technical Community College, n.d.). NUR 310 has piqued my interest in better advocating,

communicating, collaborating, and delegating through medical missions. Embarking on a

medical mission trip would fulfill my desire to serve and immerse myself as a medical

professional.

PGC 7: Integrate health promotion and disease prevention practices to positively impact the

delivery of healthcare to diverse populations.

Disease Process/Pathophysiology helped me to examine how diseases emerge

physiologically and biologically, as well as how the body adjusts to those changes. SPA 135

trained me to communicate in basic Spanish to discuss injury, illness, and test procedures to

positively impact and better deliver healthcare to the Hispanic population while considering

cultural norms and perspectives on healthcare-related topics (Delaware Technical Community

College, n.d.).
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PGC 8: Practice professional nursing within an ethical framework.

Ethical Issues in Health Care introduced the social processes that take place within group

settings, institutional settings, and community medical environments (Delaware Technical

Community College, n.d.). SOC 213 assisted me in the examination of ethical issues that the

healthcare system faces; patients’ rights, informed consent, code status, HIPAA compliance,

vaccination status, and access to care to name a few. To avoid ethical issues or improve existing

ones, I can effectively advocate for my patients’ and employees through understanding, honesty,

and a value-focused approach.

PGC 9: Demonstrate lifelong learning that empowers personal and professional growth.

Nursing Capstone has aided my understanding of the significance of both personal and

professional growth. I am aware that learning about and adjusting to contemporary technology

will always be necessary. Once I graduate, I want to continue to advance my knowledge within

my healthcare institution by participating in professional organizations, attending local and

educational meetings and conferences, networking with colleagues, and making time for

studying.

Conclusion

Nurses who stay current on new techniques, policies, and procedures can positively

impact healthcare by fostering good, collaborative relationships with patients and coworkers,

improving patient outcomes, lowering mortality rates, and reducing the risk of errors (EIU,

2019). To be a successful transformational nurse leader, I must be able to define and

communicate a vision for my area of responsibility, build and maintain positive relationships

with those I lead, and implement strategies and actions to achieve common goals. Understanding

organizational culture and systems, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal and team
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interactions. I need to be aware of my own strengths and weaknesses, be able to manage my

emotions, be socially aware of the emotions of others, and effectively manage my relationships

with people in my sphere of influence (Bellack & Dickow, 2019).

References

Bellack, J. & Dickow, M. (2019). Why nurse leaders derail: preventing and rebounding from

leadership failure. Retrieved from https://www.nursingcenter.com/journalarticle?

Article_ID=4942224 

Carlow University. (2021). Leveraging technology for better care: the role of nursing informatics

in medicine. https://online.carlow.edu/resources/article/role-of-nursing-informatics/

#:~:text=Nursing%20informatics%20improves%20safety%20by,of%20those%20that

%20do%20occur.

Delaware Technical Community College. (n.d.). Syllabi. https://syllabi.dtcc.edu/

Eastern Illinois University. (2019). Being a nurse means pursuing lifelong learning. Retrieved

from https://learnonline.eiu.edu/programs/rn-to-bsn/nurses-pursue-lifelong-learning/