CPU Week Reflections and Experiences

This assignment is a reflective essay about a student's experience during a dedicated 'CPU (Cardiopulmonary Unit) Week'. The student details the knowledge gained about cardiovascular and peripheral vascular diseases, COPD, Pneumonia, oxygen therapy, IV therapy, arrhythmias, and the importance of collaborative care. The reflection also touches on challenges faced, such as conflicts of interest, and emphasizes the value of patient and family education.

Running head: NURSING ASSIGNMENT
Nursing Assignment
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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NURSING ASSIGNMENT
Assessment 1: Clinical Reflection Practice
Week 2
Learning Objective To learn about the
different health
variations relating to
cardiovascular and
peripheral vascular
disease, assessment of
the signs and
symptoms.
Identification of the
normal rhythms and
the arrhythmias.
Application of
critical reflection and
ethical principles for
the treatment of the
diseases.
Nurses are entrusted with the
duty of providing an evidence
based care approach.
(Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au,
2017).
Blog
Situation In my course study for this week, I had to interpret the signs and
symptoms arrhythmias and normal rhythms. I was to learn about
correctly identifying and interpreting the normal rhythms and
arrhythmias. It is necessary to locate the arrhythmias as in some cases
they can be detrimental. As arrhythmias can indicate heart diseases and
change in ones heart muscles, it is important to detect them.
Action I was checking the pulse of a person who had a one sided paralysis. It
was necessary that the pulse has to be checked on the unaffected side. A
branchial pulse checking on the wrong side can give erroneous results

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(Naka & Ikonomidis, 2015). I was very embarrassed and was feeling bad
that I could have recorded wrong vital signs, which could have lead to
wrong assessment of the patient.
Outcome I have tried to learn the exact procedures about checking the pulse and
have tried to learn about the different adverse effects of checking wrong
pulse.
Week 4
Learning Objective To learn about the
signs and symptoms
of acute asthma and
obstructive
pulmonary diseases
and Pneumonia.
Application of critical
reflection and
evidence based
practice for the
treatment of
Obstructive
pulmonary problems.
Nurses practice nursing
reflectively and ethically
(Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au,
2017).
Blog
Situation As part of my CPU for this week, administration of oxygen therapy
through Venturi mask was one of the skills applicable. Venturi masks are
considered as high-flow oxygen therapy devices that provide precise
oxygen concentration and are utilized in case of patients suffering from
COPD (Maggiore et al., 2014).
Action In my clinical encounter with a patient, whom I was helping on to the
commode, Her venturi mask was not been able to reach, there for I
unplugged the venture mask provided with the cannula. I set the flow
rate at 10. In the meantime, I went to attend another patient. Later on I

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came to know, from a registered nurse that the patient had been suffering
from acute respiratory distress, and there was no one in the room to
attend her. Such a mistake on my part would have brought life and death
situations, which would have been shameful for my career.
Outcome I ensured that I get a proper understanding of the procedures and the
techniques regarding the application of the oxygen therapy. I got a
critical understanding about the theoretical and the practical knowledge
about the handling of venture masks and the cannula. I also learned about
what measures had to be taken during an emergency condition in patients
with COPD.
Week 10
Learning Objective To learn about the
identification of the
indications while
administering the
blood products and
the electrolytic fluids.
Application of the
evidence-based
nursing practice and
interventions to
manage the patients
administered with
blood products,
electrolytes and fluids
To provide a patient centered
approach of care to ensure safety
and quality.
(Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au,
2017).
Blog

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Situation While arranging for an Intravenous fluid in a patient, I had to identify a
vein that is most palpable.
Action While arranging for an Intravenous fluid in a patient, I did not take the
dorsum of the non dominant hand and did not look for the vein that is
palpable, Although it was necessary to identify the most palpable vein ,
which the vein running between 4th and 5th metacarpals. Application of
IV therapy in an improper way might give rise to complications in the
patient, which can even lead to morbidity.
Outcome Nurses should be well aware of the pros and cons of applying IV
therapies.
Week 11
Blog
Reflection:
With the increasing complications in the field of medical science, the duties of the nurses are also
becoming critical. The nurses have to go frontline along with the doctors to provide appropriate care ton
the patients. In order to do this, the nurses have to follow he evidence based practice approach and should
be having a hand on experience to the practice. In the week from 5-10, I have come across several
challenges, have made several mistakes. Some of these mistakes would have been detrimental, but I have
been able to learn a lot of things form all these. My peers and the seniors have helped a lot to gain
informations regarding the cardiovascular and the peripheral vascular diseases (Naka & Ikonomidis,
2015). The study of the case study has helped me a lot to encounter with the real life situations. I have
gained knowledge about the different clinical signs and symptoms of the COPD and Pneumonia (Garcia

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et al., 2017). It has helped me to understand the various nursing interventions that have to be taken up in
emergency situations like the application of the oxygen therapy in case of the COPD. The workshops
have helped me to understand and learn about the measurement of the normal rhythms and the
arrhythmias. The sessions have also helped me to have practical knowledge regarding the application of
the IV therapy (Barras et al., 2014). I have also learned about the measures that have to be taken while the
application of the IV. During these weeks I have been able to understand the importance of collaborative
care. I have seen instances that a collaborative care of approach has brought about better outcomes in
patients. Since, we all are students and are new to this field, we are often facing with conflicts of interest.
But it has to keep in mind that a proper care giver should step out of his or her comfort zone to provide
the best care to the patient. The different sessions has also helped us with the knowledge of dealing with
the patient and the family. It should be noted that proper education to the patient family can help in
involving the family in the care regimen of the patient. In a nutshell it can be said that the CPU week has
been able to provide us with the best knowledge regarding the standard nursing.

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References
Barras, M., Moore, D., Pocock, D., Sweedman, M., Wilkinson, C., Taylor, K., & Morton, J.
(2014). Reducing the risk of harm from intravenous potassium: A multi-factorial
approach in the haematology setting. Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice, 20(5),
323-331.
DeCarolis, D. D., Kim, G. M., Rector, T. S., & Ishani, A. (2016). Comparative dose response
using the intravenous versus enteral route of administration for potassium
replenishment. Intensive and Critical Care Nursing, 36, 17-23.
García, G., Agosta, M., Valencia, P., Mercedes, E., Sarhane, Y., & Díaz-Lobato, S. (2017).
Avoiding confusion in high flow oxygen therapy concepts.
Maggiore, S. M., Idone, F. A., Vaschetto, R., Festa, R., Cataldo, A., Antonicelli, F., ... &
Antonelli, M. (2014). Nasal high-flow versus Venturi mask oxygen therapy after
extubation. Effects on oxygenation, comfort, and clinical outcome. American journal of
respiratory and critical care medicine, 190(3), 282-288.
Naka, K. K., & Ikonomidis, I. (2015). Brachial pulse pressure in heart failure: simple to measure
but complex to interpret.
Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au. (2017). Code of Professional Conduct for Nurses in
Australia. Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au. Retrieved 20 September 2017, from
http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/documents/6_New-Code-of-Professional-
Conduct-for-Nurses-August-2008-1-.PDF