Nursing Reflection

This nursing reflection essay discusses the importance of reflective practice in nursing and explores two industry standards - communicating for safety and medication safety. It highlights the significance of effective communication and developing therapeutic relationships with patients. It also emphasizes the importance of medication safety and the need for proper documentation. The essay concludes with the author's personal growth and development as a nursing professional.

Running head: NURSING REFLECTION
NURSING REFLECTION
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Introduction
Reflection is broadly labeled as the primary characteristic within nursing occupation,
because through the application of appropriate reflective nursing practice, the nursing
professional’s would be capable to review their individual actions and can improve their area of
practice (Baldie et al., 2016). The above mentioned reflection also delivers them the possibility
of development within their profession, thereby assisting nurses to develop their individual skills
and capabilities. In this study, I will discuss my personal Bachelor’s practical experiences which
had facilitated me to apply my theoretical understanding into the hands-on circumstances. I will
use the concept of 5 R’s reflective model and discuss the method of my individual understanding
regarding the application of The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) standards
into practical situations (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in HealthCare, 2019).
Industry standard 1: Communicating for safety standard
Reporting
During one of my clinical practice in geriatric unit, I was assisting the patient named Mr.
A (60) male, who was not able to adequately pay attention to the health interventions that was
recommended to him. He could not speak English fluently and require some time to respond to
the nurses who were instructing or managing him. Due to lack of understanding he was quite
depressed and was not active towards his treatment plan. Therefore, to assist him in
understanding the complete process I implemented effective communication skills and asked the
nurses to develop a therapeutic relationship with the patient.

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Responding
After observing the un-responsiveness of the patient towards the nurses, I thought to
implement effective communicating skills that would assist the nurses to develop a therapeutic
relationship with the patient, thus motivating the patient to respond and react to the nurses and
overcome from the sign of stress and depression (Gluyas, 2015). I implemented the intervention
of developing therapeutic relationship by communicating more and more with the patient and
understand his concern and issues, hence, exhibiting my theoretical and personal understanding
of the situation.
Relating
According to the National Safety and Quality Health Service Stranded 6, the organization
must focus on supporting the patient with effective communication, as a part of patient care. It is
the responsibility of the healthcare and nursing professionals to implement the effective care
method that would eventually result in the development of multi-disciplinary team (MDT). The
MDT will be accountable for actively involving with the patient and ensuring adequate
development and recovery of the patient. According to (Delaney, 2018), development of
therapeutic communication is crucial for managing and treating the patient associated with sign
of depression and stress.
Reasoning
According to Conroy et al. (2017), development of any critical condition will affect the
patient psychological condition that is directly responsible for increasing the health complication
in the patient. In this scenario, Mr. A, was unable to concentrate and focus on his critical health
issue because of inadequate knowledge and understanding that was triggering the symptoms of

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stress and depression in the patient (Brownie, Scott & Rossiter, 2016). Hence, it was very crucial
for educating the patient and improving his health literacy so that he could easily understand his
health complication and participate in providing best care and support.
Reconstructing
Evaluating Mr. A has helped me to understand the importance of effective
communication and why it must be included in everyday practice for a patient-focused care and
support. I was able to comprehend the practical application of NSQHS standard 6 for developing
enhanced care and support to the patient by adopting and promoting therapeutic relationship with
the patient (Crawford, Candlin & Roger, 2017).
Industry standard 2: Medication safety standard
Reporting
During my bachelor’s practical conditions, I was offered to work and assist my senior
registered nurse in the OT department and I was responsible to keep a regular check on the
patient and his medication. While assessing the patient, my senior nurse asked me to provide a
pain analgesics to the patient and under her supervision I had provided the medication to the
patient. After medicating the patient, I was warned by my senior nurse that whenever we provide
any new medication to the patient we must document it on the patient’s medication handover to
avoid any kind of medication or clinical error (Peusschers et al., 2015). Hence, this circumstance
forced me to remember the significance of National Safety and Quality Health Service Standard,
as I was about to violate the NSQHS standard 4 (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality
in HealthCare, 2019).

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Responding
I was feeling very bad as my small negligence could have affected the patient and could
have also troubled the other nurse who would assess the handover of the patient during the
second shift. I was also feeling relieved as my senior nurse has explained me the importance of
documenting new medication in the handover of the patient and has not taken any adverse action
against me (Wahr et al., 2016). If my senior nurse would have taken any adverse action for my
negligence, it would have directly affected my professional’s career and I would had to face
some major consequence. Hence, I gained a detail knowledge of my theoretical and personal
understanding of the situation.
Relating
According to the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standard 4, it is crucial for
the nursing and healthcare professionals to integrate the concept of clinical governance and
improve the clinical system of care and medication (Australian Commission on Safety and
Quality in HealthCare, 2019). This would enhance the patient safety and help the healthcare
professional to achieve high and improved patient health outcome.
Reasoning
During this clinical experience, I have understood that it is very important for the nurse
and the healthcare professional to be extra cautious and attentive regarding delivering new
medicine to the patient and also documenting the name of the medicine on the patient handover
to avoid any sort of negligence and clinical malpractice (Jember et al., 2018). I will also aim to
be more attentive towards my clinical practice and will tend to follow all the instruction as
provided under NSQHS standards of patient care.

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Reconstructing
Through this situation, I had gained more experience and knowledge regarding patient
management and delivering of medication to the patient. I had also understood the significance
of documenting the medication that is given to any patient in their handover to avoid any kind of
clinical malpractice and error (Hewitt, Tower & Latimer, 2015).
Conclusion
Hence, from this reflective journal, I had gained more knowledge and understanding of
following the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards and achieving high quality
of patient health outcome. From both of my clinical experience I have developed myself and
acquired more skills and capability of effectively managing the patient and being a better nursing
professional.

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References
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in HealthCare. (2019). Retrieved 3 September
2019, from https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/migrated/National-
Safety-and-Quality-Health-Service-Standards-second-edition.pdf
Baldie, D., Brown, A., Dewing, J., & Dickson, C. (2016). Creative reflections on Enhancing
Practice 16: new explorations, insights a
Brownie, S., Scott, R., & Rossiter, R. (2016). Therapeutic communication and relationships in
chronic and complex care. Nursing Standard, 31(6), 54.
Conroy, T., Feo, R., Boucaut, R., Alderman, J., & Kitson, A. (2017). Role of effective nurse-
patient relationships in enhancing patient safety. Nursing Standard, 31(49).
Crawford, T., Candlin, S., & Roger, P. (2017). New perspectives on understanding cultural
diversity in nurse–patient communication. Collegian, 24(1), 63-69.
Delaney, L. J. (2018). Patient-centred care as an approach to improving health care in Australia.
Collegian, 25(1), 119-123.
Gluyas, H. (2015). Effective communication and teamwork promotes patient safety. Nursing
Standard (2014+), 29(49), 50.
Hewitt, J., Tower, M., & Latimer, S. (2015). An education intervention to improve nursing
students' understanding of medication safety. Nurse education in practice, 15(1), 17-21.
Jember, A., Hailu, M., Messele, A., Demeke, T., & Hassen, M. (2018). Proportion of medication
error reporting and associated factors among nurses: a cross sectional study. BMC
nursing, 17(1), 9.

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Peusschers, E., Twine, J., Wheeler, A., Moudgil, V., & Patterson, S. (2015). Documentation of
medication changes in inpatient clinical notes: an audit to support quality improvement.
Australasian Psychiatry, 23(2), 142-146.
Wahr, J. A., Abernathy III, J. H., Lazarra, E. H., Keebler, J. R., Wall, M. H., Lynch, I., ... &
Cooper, R. L. (2016). Medication safety in the operating room: literature and expert-
based recommendations. BJA: British Journal of Anaesthesia, 118(1), 32-43.