Nursing Reflection: Workplace Issues

Reflective paper on nursing workplace issues covering clinical issues of medication error, miscommunication, and long working hours. Includes analysis, evaluation, and conclusion.

Running Head: NURSING WORKPLACE ISSUES 0
Nursing Reflection
Reflection: Nursing workplace issues
(Student details :)
2/27/2019

Nursing Workplace Issues 1
Contents
Reflection on Nursing Practice issues........................................................................................2
Task A: Clinical Issue One....................................................................................................2
Introduction............................................................................................................................2
Reflection...............................................................................................................................2
Description of the event with objectives............................................................................2
Feelings/ Thought...............................................................................................................2
Analysis..............................................................................................................................3
Evaluation..........................................................................................................................3
Conclusion..........................................................................................................................3
Conclusion..............................................................................................................................3
Task B: Clinical Issue Two....................................................................................................3
Introduction............................................................................................................................3
Reflection...............................................................................................................................3
Description of the event with objectives............................................................................4
Feelings/ Thought...............................................................................................................4
Analysis..............................................................................................................................4
Evaluation..........................................................................................................................4
Conclusion..........................................................................................................................4
Conclusion..............................................................................................................................5
Task C: Clinical Issue Three..................................................................................................5
Introduction............................................................................................................................5
Reflection...............................................................................................................................5
Description of the event with objectives............................................................................5
Feelings/ Thought...............................................................................................................5
Analysis..............................................................................................................................5

Nursing Workplace Issues 2
Evaluation..........................................................................................................................6
Conclusion..........................................................................................................................6
Conclusion..............................................................................................................................6
References..................................................................................................................................6

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Reflection on Nursing Practice issues
Task A: Clinical Issue One
Introduction
In this discussion a comprehensive critical analysis of a clinical practice issue will be
done. Hence, I will reflect as well as write an account of clinical issue in order to identify
main learning through it. Furthermore, I will utilise Gibbs reflective model to reflect upon a
clinical issue of medication error happened because of miscommunication amid nurses on
duty.
Reflection
According to Gibb’s reflective cycle (Australis College, 2018); my reflection will be
completed in following five stages:
Description of the event with objectives
I have observed this clinical issue of medication error due to miscommunication
between nurses on duty and learnt life-long professional lessons. Although I was not the part
of this event but I observed from very close as it happened near in my operational department
as well as I saw the consequences for the patient’s health. The incident happened when a
routine check-up was on-going with a heart patient and reports arrived which supposed to be
sent to the patient’s doctor on an immediate basis. In this case, medication error happened
because patient’s nurse passed this task to another nurse as she wanted to for some personal
work in half day of her working shift. In this way, because of this miscommunication
between nurses medical condition of the heart patient got worsen.
Feelings/ Thought
When I saw the family members and relatives of the heart patient suffering from the
grief and worries due to his worsen condition then I felt like we all nurses, and medical staff
of the hospital are responsible for the condition of the patient as well as his family. I thought
that if I would have been the patient then what could be the sufferings and hence nurses’ role
in medical practice is as important as the role of doctors. In addition, based on (Williams,
2018), I was feeling empathy for the patient and his family hence I went to apologize for the
medication error that happened due to miscommunication between nurses of our department.

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Analysis
I analysed that an error in heart patient’s treatment is almost life-threatening for him
or her and similarly during that clinical issue we all made feel apologetic as well as conscious
about our work from the perspective of patient health care.
Evaluation
The good part of experiencing the incident at nursing practice was that I learnt the
importance of effective communication in the nursing practice as well as in a patient’s life.
Dark side was that due to miscommunication between our hospital’s nurses a heart patient
suffered a lot who could have died if not treated on-time.
Conclusion
After seeing, assessing, evaluating and analysing the whole event I realised that if I
would have been allocated that task of passing routine check-up reports to the doctor by that
heart patient’s nurse then I would have never handled that irresponsibly as I am well-aware of
the role of effective communication in nursing practice.
Conclusion
In conclusion, after writing this reflective paper I felt that a reflective journal is the
best way to jot down life's greatest experiences as well as thoughts. I learnt how our tiny
mistakes and irresponsible behaviour at workplace can be life-threatening and cause danger
to someone’s life.
Task B: Clinical Issue Two
Introduction
This discussion is based on a clinical issue of miscommunication amid nurse and
patient’s family. As we know that communication is the key to efficient, effective and good
work performance. Without effective communication no profession is survivable hence
nursing practice is also majorly relied on good as well as professional communication skills
(Charlotte, 2014). Thus, I will reflect upon an incident where miscommunication between my
fellow nurse and a patient’s family occurred.
Reflection
This reflection is based on Gibb’s reflective cycle which will cover five main steps to
provide critical reflection on past nursing practice issues.

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Description of the event with objectives
The incident where miscommunication between my fellow nurse and patient’s family
occurred, matter was related to informed consent as it is an important element of professional
nursing practice (Ghadirian, Salsali, & Cheraghi, 2014). My fellow nurse took consent from a
diabetic patient who was suffering from type-2 for the treatment of the disease through a
consent form. Meanwhile, the nurse forgot to inform to his family that consent form has been
filled from the patient itself. Due to that, based on (Bonsall, 2015), patient’s family
misinterpreted the whole scenario as nurse did not take any informed consent for the patient’s
treatment from them.
Feelings/ Thought
When patient’s family members were shouting on my fellow nurse and a bad scene
was created at our hospital then I felt the importance of the ethical standards of nursing
practice. I thought that if miscommunication would have occurred between me and my
patients’ family members then how I would have handled that. I got the importance of the
concept of informed consent in the nursing practice and how it is important to avert clinical
issues happening during the treatment (Bonsall, 2015).
Analysis
I analysed that both of the involved parties in the clinical issue of miscommunication
were right at their own part as nurse has already taken consent form the patient. On the other
hand, patient’s family was highly concern about him and hence they got worried about the
right treatment process adopted by the doctors and hospital.
Evaluation
The best part of this scenario was that the issue was only of miscommunication and
nobody got harmed from the miscommunication happened between nurse and patient’s
family members. Consent was already taken yet not informed to the family members thus it
was a little communication error which could be corrected through explaining the real things
to the family members. Bad side was that a bad environment has been created at the hospital
which hindered and disturbed other patients as well as their family members.
Conclusion
With the help of analysing and evaluating the situation I could easily get the positive
and negative sides of the event which nurse has experienced. In addition, I learnt that if I

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would have faced the same situation then what I may have done after learning from that
experience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, through writing this reflective journal I not only described the clinical
issue but I also extracted a learning experience. In addition, I analysed the whole situation as
well as articulated my opinions and feelings about the incident.
Task C: Clinical Issue Three
Introduction
This discussion is based on the clinical issue of long working hours which effect on
practice and environment in a hospital ward. The reason behind this clinical issue is that
nurses’ and other staff’s health is very much important to ensure healthy work environment in
hospital wards. While extra-long working hours impact nursing practice as well as work
environment in wards, hospital management must ensure the working hours of the nurses,
other staff and doctors is not more than allotted shifts.
Reflection
Description of the event with objectives
I personally faced this clinical issue while practicing at the ward of the hospital. When
I had to work in for long hours than my allotted shift I started cranking as I was very tired.
My work practice suffered due to my tiredness and hence I could not be supple at nursing
care. It has also impacted overall environment of the ward of the hospital as I shouted at my
fellow-nurse colleague due to my extended shift hours.
Feelings/ Thought
I was feeling least interested into my work practice as my eyes were drowsy due to
lack of sleep and rest. During the incident, when one of my colleagues was asking for some
info related to clinical practice at the ward and instead of answering the query I shouted at
her. I felt so bad that due to my personal issues I behaved unprofessionally with her.
Analysis
Based on (C., 2014), I analysed that if a doctor, nurse or any other staff of hospital
need to work efficiently and effectively then they need to ensure a good health first as
without having a good health they cannot help others to have one.

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Evaluation
Based on (Bassos, 2016), my evaluation of the situation suggests that due to my long
working hours and tiredness I contributed into creating unhealthy work environment in the
ward which left a bad impact over other nurses’ working practice. The good side of this
reflection and learning is that I did not harm any colleague, patient or fellow-nurse due to my
less energy and frustration.
Conclusion
I also realized that I could have harmed any of my patients due to lack of activeness
and conscious. Thus I learnt that if we have to work for extra-working hours at the hospital
then we should be supple and conscious while providing the treatment to the patients also if
we are not able to work properly then we must take some rest to get energy and work
enthusiasm again.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I successfully reflected upon the clinical issues and experiences which
I have got during those incidents. I learnt the importance of evidence based as well as
reflective practice in nursing practice. Finally, I can now reflect learning acquired from this
above reflective paper into my future professional practice.
References
Australis College. (2018, 05 13). The Importance of Reflective Practice. Retrieved from
Australis College: https://www.australiscollege.edu.au/blog/community-and-
counselling-study-blog/the-importance-of-reflective-practice/
Bassos, B. (2016). What is reflective practice? In The reflective practice guide: An
interdisciplinary approach to critical reflection. Oxon: Routledge.
Bonsall, L. (2015, 05 08). Informed Consent: An Ethical Way of Nursing. Retrieved from
Nursing Center: https://www.nursingcenter.com/ncblog/may-2015-(1)/informed-
consent-an-ethical-way-of-nursing
C., J. (2014). What is reflective practice? In Becoming a reflective practitioner. England:
John Wiley & sons.

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Charlotte, D. (2014). The importance of professional standards. Nursing Made Incredibly
Easy, 12(5), 4.
Ghadirian, F., Salsali, M., & Cheraghi, M. (2014). Nursing professionalism: An evolutionary
concept analysis. Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research, 19(1), 1.
Williams, E. (2018, 01). Define Professionalism in Nursing. Retrieved from Chrone:
https://work.chron.com/define-professionalism-nursing-15763.html