Professional Practice Portfolio

A professional practice portfolio is an organized compilation of evidences, within which nursing professionals record their ongoing professional practice and their learning developments. It helps them assess their development, identify their training needs, and maintain their skills. The portfolio is used in evaluation of nursing performances and determining their educational progress.

Running head: PROFESSIONAL NURSING PRACTICE
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE PORTFOLIO
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

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Part 1
Professional practice portfolio use
Professional practice portfolio
A professional practice portfolio is an organized compilation of evidences, within which
nursing professionals record their ongoing professional practice and their learning developments
(Sciacca & Reville, 2016, p 276). These evidences further could be used by the nursing
professional to demonstrate their goals, their competencies and the details of their career
accomplishment and achievement. This document helps the nursing professionals to assess their
development, identify their present and future training needs and help them to maintain their
skills (Levine & Johnson, 2014, p 65). Moreover, this document helps them in their registration
process as it is termed as a visible record of their professional credentials and contribution.
Besides thee, it should be mentioned that depending on the application, there are several type of
professional practice portfolio and these documents are used in evaluation of nursing
performances, determining their formative development and to provide them with a detailed
educational progress (Sciacca & Reville, 2016, p 276).
The recommended components of this professional development portfolio are presence of
nurses professional development log, their educational and qualification details, their registration
and membership details, their assessment data and their individual previews and development
plan (Green, Wyllie & Jackson 2014, p 7). Besides that, their significant records, their awards
and recognition and publication of evidence based factors should be included as primary
component of portfolio (Andre & Heartfield, 2016, p 125).

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Use of professional practice portfolio
Professional practice portfolio is used by nursing professionals to understand the type of
training and developmental skills they require, the extent of skills they have achieved and the
plan they would use for the development of their needs and find ways to develop their skills
(Andre & Heartfield, 2016, p 134). Further, it also provides the nursing professionals to
understand the educational and training requirements so that development of the professionals
could be enhanced (Green, Wyllie & Jackson 2014, p 6). The primal purpose of the professional
portfolio for nursing professionals is as follows:
 Professional practice portfolio provides the nurses to assess their abilities and
skills by reviewing or reflecting upon their past experiences, thereby appraising
their abilities.
 It helps them to understand the importance of reflection so that they can
understand the importance of evidence based or experience oriented practice.
 It helps to identify the sections and practices of their profession where they lack
expertise and then help them to formulate ways using which they can develop
plans to achieve them.
 It also help them to illustrate their achievements and then to demonstrate their
ongoing thinking about their practice for quality improvement.
Arguments about benefits and challenges
Besides these purposes, the benefits and challenges should also be included in the critical
demonstration of the professional practice portfolio. The benefits of professional portfolio are
associated to the increased self confidence and self esteemed which is obtained by the nursing

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professionals (Green, Wyllie & Jackson 2014, p 5). It further help them by adding rigour and
analysis in their professional practice and provide the professionals with a clear and concise idea
of their development as they would become more critical to their own journey while developing
their professional practice portfolio. Further Levine and Johnson (2014, p 66), also mentioned
that it is the most accurate opportunity that is provided to each nursing professionals while their
educational or professional life as they could use the opportunity to develop in depth self
evaluation to appreciate their success and learn from their mistakes. However, several challenges
of professional practice portfolio are more personal than professional. Sciacca and Reville (2016,
p 277), mentioned that psychologically, for few people it is difficult to criticize their own
practice and such practice could decrease their self motivation level. Therefore, reviewing
themselves through a critical lens is a daunting process for few nursing professionals due to
which, they see it as a challenge in their professional career (Andre & Heartfield, 2016, p 275).
However, for few professional it could be a positive experience that makes the process critically
beneficial.
Difference between Management and leadership competencies
Leadership competencies could be defines as the leadership skills and behavior that help
them to connect to their employees or team members to achieve superior performance form each
member. This skill set is used by the organizations so that they can assess the presence of these
skills in their next generation leaders (Trivellas & Reklitis, 2014, p 381). The skills which could
be defined as leadership competencies are divided in three sections. While leading organization,
leaders should possess change management abilities, vision and strategy making abilities,
removing political influence, problem solving and decision making abilities. Whereas managing

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self, they should possess ethical considerations, exhibit leadership stature and ability to be self
aware and increased adaptability (Daire, Gilson & Cleary, 2014, p 143).
Besides the management competencies are the behavioral and management skills which
is required while working in a multidisciplinary team that is intended to achieve a common
target. It is the responsibility of the management to implement effective communication, problem
solving skills, focusing to customers and ability to work within a team (Daire, Gilson & Cleary,
2014, p 123). The competencies associated with the managers are their ability to motivate,
organize and influence others, their ability to manage chaos and improve the communication
process. Further, they should be patience for adverse situations and focus more on the self
development, building effective teams and manage the tasks (Trivellas & Reklitis, 2014, p 385).
As mentioned in these abovementioned competencies, Andre and Heartfield (2016, p
140) mentions the importance of acquiring them for improvement and development of nursing
professional and evidences of such competencies should be provided in the professional practice
portfolio (Andre & Heartfield, 2016, p 145). To determine communication and self and team
management abilities, nursing professional could include their abilities and experiences while
working in multidisciplinary teams. Filipe, Silva, Stulting and Golnik (2014, p 134) mentioned
that while working in multidisciplinary team, it is important for the nursing professional to show
effective communication and self management abilities so that adverse situations could be
avoided. Further, communication with patient, undertaking patient and staff educational sessions,
receiving patient consent and effective application of ethical and cultural competent care should
be mentioned in professional practice portfolio (Chamblee, Dale, Drews, Spahis & Hardin, 2015,
p 113). This is because it will reflect the patience level, ability to convince patient, their ability to
influence patients, ability to educate and lead and others. Hence, inclusion of these competencies

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could develop the reputation of the nursing professionals and they could establish themselves,
and start considering them as the nursing leader. Further, they could also indicate their abilities
to communicate with families of the patients which would indicate their abilities to work with
secondary stakeholders, increasing their management abilities (Andre & Heartfield, 2016, p
135).
Part 2
Clinical placement situation
While working in my first clinical placement, I was provided with the responsibility to
take vital signs and administer the oral medication to the patient, by the registered nurse
appointed in the ward. This was my first clinical placement as a student nurse and I was curious
and nervous about the responsibilities that I was about to deliver in the general ward of the
healthcare facility. This was an important experience as I was provided with the opportunity to
implement the registered nursing standards and witness their incorporation in the professional
practice. As well as, I was provided with the opportunity to implement one of these
competencies in the care process. The clinical situation involved patient affected with acute
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD, the registered nurse involved as the primary
care taker and I was about to assist the nurse for the vital sign collection and medication
administration. I was very confident prior to attend the patients as was repeating the ABCD
assessment for the COPD, which I was about to follow after the vital sign collection. Further, I
was also asked to administer Ipratropium bromide to the patient and I was aware of the adverse
effects of the disease if it reaches to the patient’s eyes, hence, I was nervous for my action.

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However, while administering drug, no such mistakes were performed I was able to achieve all
the tasks with precision. This experience hence was positive for my clinical placement.
Critical discussion
As DiCenso, Guyatt and Ciliska (2014, p 432) mentions that student nurses are
responsible for their actions and should be accountable for improving patient condition I was my
responsibility for my accurate and appropriate scope of practice. While working in the general
ward I was very nervous for my application of nursing standards, ethical considerations and
application of effective hygiene and patent assessment skills. This was the first situation, for me
to apply all my knowledge gathers from the classroom to apply in the clinical situation, which
could affect the patient’s recovery, if I did not perform properly. However, the registered nurse,
with whom I was appointed to undertake the care process, helped me to undertake all the
processes with her proper guidance. As per Vaismoradi, Jordan, Turunen and Bondas (2016, p
435), the student nurses are not authorized to administer medication to patients, however with
active supervision of senior registered nurse, they are allowed to commit the practice for their
professional development. After entering the ward, I applied had hand wash so that hygiene and
safe care could be provided. I was aware with the sequence in which vital signs of adults should
be collected as mentioned by Khan, Ostfeld, Lochner, Pierre and Arias (2016, p 4378). Hence, I
started with body temperature and then heart rate, respiratory rate and others; thereby I complied
with the nursing standard 4 by NMBA. However, in nervousness I forget to introduce myself to
the patient and greet him for the day that affected the communication process within the ward.
Despite that, I confidently started with writing and informing the vital signs to the patient and
registered nurse, upon which my senior nurse asked me to help her in the administration of
Ipratropium bromide inhaler. With her permission, I confirmed the dose with my supervisor for

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the day and then informed the medication information to the patient, this hereby helped me to
comply with the standard 6 of NMBA. I provided the drug with the help of nebulizer so that I
could mitigate the risk of adverse effects of drug as the drug particle could lead to blurred vision
and pain in the eyes if it reaches it mistakenly, as mentioned by Chaudhry, Friedman and Yu,
(2014, p. 176). Hence, it should be said that my clinical placement helped me to understand the
behavioural, clinical and decision making aspect of the clinical process. Further, I was able to
mention the application the nebulizer to decrease the rate of adverse event for the patient in
which I was successful. Therefore, it was a positive experience for my student nursing as well as
I would also motivate me to lead the care process in my clinical nursing career. However, my
behaviour in the clinical experience as student nursing professional was not effective and I was
not been able to create an effective communication within the ward. Hence, I was not being able
to keep up the nursing professionals’ standard 5 in which developing a communication situation
to enhance planning and implementation are included. Despite this event, I was satisfied with my
decision making, assessment, evaluation and clinical practice abilities so that effective care could
be provide to the patient.
Part 3
Peak professional nursing organization
The Australian College of Nursing is a national professional organization for nursing
professionals so that the Australian community could be provided with effective and quality
healthcare in present and future. It is important for the nursing professionals to take membership
of this organization prior to work in healthcare facilities of all territories and states. This
organization holds a membership of 36,000 nursing staff that makes it an effective organization,

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which could influence changes in the healthcare delivery system. Further, this organization helps
to provide voice to nursing professionals around the country so that they needs, requirements,
both professional and personal could be fulfilled and quality and sustainability could be included
in the care process. As I Aspire to become a registered nurse, membership of this organization
could help me to achieve my goals in my professional nursing career. Further, to become a
member it is required to complete the three years bachelor of nursing program, and should have
completed the clinical placement effectively. Further, this was an accurate organization for
achievement of my clinical goals as I would provide me a scope to pursue my career in a wide
array of organizations to develop and improve my nursing skills.

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