Reflective Essay on Nursing Practice and Experiences

Running head: REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Reflective essay
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Introduction:
Nursing practice involves a varied range of challenges, starting from handling
complex patients demands to assisting the patients with self-care needs. Along with that
myriad of public health care delivery (Howatson-Jones, 2016). Although, in order to grow
and flourish in the professional world of nursing, the nurses are required to develop their
competences and skills even further. One of the greatest needs of being able to participate in
advanced level of nursing practice is to understand the importance of continual improvement
of skills and competences along with discovering personal strengths and weaknesses to
improve practice credentials with each passing day (Johns, 2017). According to the standard
3.3 of NMBA registered nursing practice standards, the nurses are required to use “a lifelong
learning approach for continuing professional development of self and others”. Similarly, the
standard 1.2 states that nurses require to “through reflection on experiences, knowledge,
actions, feelings and beliefs to identify how these shape practice”
(Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au., 2019). The reflective framework allows the nursing
individual to implement both of these essential aspects into practice, and adhere to the above
mentioned standards of practice (Redmond, 2017). This essay provides us with the excellent
opportunity to revisit three notable experiences that we have attained in the process of clinical
placement and represent the entire experience adequately.
Experience 1:
The very first experience that is needed to be discussed in this context is the medical
error that we encountered which nearly cost the patient her life. I would like to mention in
this context that I had been given the opportunity to provide assistive service in the medical
surgical department, and fortunately for me, I was given the opportunity to observe the
procedure of post-operative care for a patient, whose name and personal details will not be
disclosed to honour the legal and ethical legislations guarding patient privacy and

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REFLECTIVE ESSAY
confidentiality (Goulet, Larue & Alderson, 2016).
In the entire experience I was extremely giddy with excitement and nervousness as it
had been my very first encounter of observing post-operative care and maintenance in action.
Similarly, it had also been one of the greatest responsibilities bestowed on me and I had been
determined to prove myself to be deserving of the opportunity. I had been very attentive and I
researched excessively on vital sign assessment, medication administration and ensuring
comfort for the patient, which are also three core functions needed to be performed by the
nurses had been the most important responsibilities for medical surgical nursing, especially
when practicing in the medical surgical department. As I was assisting in the process, I was
also given the opportunity to document and review the medication administration with the
dosages to ensure utmost safety and efficacy of the care planning and implementation.
However, this opportunity also allowed me to notice a grave mistake that has been committed
while providing care to the patient. She had been indicated for using diclofenac as pain
medication, which while administered that nurse mistakenly doubled the dosage (Pfeiffer et
al., 2016). Although, the issue had been a misinterpretation of the dosage originally indicated
for use. As soon I noticed I knew that the pain medication given had been overdosed and it
can lead to a variety of complexities.
Although, it had been an extremely difficult decision to be taken concerning the fact
that the nurse who had originally committed the error had been an elderly nurse who had
been very sweet and welcoming to me. Although, the patient’s life and wellbeing had been at
risk in this situation and hence, I had immediately communicated with the nurse in question
and together we concerned the nurse manager and antidote for the over-dosage was given to
the patient, which saved her life (Dubé & Ducharme, 2015). From this experience, I learned
even the slightest of errors or negligence in the nursing care practice can lead to many
complications and can even threaten the life of the patient.