REFLECTION ON 1ST CLASS OF CRITICAL CARE NURSING

DESCRIPTION:
In the first introductory class of critical care nursing, our teacher explained us about the
importance of course outline. She also explained how we did malpractice in our clinical areas
that is really unethical behavior of unprofessional. She also explained us how we transfer
infection from one area to other because we did not meet the universal standard precautions.
The introductory course covers the basics of critical care nursing, including patient
monitoring, understanding life support equipment, and the essential roles of nurses in
intensive care units. We also discussed the technical skills required, such as reading EKGs
and using ventilators, as well as the importance of teamwork in intensive care.
FEELINGS:
I really thought of the whole situation and feel very anxious but latter on she explained the
whole scenario and reduced our anxiety. As it was a new experience for me because it was
totally a different subject with different critical skills that’s why I’m very afraid and tense.
Moreover, I feel bad because I thought that we have a big role in spreading disease to others.
At first, I felt a little overwhelmed by the complexity of the topic, especially the
responsibility that critical care nurses have to make quick decisions in high-pressure
environments. However, I was also excited to start this journey. The emphasis on teamwork
gave me more confidence, knowing that critical care is not alone, but with a competent
interdisciplinary team.
EVALUATION:
Overall I think that clinical experience and true skills are very important to improve health of
the patients. I followed the instructions from my mentor and what the research has suggested
to reduce malpractice and follow aseptic techniques while all procedures. A positive aspect of
the course was how it emphasized the importance of technical skills and emotional stability in
critical care nursing. I appreciate the emphasis on the nurse's role as a patient advocate.
However, he was a little worried about the steep learning curve, especially when it came to
mastering advanced technology and life-saving protocols. The ethical discussions about
patient care were informative but also intimidating.
ANALYSIS:
After the whole lecture I also realize that I did the same practice as other nurses did in the
clinical area. Now I have to reassure myself to follow only practice that is suggested. This
can only be done when I give proper time and concentration to my studies. The course was
well structured and laid a solid foundation for the challenges critical care nurses face. The
positives, such as learning about the collaboration between health professionals, helped me
understand that effective patient care is not owned by a single person. (Lawrence,2011) On
the other hand, the volume of information and the high-stakes nature of critical care nursing
made me realize that I would need to spend a lot of time to master the technical and
emotional aspects of the work.
CONCLUSION:
Through reflective writing using Gibbs model, I gained deeper understanding that evidence
based practice is important and all nurses must have to update yourself with the new
researches. Through this reflection I also put an eye on my practice, but I learned that
ongoing learning and evaluation is vital to enhance my practice. You may be better prepared
for the course by reading more about basic critical care concepts beforehand. This may have
alleviated some of my anxiety about the complexity of the content. Also, I could have
participated more actively in the discussions to better understand the ethical
dilemmas presented.
ACTION PLAN:
I will promise myself to do evidence based practice on the clinical area to reduce malpractice
and try to communicate skillfully with patients and their family members so that they try
to trust myself. In future classes, I will spend more time preparing before class to be more
comfortable with the content. I will also participate more in discussions, especially around
ethical decision-making, to enhance my ability to handle real-world scenarios. In addition, I
plan to look for practical learning opportunities to reinforce the theoretical knowledge learned
in the classroom.
References:
o Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods.
Oxford: Further Education Unit.
o Mann, K., Gordon, J., & MacLeod, A. (2020). Reflection and Reflective Practice in
Health Professions Education: A Systematic Review. Advances in Health Sciences
Education, 24(2), 25-48.
o Davis, J., & Savill-Smith, C. (2022). The Role of Reflective Practice in Developing
Critical Care Nursing Competency: A Case Study Analysis. Journal of Clinical
Nursing, 31(8-9), 1092-1100.
o Benner, P. (2019). Novice to Expert: Educational Needs. American Journal
of Critical Care.
o Lawrence L. A. (2011). Work engagement, moral distress, education level, and
critical reflective practice in intensive care nurses. Nursing forum, 46(4), 256–268.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6198.2011.00237.x