Clinical Skills Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example
Self-Assessment Form
An understanding of one’s background, abilities, and experiences is crucial before commencing any professional or academic assignment. This requires a critical self-reflection, which is equality crucial in developing competencies in the profession. In this assignment, the clinical skills self-evaluation form has been used to self-evaluate to identify strengths and opportunities for growth, and list four goals to achieve at the end of the practicum.(Clinical Skills Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
PMHNP PRAC 6645 Clinical Skills
Desired Clinical Skills for Students to Achieve | Confident (Can complete independently) | Mostly confident (Can complete with supervision) | Beginning (Have performed with supervision or needs supervision to feel confident) | New (Have never performed or does not apply) |
Comprehensive psychiatric evaluation skills in: |
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Recognizing clinical signs and symptoms of psychiatric illness across the lifespan | ✓ | |||
Differentiating between pathophysiological and psychopathological conditions (Clinical Skills Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example) | ✓ | |||
Performing and interpreting a comprehensive and/or interval history and physical examination (including laboratory and diagnostic studies) | ✓ | |||
Performing and interpreting a mental status examination (Clinical Skills Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example) | ✓ | |||
Performing and interpreting a psychosocial assessment and family psychiatric history | ✓ | |||
Performing and interpreting a functional assessment (activities of daily living, occupational, social, leisure, educational). | ✓ | |||
Diagnostic reasoning skill in: |
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Developing and prioritizing a differential diagnoses list | ✓ | |||
Formulating diagnoses according to DSM 5 based on assessment data | ✓ | |||
Differentiating between normal/abnormal age-related physiological and psychological symptoms/changes(Clinical Skills Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example) | ✓ | |||
Pharmacotherapeutic skills in: |
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Selecting appropriate evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for medication plan (e.g., risk/benefit, patient preference, developmental considerations, financial, the process of informed consent, symptom management) | ✓ | |||
Evaluating patient response and modify plan as necessary | ✓ | |||
Documenting (e.g., adverse reaction, the patient response, changes to the plan of care) | ✓ | |||
Psychotherapeutic Treatment Planning: |
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Recognizes concepts of therapeutic modalities across the lifespan | ✓ | |||
Selecting appropriate evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for a psychotherapeutic plan (e.g., risk/benefit, patient preference, developmental considerations, financial, the process of informed consent, symptom management, modality appropriate for the situation) | ✓ | |||
Applies age-appropriate psychotherapeutic counseling techniques with individuals and/or any caregivers(Clinical Skills Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example) | ✓ | |||
Develop an age-appropriate individualized plan of care | ✓ | |||
Provide psychoeducation to individuals and/or any caregivers | ✓ | |||
Promote health and disease prevention techniques | ✓ | |||
Self-assessment skill: | ||||
Develop SMART goals for practicum experiences | ✓ | |||
Evaluating outcomes of practicum goals and modify plan as necessary | ✓ | |||
Documenting and reflecting on learning experiences | ✓ | |||
Professional skills: | ||||
Maintains professional boundaries and therapeutic relationship with clients and staff | ✓ | |||
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to improve clinical practice in mental health settings | ✓ | |||
Identifies ethical and legal dilemmas with possible resolutions | ✓ | |||
Demonstrates non-judgmental practice approach and empathy | ✓ | |||
Practices within scope of practice | ✓ | |||
Selecting and implementing appropriate screening instrument(s), interpreting results, and making recommendations and referrals: | ||||
Demonstrates selecting the correct screening instrument appropriate for the clinical situation | ✓ | |||
Implements the screening instrument efficiently and effectively with the clients | ✓ | |||
Interprets results for screening instruments accurately | ✓ | |||
Develops an appropriate plan of care based upon screening instruments response | ✓ | |||
Identifies the need to refer to another specialty provider when applicable | ✓ | |||
Accurately documents recommendations for psychiatric consultations when applicable | ✓ |
Summary of strengths:
Based on the clinical assessment form, my first core strength is the ability to recognize mental health clinical signs and symptoms for different patients. Secondly, I am competent in making differential diagnoses based on the client’s data and the DSM5 criteria. Thirdly, I am equally skilled in promoting disease and health prevention among patients and their families. My fourth strength is the competency in developing SMART goals for my practicum, evaluating the outcomes, modifying them as the need arises, and documenting and reflecting on the experiences. My sixth strength is maintaining professional boundaries and establishing therapeutic relationships with staff and clients. I am equally competent in identifying and resolving ethical and legal dilemmas and developing appropriate care based on mental health screening outcomes. Lastly, I am adept at identifying conditions that require a referral and documenting psychiatric recommendations. |
Opportunities for growth:
Growth is crucial for maintaining competence. My first opportunity for growth is to interact more often with my preceptor, conferences and seminars, and join local chapters of mental health organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association and American Psychiatric Nurses Association. This will improve my clinical communication and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams. I believe mental health care is dynamic and requires input from various professionals. Besides, communication is crucial for the effective management of patient conditions. Communication is central to effective nurse-nurse and nurse-patient relationships (Ball et al., 2021). The second opportunity for growth is the availability of Walden University library and other online resources to EBP and which can be translated into practice. Translating evidence is crucial in providing sustainable and transparent healthcare services (Curtis et al., 2017). This will enhance my competency in selecting appropriate evidence-based approaches to plan for medication. As a mental healthcare nurse, there is a need to consider the risks and benefits of interventions, incorporate patient needs, provide informed consent, and manage patient symptoms. My third opportunity for growth is through shadowing and volunteering, which will enhance my competence in evaluating patient responses and modifying treatment plans. Shadowing and volunteering will help improve my competence in providing psychoeducation to clients and caregivers. Patient and family education is vital in managing symptoms (Kramer & Bjorklund, 2021).(Clinical Skills Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example) |
Now, write three to four (3–4) possible goals and objectives for this practicum experience. Ensure that they follow the SMART Strategy, as described in the Learning Resources.
1. Goal: To be competent in performing a comprehensive psychiatric examination and interpreting psychiatric assessments for clients and their families. (Clinical Skills Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
a. Objective: Review the existing legislation relating to the protection against mental health clients, identifying mental health symptoms, and respecting client rights. b. Objective: Use different communication channels to communicate with peers and share crucial clinical information with clients and their families.(Clinical Skills Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example) c. Objective: Utilize available resources for clinical assessments, i.e., screening tools. 2. Goal: To be competent in diagnostic reasoning, differentiating various age-related psychological and physiological symptoms. a. Objective: To consult my preceptor and experienced nurses as the need arises. b. Objective: Research Walden University and other online sources c. Objective: Be proactive and support clinical assessments. 3. Goal: To be competent in selecting appropriate and relevant EBP guidelines for various mental health issues. a. Objective: Research Walden University and other online sources. b. Objective: Consult my preceptor whenever necessary.(Clinical Skills Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example) c. Objective: Refer to existing evidence-based practice guidelines. 4. Goal: To be competent in recognizing therapeutic modalities across the lifespan. a. Objective: Interact with patients and their families during a psychiatric assessment b. Objective: Research Walden University library and other online resources. c. Objective: Consult with my preceptor and other experienced mental health nurse practitioners whenever necessary.(Clinical Skills Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example) |
Conclusion
Self-reflection is crucial in identifying one’s strength and weakens. Besides, the process is crucial in outlining goals and objectives that aligns with one’s weaknesses. I believe that I attained majority of my goas set at the beginning of the practicum. However, I have identified areas of competence that needs improvement and strategies to achieve these aims. I look forward to consistent engagement with my preceptor, peers, and the faculty to continue learning and improving my clinical competence.
Signature:
Date:
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References
Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W. (2021). Seidel’s Guide to Physical Examination-E-Book: An Interprofessional Approach. Elsevier Health Sciences.(Clinical Skills Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Curtis, K., Fry, M., Shaban, R. Z., & Considine, J. (2017). Translating research findings to clinical nursing practice. Journal of clinical nursing, 26(5-6), 862-872.(Clinical Skills Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example) https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fjocn.13586
Kramer, A., & Bjorklund, P. (2021). Implementation and evaluation of a psychoeducation program in an outpatient mental health center. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 57(1), 219-224(Clinical Skills Assessment Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example). https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.12552