Rate yourself using the results from the “Nurse Manager Skills
Write a reflection of 750-1,000 words in which you identify your strengths and weaknesses related to the four content areas below:
Personal and professional accountability
Career planning
Personal journey disciplines
Reflective practice reference behaviors/tenets
Discuss how you will use your current leadership skill set to advocate for change in your workplace.
Identify one personal goal for your leadership growth and discuss your implementation plan to achieve that goal.
While APA format is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected and in-text citations and references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a grading rubric. Instructors will be using the rubric to grade the assignment; therefore, students should review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the assignment criteria and expectations for successful completion of the assignment.
MUST have a turnitin score of less than 10%.
Rubic:
Content
1. Identification of strengths and weaknesses related to the four content areas listed using
Lists and analyzes strengths and weaknesses based on each of the listed content areas, and draws on evidence from the given Web site.
2. Discussion of use of current leadership skills to advocate change in the workplace.
Discusses specific changes that can be made in the workplace are discussed, while giving clear and relevant examples for why changes are necessary. Evaluates how personal skill set can be used to effect change in workplace.
3. Reflection on personal goal for leadership growth and development of implementation plan to reach goal.
4. Provides a thoughtful reflection on areas for growth. Pinpoints at least one specific goal for leadership growth, and outlines a well-organized and realistic implementation plan to meet the goals.
5. Thesis Development and Purpose:
Thesis and/or main claim are comprehensive; contained within the thesis is the essence of the paper. Thesis statement makes the purpose of the paper clear.
I work in Surgery. I’m a general trauma charge nurse.
Self-Assessment
The nursing practice is very sensitive especially in the surgical department that I work in. I am exposed to people who have been involved in life threatening conditions that are traumatic. I work with a couple of other medical practitioners with whom we form a team charged with handling clients who have been through traumatic experiences. My major strength is that I work well with all team members as I understand their indispensable roles in the team. I am always on time to all my shifts and prepared before any activities begin. This has been largely due to my commitment to the nursing practice. I have built a high level of trust, compassion and respect within the team. One of the reasons that I have been identified as an exemplary performer is due to the recognition that learning is a continuous process, which has made me bold in seeking for assistance in areas where I feel that my knowledge is lacking. My team has a high level of respect and trust in each other largely because we have all learnt to embrace diversity as an important concept in harmonious coexistence. I only judge people according to their competencies and not on other factors. My weaknesses in professional accountability largely lie in my hands-on approach that has led me to be sometimes regarded as domineering. I yearn for perfection in every little aspect which has sometimes led to conflicts with my team members. I am still learning how to delegate some of my responsibilities to other people within the team. I also recognize my limitations in conflict resolution and I am working towards improving in that aspect.
I recognize that advances in technology have led to a continuously changing nursing practice. Some of the activities including diagnosis that used to be done by humans are now largely done by machines. As such, I recognize my changing role as a leader and as a facilitator depending on circumstances. I am aware that in order to advance in this career, I must constantly appraise myself with the various advances in order to improve and be better at my job. Presently, I am considering enrolling in a course that will focus on caring for terminally ill people, an area that I have not been keenly involved in before. I am constantly reading numerous literatures on nursing and seeking information and advice from my seniors and mentors. The only weakness in this regard is that I am immersed in too many plans for my future that I sometimes feel that I have not yet found my vocation. I am constantly challenging myself to improve which has sometimes led to me questioning my decisions in instances where prompt actions are required. I feel that I am still not decisive enough.
One of my major strengths is that I recognize the needs for continuous learning. As such, I am very keen on what the senior members in my team do and how the handle themselves especially under pressure. There are numerous situations during the execution of our job when prompt decisions are required. The best way of learning is to observe what those charged with the highest responsibilities do and aim to replicate it. However, different situations require different skills which is a fact that one needs to continuously learn. After decisions have been made and actions taken, I usually reflect on them by using my journal where I record all happenings.
The surgical department I work in sometimes is very demanding both physically and emotionally. In order to carry out my mandate and give all my attention to my patients who deserve it, I have realized that I need to always be rejuvenated in order to avoid the traumatic experiences getting to me. As such, I take heart in the fact that I am doing a great good for the people who depend on me. I have learned to appreciate myself so that others can and so that I can give my all to the job as is required. I adhere to the highest level of ethics and integrity as I recognize that they are the pillar to avoiding conflict within me and the practice (ANA, 2010). As stated above, I recognize that diversity and teamwork are indispensable in giving the level of care that individual patients require.
Personal development plan
Goal: I feel that I need to improve my assessment skills and experience in order to better analyze situations and performance both of myself and those of my team. I would like to develop my assessment skills in a different setting by seeking a temporary and part-time position in the acute nursing care setting by December, 2014.
Assessment of PDP: In order to achieve this goal, I will finish the course that I plan on enrolling so that it is the foundation for the position I aspire to hold. My completion and passing of the course will be reflected on my portfolio and will be followed by seeking for a job in my residence through phone calls and written contacts. I will accept a part-time job that will supplement my full-time position depending on the inherent circumstances and time considerations.
Evaluation of PDP: Self-assessment will form the basis of my evaluation and will be augmented by assessments that I will ask from my team members on their perceptions regarding improvement of my assessment skills.
References
American Nurses Association [ANA]. (2010). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (2nd ed.). Silver Spring, MD: Nursesbooks.org.