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Clinical Skills Self-Assessment

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

Professor’s Name

Course

Date

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clinical Skills Self-Assessment

Everyone possesses some qualities that are referred to as strengths and weaknesses. Both a person’s strengths and limitations can affect the decisions that person makes. As a nursing student, I need to become aware of my strengths and weaknesses. Comparing one’s strengths to one’s weaknesses helps one grow as a person through time, and having solid powers can help someone become more focused. This paper will discuss the three strengths and weaknesses and the three clinical skills that a nursing student would like to have mastered before graduating from the nursing program.

Strengths

My first strength is Communication Skills. Communication skill is the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with coworkers, patients, and families. Even the people who worked under me and in the office while I was a supervisor informed me that I had an excellent capacity to communicate and engage with others. According to Mata et al. (2021), respect, comfort, open communication, and reassuring the patient are the foundations of a healthy connection. This is the first step in developing a positive working relationship with the patient. Instead of offering my thoughts, I made it a point to pay attention to what my patients had to say. By doing so, I can comprehend what my patient is attempting to convey, allowing me to provide an appropriate response. At the beginning of a meeting between a patient and a provider, I like to start by asking open-ended questions. Then at the end, I want to ask “if there are any additional questions or concerns I can answer before I leave the room.” I show respect for them by providing the correct response, which indicates that I am paying attention to the conversation that they are having.

My second strength is the documentation. According to Svavarsdottir & Gisladottir (2019), maintaining charts promptly is a vital task in nursing. One of my most remarkable abilities is creating multiple papers at the same time. During my initial stint as a nurse, I spent significant time documenting activities similar to those I perform today. Even while we may believe that we have excellent memories, the truth is that after a particularly hectic day, we frequently fail to recall many of the events that took place.

My third strength is Professionalism. The characteristics of Professionalism include the ability to collectively express Professionalism, the ability to receive constructive critique constructively, respect for the worth of time, and the ability to dress and speak appropriately. Whenever I have a clinical conversation with my management, I make it a point to tell my manager to correct me whenever I err in any way. One of my superiors responded that I have a strong drive to learn in an interested, considerate, always open to advise, and always want to expand his own space approach.

Weaknesses

My first weakness is the differential diagnosis. According to Rofiqi et al. (2019), accurate diagnosis is achieved by collecting subjective and objective data and through focused assessment and comprehensive patient history. Having said that, there are times when I fail to recognize a different diagnosis. At one point, my boss suggested that I think about the possibility of having a condition that could be life-threatening. The recognition of patterns and indications is one method that can be utilized to address this condition.

My second weakness is Medication Prescribing. My most significant concern is that a paediatrician will mistakenly take the wrong medication. I did not want to go an excessive distance, nor did I want to be treated poorly. My plan to become a skilled nurse is to collaborate with my supervising physician anytime I have second thoughts about prescription medication; use evidence-based research; carry meds in a pocket next to me; use currently; and download other helpful apps, such as Epocrates.

My third and last weakness is the Scope of Services. As family nurse practitioner students, we are encouraged to decline the services outside of our legal scope of practice. However, in the real world, the situation is a little different. I am one of those who do not dare to say no to the supervising physician or the management team. As a nurse practitioner student, I have often witnessed nurse practitioners going out of their legal scope of practice because of the pressure of administration. How do we deal with that type of situation? As a nurse practitioner, if I feel trapped in a particular case, I feel like it is out of my scope of practice. I would gather the courage to say no or tell the administration to provide me with enough orientation to do specific tasks, go to an alternative physician for consultation, and ensure that my competencies and experiences are enough to handle specific services or cases.

Possible goals and objectives for this practicum experience

My first goal is to develop competencies in suturing. Under this goal, my first objective is to be exposed to suturing during my clinical rotations; however, I still feel that I need to work on known tying techniques. I have mentioned to my preceptor that I would like to get some hands-on if we get a patient who would require suturing. My third objective is to gain more confidence and get near-perfect; I have been using the tissue model to master the suturing skill.

My second goal is to develop competencies in cervical dilation. When I visited the source of the problem at the clinic, I conducted a significant number of tests on the vaginal area. IT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF MY JOB when I have to examine pregnant women’s cervix for dilation. My current physician is incredibly knowledgeable. As a result, she has given me permission to open a cervix that is already present. My provider and I always sought the patient’s consent before treating pregnant patients whenever they came into the clinic. In addition, I intend to adhere to the recommended instructions for women’s health experts, which provide a more in-depth demonstration of how to locate cervical dilatation. According to Zhao et al. (2020), practice makes perfect. I am resolute that before I finish my clinical course, I will have reached the level of expertise required to be considered a professional in this ability.

My third and last goal is to differentiate between skin conditions. According to Hudson et al. (2020), for a freshly qualified nurse, dealing with thinning skin can be an extremely stressful and perplexing experience. It may be difficult to distinguish the skin’s condition based solely on its appearance; therefore, it is essential to consider the entire clinical presentation to help make an accurate diagnosis. This may include assessing the formation of rashes, location, and other associated symptoms.

 

 

 

 

References

Hudson, M. P., Thompson, A. R., & Emerson, L. M. (2020). Compassion-focused self-help for psychological distress associated with skin conditions: a randomized feasibility trial. Psychology & Health, 35(9), 1095-1114.

Mata, Á. N. D. S., de Azevedo, K. P. M., Braga, L. P., de Medeiros, G. C. B. S., de Oliveira Segundo, V. H., Bezerra, I. N. M., … & Piuvezam, G. (2021). Training in communication skills for self-efficacy of health professionals: a systematic review. Human resources for health, 19(1), 1-9.

Rofiqi, E., Nuritasari, R. T., & Wiliyanarti, P. F. (2019). Factors affecting the organizational commitment of nurses in comprehensive health services: A systematic review. Jurnal Ners, 14(3), 195-198.

Svavarsdottir, E. K., & Gisladottir, M. (2019). How do family strengths‐oriented therapeutic conversations (FAM‐SOTC) advance psychiatric nursing practice?. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 51(2), 214-224.

Zhao, B., Lv, M., Dong, T., Chen, Y., Xi, F., Lv, W., & Luo, Q. (2020). Transverse parallel compression suture: a new suturing method for successful treating pernicious placenta previa during cesarean section. Archives of gynaecology and obstetrics, 301(2), 465-472.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRAC 6665/6675 Clinical Skills 

Self-Assessment Form

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:
Recognizing clinical signs and symptoms of psychiatric illness across the lifespan
Differentiating between pathophysiological and psychopathological conditions
Performing and interpreting a comprehensive and/or interval history and physical examination (including laboratory and diagnostic studies)
Performing and interpreting a mental status examination
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:
Developing and prioritizing a differential diagnoses list
Formulating diagnoses according to DSM 5-TR based on assessment data
Differentiating between normal/abnormal age-related physiological and psychological symptoms/changes
Pharmacotherapeutic skills in:
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:
Recognizes concepts of therapeutic modalities across the lifespan
Selecting appropriate evidence based clinical practice guidelines for psychotherapeutic plan (e.g., risk/benefit, patient preference, developmental considerations, financial, the process of informed consent, symptom management, modality appropriate for situation)
Applies age-appropriate psychotherapeutic counseling techniques with individuals and/or any caregivers
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 multi-disciplinary 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:

My strengths includes communication, documentation, and professionalism. Having worked in the psychiatric clinic for some time now, I can confidently differentiate communicate, ensure proper documentation of records, and I can practice professionalism. My communication skills enables me to comprehend what it is that my patient is attempting to convey, allowing me to provide an appropriate response. At the beginning of a meeting between a patient and a provider, I like to start by asking open-ended questions, and then at the end, I like to ask “if there are any additional questions or concerns I can answer before I leave the room.” I show respect for them by providing the correct response, which indicates that I am paying attention to the conversation that they are having. One of my greatest abilities is also being able to create multiple papers at the same time. During my initial stint as a nurse, I spent a significant amount of time documenting activities similar to those I perform today. Even while we may believe that we have excellent memories, the truth is that after a particularly hectic day, we frequently fail to recall many of the events that took place. Lastly is professionalism, Whenever I have a clinical conversation with my management, I make it a point to tell my manager to correct me whenever I err in any way. One of my superiors actually provided me with the response that I have a strong drive to learn in an inquisitive, considerate, always open to advice, and always want to expand his own space approach.

 

Opportunities for growth:

An area of opportunities for growth that I need to explore during the practicum experience includes Differential Diagnosis, Medication Prescribing, and Scope of Services. Accurate diagnosis is achieved by the collection of data, both subjective and objective, as well as through focused assessment and a comprehensive patient history. Having said that, there are times when I fail to recognize a different diagnosis. At one point, my boss suggested that I think about the possibility of having a condition that could be life-threatening. The recognition of patterns and indications is one method that can be utilized in order to address this condition. On medication prescribing, My greatest concern is that a pediatrician will mistakenly take the wrong medication. I did not want to have to go an excessive distance, nor did I want to be treated poorly. My plan to become a skilled nurse is to collaborate with my supervising physician anytime I have second thoughts about prescription medication; use evidence-based research; carry meds in a pocket next to me; use current; and download other helpful apps, such as epocrates. Lastly on the scope of services, As a family nurse practitioner student, we are encourage to decline the services that are outside of our legal scope of practice. However, in real world the situation is little different. I am one of those people who do not have the courage to say no to the supervising physician or to the management team. As a nurse practitioner student, many times I have witnessed nurse practitioner going out of their legal scope of practice because of the administration pressure.

 

 

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: Develop competencies in suturing a. Objective: To work on known tying techniques b. Objective: To gain more confidence c. Objective: Get to the near perfect   2. Goal: Develop competencies in Cervical Dilation a. Objective: Evaluate the source of the problem at the clinic b. Objective: Gain more knowledge on cervical dilation c. Objective: To adhere to the recommended instructions for women health experts   3. Goal: How to differentiate between skin conditions a. Objective: To gain more knowledge on skin b. Objective: Evaluate the treatment plans for skin c. Objective: Collaborate with my preceptor in evaluating the difference between skin conditions.

 

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