Competency Discussion:
- How might your personal experiences, self-identity, bias, and privilege impact your community and decision-making?
- Reflect on the demands that are or may be placed on you every day that may be compounded while in school. What strategies, resources, and/or boundaries might you implement to address these demands and why?
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SOLUTION to XA3001- A Vision for Social Change in Professional Practice & Advancing Nurses’ Health and Wellness Competency Discussion.
Hello everyone,
As an Emergency Room (ER) nurse, I recognize how my personal experiences and self-identity could impact my work. As a Caucasian nurse, I may have inherent privileges that others may not. As a result, I must be conscious of how bias may creep into my decision-making and thus I have to always advocate equally for all patients. Moreover, my time in emergency nursing has given me experiences that I can draw from, however, they also come with preconceived notions which I must constantly challenge. For instance, I might assume that patients who frequently visit the ER for pain medication are drug-seeking, based on past encounters. However, this assumption could prevent me from fully considering other possible diagnoses or the unique circumstances of the patients. While experience is valuable, it can also blind us to new perspectives if not paired with self-reflection (Southworth, 2022).
On the other hand, the demands of working full-time as a nurse while in school are intense. According to Warner et al. (2020), student nurses average over 60 hours a week of coursework, clinical, and patient care. This level of commitment can lead to burnout if not managed. This is evident from my realization that I am easily getting annoyed and distracted due to collapsed rest time, and this can be dangerous in the ER. To manage these needs, I have adjusted the workflow by adopting time management techniques such as time blocking and constant communication with my academic adviser and manager regarding work and school schedules. Furthermore, I do not engage in nursing and academic-related activities during my days off in order to keep my energy levels up. Research by Underdown et al. (2022), shows intentional breaks are crucial for maintaining focus, attention to detail, and compassion under chronic stress.
In addition, I have a peer support group of friends who understands the shared pressures we face. We check in regularly, provide encouragement, and hold each other accountable for maintaining work-life balance. Strong social support networks improve resilience and well-being for student nurses managing full nursing careers concurrently (Warner et al., 2020). I am confident that as the demands on my time persist, consistent use of these strategies and maintenance of boundaries will be important for my long term success and, most importantly, the safety of my patients each shift.
References
Southworth, J. (2022). Bridging critical thinking and transformative learning: The role of perspective-taking. Theory and Research in Education, 20(1), 44-63. https://doi.org/10.1177/14778785221090853
Underdown, K. O., McCabe, C. L., & McCabe, M. F. (2022). Creating and maintaining balance: Work-life balance, self-care, and mindfulness. In Handbook of Research on Future of Work and Education: Implications for Curriculum Delivery and Work Design (pp. 533-545). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-8275-6.ch031
Warner, A., Barrow, J., Berken, J., Williams, A., Davis, A., Hurst, H., & Riddle, K. (2020). The relationship among BSN students' employment, educational, and health-related characteristics and semester grades: A multi-site study. Journal of Professional Nursing, 36(5), 308-316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2020.01.005