Describe a clinical experience that was troubling to you. Describe what bothered you about the experience and what could have you done differently utilizing critical thinking.
The most troubling clinical experience that I encountered was educating patients about the management of illnesses. I always consider myself a practical student, and I enjoy engaging in practical activities like handling patients and medication. On the contrary, I fear addressing people, especially in a congregation. I consider myself not a good speaker, and whenever I have to address a group of people, I take so much time to prepare. Although it is my responsibility as a nursing student to ensure that patients understand their health, illnesses, treatments, and medications, patient education programs have proved to be one of the most troubling activities for me.
My biggest concern is the fear that I may deliver the information in a manner that is not understandable to my listeners. While some patients listen attentively and ask questions whenever necessary to seek clarity, some of them are stubborn and uncooperative. Besides, I pity patients because of their conditions, and thus I sympathize with them even when they do not act as I would expect or when they become stubborn. The problem is usually worse when dealing with a community with a different culture. Some patients would feel like you are unwilling to help because of cultural differences. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
One method of solving communication breakdown between practitioners and patients is engaging in effective communication skills. For instance, I learned that I need to allow patients or the community I am educating to share their views too. Many people want to be listened to and let the other party talk gives them the feeling that you value their opinion. Another strategy is to engage in practical activities with the patients. For instance, I would share a word of prayer with religious patients or listeners to gain their confidence and make communication more efficient. Lastly, it is important to be clear and complete to win the confidence of the patients or the community.
Ways in which patients, families, individual clinicians, health care teams, and systems can contribute to promoting safety and reducing errors.
Patient safety is a shared responsibility, and different parties play essential roles in healthcare delivery. In the past patients were passive recipients of healthcare, since they believed that medical practitioners were all-knowing and perfect. As a result, explanations for illnesses and conditions, surgical intervention, diagnostics tests, and different methods of medication went unquestioned. Today patients contribute to the process of delivering care in several ways. Today patients understand their rights and healthcare institutions and practitioners understand the consequences of violating the patient’s autonomy and thus engage the patients throughout the process of delivering care.
Individual clinicians have always been at the forefront of ensuring patient safety since nursing is a knowledge-based profession. The nursing profession is based on social sciences, philosophy, ethics, and nursing sciences that entail the biomedical, behavioural, economic, and physical aspects. As a result, nurses are trained to use critical thinking and knowledge when delivering care to promote the safety of the individuals receiving the care. Another way in which clinicians promote patient safety is by establishing a caring relationship with the patients that supports health and healing. On the other hand, healthcare teams like physicians, nursing educators, administrators, and researchers ensure patient safety in various ways including advocating for better healthcare conditions in hospitals and finding more improved ways of delivering care.
Families ensure patient safety by encouraging the patient to abide by the practitioner’s instructions. When patients are uncooperative, clinicians invite their family members to intervene in their behaviours. The method is usually effective since patients are more likely to believe their family members as opposed to clinicians who are strangers. Families also ensure patient safety by taking care of patients at home and ensuring that they take their medication as prescribed.
Factors that create a culture of safety
The are several factors and activities that promote safety in healthcare delivery. One of the events includes incorporating user-centred designs. The design approaches visibility by proving clearly written directions. It also approaches constraint in that it limits the chances of doing the wrong thing. Another way of incorporating user-centred design is by creating affordance by indicating how an activity is to be performed. Another activity that promotes a culture of safety is avoiding reliance on memory. Practitioners are encouraged to follow protocols and checklists that serve as a reminder of the steps to be followed.
Attending to work safety is another way of promoting a culture of safety. Different factors affect patient safety in healthcare institutions, including work hours, work-loads, distractions, staffing ratios, interruptions. Many institutions have discovered the problem of interruptions and devised various methods of handling interruptions, including clinicians having to wear vests with words warning of interruptions. Another factor that promotes a culture of safety is avoiding reliance on vigilance. This is achieved through activities such as rotating staffs or having well-designed alarm systems to differentiate serious issues from less-serious ones.
More factors that promote a culture of safety include training team collaboration. Teamwork is an efficient way of promoting safety since it enables clinicians to share information and advise each other on best practices. Anticipating the unexpected also helps to promote a culture of safety since it keeps clinicians on high alert. Moreover, increasing organizational vigilance promotes safer care by preparing unforeseen breakdowns in the system.