The talk about mental health has increased in the recent years with the COVID-19 pandemic and the issues that surround it. We have seen an increase in drug abuse, job loss, and families struggling to meet their needs. This added stress from the pandemic has taken a drastic toll on the mental health of Americans which is why we must continue to promote it and get people the help that they need. I personally think that there is a negative stigmatism around mental health. I think that people are afraid to come forward about their own struggles because they are ashamed of being looked down on or looked at in a negative manner. This can be due to cultural/religious norms or even pressure from surrounding peers. What makes matters worse is that these emotions and feelings become bottled up and by the time they reach out for help the situation is worse than it was before. We must continue to talk about mental health so people can become more comfortable with opening up about it and so that we can continue to learn more about it.
Author: elangland (Page 3 of 4)
This influence paper discusses the use of cannabis for patients with Parkinson’s disease. This paper uses scholarly sources to examine evidence of its effectiveness and use for clinical practice. An excerpt is included below:
“Cannabis may further reduce the symptoms of PD by acting on the CB1 receptors, which in turn, may alleviate the effects of tremors and improve movement (Babayeva et al., 2016). Patients suffering from PD look to use cannabis as a therapeutic treatment option in addition to standard therapy with the anticipation that their symptoms will greatly decrease in comparison to
typical standard medical treatment”
This semester has brought many challenges through the COVID-19 pandemic. Adjusting to online learning and last second changes in scheduling have been difficult challenges that we all have had to endure. However, with these challenges, I believe that we have have become more resilient and better off in the long run. As nurses we must always be ready for the unexpected. Things happen with patients and we need to be able to think on the fly and take the appropriate action. Our team influence paper has also been a challenge. Having a partner to work on it with was certainly helpful because we were able to work off of each other. Each person contributed to the project in their own way and had their own strengths and ideas which were valuable our proposal. Overall, I felt like I learned what it means to be apart of a team and to contribute to a team. Working through challenges was never easy but being on a team helped us get by them. Lastly, I have learned a lot about nursing research and education. These skills I have learned throughout the semester will help me in my future as a nurse and as student as I progress throughout nursing school.
My understanding of the nurse’s contribution to ethical conduct of research and implementation of research findings has not changed. I think that this has further developed my understanding of this. It is important for nurses to know the historical evolution and principles of research ethics because we need to understand how we got to where we are. We have to learn from previous mistakes and learn not to repeat them. Preventing future complications and mistakes from happening is critical to patient care. My achievement of the course objectives have helped me to become a better nursing researcher as well as more experience/informed on evidenced based research and the implications of it. These studies and taking part in them improve patient quality of care and helps to guide the nurse to make the best decisions for their patients.
Ethics and the nursing profession go hand in hand. Everyday nurses experience ethical situations or dilemmas that they have to work through. Nurses guide patients through different treatment options and voice their concerns. They take into account the patients cultural background, religion, and beliefs to provide them with optimal care. By participating in evidence based studies, nurses can ensure they will provide the best care possible. Using the best treatment options for the client will have a positive impact on their overall quality of stay and treatment.
The use of cannabis as a treatment for different diseases /disorders has always been an interesting subject to me. In our research, we look at the use of cannabis as a treatment for Parkinson’s Disease. As a disease with no known cure, this was something that interested us as cannabis is a relatively new alternative medicine. We found a variety of articles that both supported the use of cannabis and some that were not against it but stated that more research had to be done. Overall, we agreed that there was a growing support for cannabis as a treatment. This can also be shown with the increasing number of states legalizing cannabis and the continuous research being done.
The critical appraisal supported what I expected. Although some articles still recommend further research, I think overall, there was more evidence in favor of the use of cannabis. Both my teammate and I know people who suffer from this disease. We have seen this disease in person and have come to have a better understanding of it. Our research is compelling but could still use more evidence as it would always be beneficial. Writing this paper has been a challenge. I think both my partner and I bring our own unique ideas/styles to the table and are able to work off of each other. Overcoming the challenges of writing this paper will ultimately benefit us in the end and I look forward to submitting our final work.
After development of our PICOT question and retrieving our peer reviewed articles we found that we needed some revising. We had to widen our searches to find more articles that would fit our topic and strengthen our theory. This was a challenge to find articles however, after in class activities we were able to gain a better understanding of what to look for. We were able to find good information and connect different articles together for our topic. This was not easy at first but we improved as we continued our research and became more familiar with what to look for. This project has been challenging so far but we will continue to overcome as we progress through this journey.
This team project will be accomplished by staying organized, careful planning, and keeping each other accountable. Because I live with my group member, doing this will be much easier. We will be able to communicate/share ideas easily as well as give each other immediate feedback on assignments. Also, working as a team on this project will help me in my future on a healthcare team. It is crucial to be able to work together with people. This will only further develop my communication skills and my career. I am looking forward to this journey and shaping my future as a nurse.
This artwork stuck out to me because it showed three healthcare workers helping a patient. I think this captured what it means to be a nurse and part of a healthcare team. Each person plays an important role in taking care of the patient and everyone has their own responsibilities. This image shows the caring response from a passionate team of workers and reminds us of what it means to be a nurse. The reason I have always wanted to become a nurse is because I like to help others. I like to make people feel cared for and to put a smile on their face. This is an art and takes time to develop. From building relationships with patients and their families, to applying your clinical skills towards your practice. It all comes together as one in your patient care. I am excited to further my education and to make a difference in my patients lives for many years to come.
Source:
Gregg Chadwick, Collection UCLA School of Nursing
Module 1: Testing and Remediation Reflection
This module provided helpful tips and strategies for test taking. Developing these skills is crucial for success in future exams and the NCLEX. My biggest takeaway from this module was the importance of critical reading and focusing on key words. It can be easy to read through a question quickly and miss important information. By carefully reading each question and its options, then highlighting key phrases, this will help you focus on what each question is presenting. This ensures that nothing in the question is missed and the best answer is given. These skills will help me improve my critical reading and test taking skills in the future.
Module 2: Nursing Concepts Reflection
My biggest takeaway from module 2 was the use of evidence based practice and the importance of leadership. Evidence based practice promotes optimum care of patients, provides different client care options, and validates the effectiveness of nursing interventions. Using EBP in my future will help me give the best possible care to my clients. Also, leadership is important in nursing. Being a leader involves being honest, trustworthy, a good communicator/listener, positive, confident, and persistent. These qualities will not only help me in being a good nurse but it will help my clients and co-workers around me.
Module 3: Priority Setting Framework
My biggest takeaway from this module was the importance of safety and risk reduction. Identifying the safety risks of the client is a crucial part of nursing. There are two different types of risks. External risks are in the client’s environment and internal risks are laboratory values/vital signs outside expected reference range. Assessing these risks is vital to the well being of your patient and makes you a better nurse.
Module 4: Knowledge and Clinical Judgement
Pharmacology related nursing interventions was my biggest takeaway from this module. Administering drugs and evaluating patients based on the drugs you give is a huge part of nursing. Knowing what to do when drugs react negatively can be the difference between life and death in some instances. Also, as pharmacology relates to nursing, educating the client on proper drug use is very important to your patients well being. Teaching them certain drugs and foods to avoid is an essential part of the process. Lastly, promoting client adherence is important to making sure your patient understands why they need to receive treatment because it is always the client that comes first.
