The nurses in the movie: Nursing If Florence Could See Us Now, exemplified outstanding communication skills, were empathetic, paid close attention to detail, and were inspiring in their passion for what they do. Seeing this made me reflect on my own skills and where I am in my journey. I’ve come to understand that as a nurse I will always be refining my skills. Whether it is communicating, working in a team, or just listening to patients, there is always something to build on.
One patient population that stood out to me was the Native Americans. I do not have any experience working with this population however I thought it was interesting to learn more about how nurses may help them. These nurses talked about making 2-hour long trips one way just to make home visits. There was also a barrier with these patients who do not all believe in western medicine practices. Many of these patients believe in herbal remedies, so I thought it was helpful to learn about how nurses interact and educate these clients. It also showed a lot about the cultural competences you must have as a nurse to be respectful of their beliefs while also delivering quality care. Being more culturally competent is something I would like to improve upon as I know in the future I will be working with patients of all cultural backgrounds.
I will set myself apart in interviews through my passion to help others, to continue my education, and through my experiences. Some of my strengths are my time management skills, teamwork skills, and my ability to stay calm in stressful situations. Being on the football team during my time at UNE helps to justify these skills. As a football player and nursing student you must have great time management, organizational skills, and communication skills to get both done. I think this helps me to stand out and shows my commitment and passion for what I do.
Some weaknesses of mine are that I am hard on myself and can sometimes be too detail oriented. I find that I may dwell on certain things for too long. However, I have been working on improving these things through my experiences in clinical and in the classroom/lab each day.
