Reflecting on the past three years of nursing school, I am amazed in the growth of my

skills and knowledge. Re-reading my personal philosophy paper from NUR 1100, I realize how
my view of nursing has changed over the last three years. My view of nursing was rooted in
experiences I had in third world countries and I very much in the mindset of saving the world
and working to fight global health disparities. Overtime, I have learned that there is so much
more to nursing care and I have come to respect the career more than ever. I did not realize the
actual scope of nursing practice and how much nurses shape the healthcare profession. Nursing
started to mean more to me than handholding and giving medicine. Now I see nursing as a career
in which nurses serve as advocates, caregivers, case managers, and holistic medical practitioners.
I regularly reflect back on my experiences in my first competencies course. I remember
how overwhelming learning all of the skill competencies was and how dependent I felt on my
classmates. I was constantly second guessing myself. I never felt as if I was doing anything
correctly and the only way I would go into a patients room to get a set of vital signs was with
my nursing school best friend. I remember awkwardly fumbling with blood pressure cuffs and
thermometer probes, asking nurses how to empty a Foley bag. I remember going in to give my
first bed bath with the same nursing school best friend and the two of us looking at each other
like deer in the headlights. It is unbelievable to me that in just three short years I have progressed
to the point I am now, feeling as if I could get a full-set of vitals in my sleep and effortlessly give
that same man a bed bath in less than five minutes. On the floor I work on as a Patient Care
Technician (PCT), I see students in the same competencies class and wonder how much more or
less awkward I was as I watch them get vital signs. In these moments I appreciate how far I have
come in my skills development and how thankful I am that Bon Secours Health System (BSHSI)
works so well with their students to find them PCT jobs after the same competencies class is
completed.

Working as a PCT has allowed me to develop basic care skills that I would not otherwise
have the time to perfect. Even with all of the clinical experience Bon Secours Memorial College
of Nursing (BSMCON) provides us, I seriously doubt that I would have the same level of
comfort of basic care practices without having had experience as a PCT. Working as a PCT on a
general surgery floor I have had opportunities to see a variety of postoperative patients and
participate in their care. I have gained a level of confidence in performing vital signs, assisting
patients with activities of daily living (ADLs), and emptying Foleys and drains. The confidence I
have gained as my interactions with patients increase, has noticeably translated over into my
clinical courses.
As I am in my final clinical immersion course, I am slowly starting to notice as I integrate
course material and previous experiences from clinical and work. For example, I have taken care
of multiple abdominal pain patients in the Emergency Room (ER) with my preceptor. When
caring for these patients I recall course material from Health Assessment and Adult Nursing
Science (ANS) II. I remember to auscultate all four bowel quadrants, which quadrant represents
which organs, the differences between epigastric pain versus right lower quadrant (RLQ) pain,
and the different interventions for possible abdominal pain diagnoses. My preceptor has further
taught me that when females that come in and present with abdominal pain it is necessary to ask
about their menstrual history, if they are having discharge and to consider pelvic problems that
may present as a gastrointestinal (GI) issue. I recall pertinent labs (WBC, lipase, etc.) and which
labs may be signs of problems with certain organ systems. One patient in particular came in
presenting with RLQ pain we wound up admitting to St. Francis operating room (OR) for an
appendectomy. In this case, I reflected on my experiences at work as a PCT, as we see many
appendectomy and cholecystectomy postoperative patients. I used the opportunity to talk to the
patient about what to expect postoperatively such as early ambulation, incentive spirometry, and

pain management and I took the time to explain to her that she would be up and feeling better in
no time. This was one of the first times I felt as if my coursework, clinical, work, and immersion
experiences came together and culminated in my ability to confidently care for this patient.
With these experiences in mind, I realize that my journey as a nurse is just beginning and
that I have so much more growth to look forward to. I am learning something new every day at
my preceptorship and recognize more and more that by being a nurse I am committed to a
lifetime of learning. I look forward to continuing to develop my skills and further cultivate my
critical thinking skills. I look forward to gaining more clinical experience, because the more
experience I have in the clinical setting, the more I will be able to draw on said experiences to
develop my nursing practice.