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Praxis Reflective Essay

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Institution

Course

Instructor

Date of Submission
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Look Back

This week, I taught an elementary school class on personal hygiene. The lesson focused

on topics like hand washing, teeth brushing, and cleanliness. I paid attention to how the pupils

responded and how involved they were in the lesson. To make the material more approachable

and interesting for young learners, I also researched other teaching strategies, such as employing

music and descriptive tactics. During this time, I also read up on the topic to better inform my

approach to teaching elementary school students about personal cleanliness. The events of this

week have given me valuable insight into the dynamics of teaching health topics to youngsters

and the significance of using innovative teaching methods.

Elaboration

My approach and viewpoint have significantly changed because of my recent

engagement with teaching elementary students about personal hygiene. First, being a part of the

community and interacting with the students gave me a personal look at the students' varied

experiences and requirements. This experience forced me to modify my teaching style to

accommodate my students' wide range of knowledge and cultural backgrounds. Incorporating

musical aspects into my teaching, such as memorable songs on handwashing and dental care,

dramatically boosted student engagement and recall of the subject (Debreceny, 2021). This

change was motivated by my research into efficient teaching methods in the health education

field. It reaffirmed that the key to accomplishing educational objectives is to adapt teaching

strategies to the needs of the individual.

In addition, critical analysis of my nursing practice has shown me the crucial importance

of quality health education in reducing the prevalence of disease and increasing the quality of life
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for children. In addition to being a preventative tool, instructing young people in the basics of

personal hygiene equips them with a set of skills that will serve them well throughout their lives

(Soleymani et al., 2021). The significance of early intervention and education in the realm of

health care has been highlighted in my thinking and action because of this realization. Though I

may have started off more lecture based, I've now developed a more engaging and interactive

approach to teaching. As I've gotten older, I've realized how important it is to instill in children a

passion for health and wellness from a young age. My engagement with teaching personal

hygiene has resulted in a substantial shift in my thinking as well as the development of novel

strategies for encouraging health-conscious behavior among students.

Analysis

My views and sentiments regarding the neighborhood and surrounding area have changed

considerably in recent times. At first, I took a clinical approach to this engagement, with a focus

on providing individualized treatment for each client. But as I connected with the elementary

students and the community at large, I came to feel an immense need to look out for their best

interests. My work in the community shifted from being just contextual to becoming its primary

focus. Studies such as (Drennan & Ross, 2019) support this paradigm change. In order to meet

the health requirements of various populations, community-focused nursing plays a crucial role,

as is highlighted in the article. The more I think about it, the more I realize that community

health nursing is more than just a job description; it's a promise to improve people's health in the

most fundamental ways.

After considering my professional experience, I have come to recognize the critical

function of health education in primary prevention. It has shown the need of beginning a person's

education and intervention in their health at an early age. Perhaps in the past, I took a more
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conventional approach to therapeutic work, with a focus on clinical treatments. My new way of

thinking, on the other hand, places a strong emphasis on education and health promotion as

essential elements of holistic treatment. This change represents a transition from a reactive to a

proactive frame of thinking, with an increased focus on encouraging people to take responsibility

for their own health. This is a major shift in how I approach nursing, motivated by my conviction

that promoting health in the larger community and fostering agency in patients go hand in hand.

Revision: So, What?

The value of what I've learned from teaching personal hygiene to elementary school

students is the potential for it to revolutionize my nursing career. The importance of nurses in

community health education and prevention is highlighted. This has shown me how crucial it is

to tailor my teaching strategies to each individual student and to use a variety of tactics. As a

result, I will be making some adjustments to the way I practice nursing. With a greater focus on

health promotion, it will develop into a more comprehensive and community-centered approach.

My work will coincide with the larger mission of creating healthier communities via the use of

individualized approaches to education and preventative measures.

New Application of Learning: Now What?

Having gained this knowledge, I want to put it to good use. To provide the best possible

health education, I will continue to use interactive and culturally appropriate teaching techniques.

In addition, I want to include community engagement into my nursing practice with a focus on

early intervention and the empowerment of people to make educated decisions about their health.

In the clinic and the community, I want to be an agent of change in people's habits. With this
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dedication to preventative health education as my compass, I will work toward improving the

health of my community and the world at large.

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References

Debreceny, A. (2021). Synthesizing school curriculum and song: a practice-led model for

creating educational songs for children (Doctoral dissertation, University of the Sunshine

Coast, Queensland). https://research.usc.edu.au/esploro/outputs/doctoral/Synthesizing-

school-curriculum-and-song-a/99608208902621?institution=61USC_INST

Soleymani, M. R., Hemmati, S., Ashrafi-Rizi, H., & Shahrzadi, L. (2017). Comparison of the

effects of storytelling and creative drama methods on children's awareness about personal

hygiene. Journal of education and health promotion, 6.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5651658/

Drennan, V. M., & Ross, F. (2019). Global nurse shortages: the facts, the impact and action for

change. British medical bulletin, 130(1), 25-37.

https://eprints.kingston.ac.uk/43086/6/Drennan-V-43086-AAM.pdf