Elizabeth D'Amico
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Auburn University
Listed below are six outcomes set by Auburn School of Nursing. During nursing school, my education was based around these six outcomes, both in the classroom and clinical arena. I have included examples, as well as documents, to prove I have met these outcomes and am ready to enter the field as a novice nurse.
COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION
Competence in communication can make the difference in a mediocre nurse and an incredible nurse. During nursing school, effective communication was heavily stressed. Beginning in our very first semester, we attended a skills lab primarily focused around SBAR technique, and the importance of giving information in a way that was quick yet efficient. One particular exercise that greatly enhanced my communication skills was SMART training at the Baptist Simulation Center in Montgomery. Here, we learned the importance of speaking in an effective manner, not only with patients, but with other staff members and family members as well. Throughout the nursing program, we were encouraged to collaborate in groups, both in the classroom and during clinical. Usually, we were able to pick our groups for projects. One particular project was on Care Delivery Systems in different care facilites, and we were assigned partners. Although I didn't know my partner well at first, we collaborated effectively and ended up becoming great friends, even after the paper was complete. From this experience, I learned that stepping outside of my comfort zone could result in positive results and even lifelong friendships! This project shaped me both as a team member and a nurse. Click below to read our paper on care delivery systems in inpatient psychiatric facilities.
CRITICAL THINKING AND CLINICAL JUDGEMENT IN NURSING PRACTICE
One of the first things we learn as nursing students is the Nursing Process. Throughout my nursing school career, I made it my goal to think through this process when taking care of any patient in every setting. Walking into a patient's room, I would be lost if I didn't have a specific order in which to perform tasks. Prioritization as well as critical thinking are of utmost importance, especially when taking care of multiple patients. Also taught to us early on, care plans are something I will use throughout my nursing career. The importance of setting goals for patients and reevaluating these goals at the end of every shift is something that could not be taught to me, but something I had to experience myself in the clinical arena. Below is the first care plan assignment I completed first semester. Although messy, I quickly learned how to identify and prioritize problems that a patient may encounter.
Evidence Based Practice Presentation, 2013
SCHOLARSHIP FOR EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE
During my Evidence Based Practice course, I learned that nursing research is equally as important as working with patients at the bedside. Nursing cannot evolve without incorporation of new practices into the workplace. As the newest generation of nurses, it is both our duty and our responsibility to research the newest practices and work to incorporate this research into practice. I was given the opportunity during this course to work in a group to conduct extensive research and form a PICO question. Although I wasn't sure if I would enjoy research at first, I learned the importance of styaing up to date on the newest practices and the effect of these on patient outcomes, something that is vital to nurses today. We chose to research music therapy in pediatric cancer patients because many of us are interested in pediatric nursing. Our PICO question was "In pediatric patients undergoing cancer treatment (P), is music therapy (I) effective in reducing anxiety (O)?" After reviewing the research and developing a formal paper and poster, we were given the opportunity to present our research at the Auburn Hotel and Conference Center. This was an experience that developed public speaking skills and prepared us well to conduct research in the future. Click below to view our Evidence Based Practice project: Evaluating Effects of Music Therapy for Reducing Anxiety in Pediatric Cancer Patients
CLINICAL PREVENTION AND POPULATION HEALTH SKILLS
My award winning poster displayed in Auburn University's Veteran's Resource Center
Educating residents of Beauregard, Alabama on the etiology and risk factors associated with obestiy.
One of my favorite parts of nursing school was promoting healthy lifestyles in the community. Although many of us were disappointed to be outside of the hospital for a semester, I did my best to learn something from each and every patient. Through clinicals in HIV clinics, the Lee County Jail, and even weekend camps for children, I learned that every patient has a story. This class and the clinical experiences really assited me in developing my personal philosophy of nursing. During this course, we were given the opportunity to hold an intervention in a rural area of Alabama. After researching and composing a formal paper on the etiology of obesity, we were prepared to hold a health fair at a pharmacy in Beauregard, AL. Here, we performed blood pressure screenings, weight checks, and calculated body mass index. Through this class, I discovered my interest in community nursing and I hope to seek out opportunities to serve the community in the future. Additionally, I learned to how to be a leader in the community as well as education skills that will assist me in the future. Check out our formal paper on best practices for bariatric patients, and the flyer for our intervention in Beauregard, AL below. Another project that was particularly interesting was an educational poster contest. We were instructed to design a poster promoting the long-term effects of post-service veterans. I enjoyed this project because it allowed us to be creative, a skill that is often forgotten in nursing school!
DIVERSITY SKILLS
On March 7, 2014, I embarked on a trip I will never forget. Along with AUSON and Servants in Faith and Technology, I set out for Ecuador to participate in a medical mission trip. During my time there, we hosted a clinic for women and children in the heart of rural Quito. In the clinic, we performed exams, provided education for both the women and children, and perscribed and filled perscriptions. My experiences in Quito have molded me into a culturally competent nurse, a trait I could only truly gain by working in another country. Prior to our trip, I took a class on culture in which we collaborated with students from English as a Second Language. From this, I gained friends from Brazil and Korea that I am still in contact with today. Additionally, we participated in a Hispanic health fair and developed presentations on various cultures in order to better understand the world around us. The teaching scripts for the women and children are linked below. For more information on my trip to Ecuador, click on the AU in Ecuador tab.
LEADERSHIP SKILLS
Leadership Clinical, Spring 2014
Prior to nursing school, I didn't give much thought to the fact that nursing is associated with leadership. Through my two leadership courses, I learned the importance of leadership in the workplace, and how crucial it is that nurses strive to be change agents to increase productivity and patient outcomes. One particular project I enjoyed was interviewing the nurse manger of the East Alabama Medical Center Obstetrics floor in order to investigate the leadership strategies she found to be effective. We also explored the National Patient Safety Outcome of infection prevention on this particular unit. Our powerpoint is linked below. In addition to research projects such as this, we completed 48 hours of leadership clinical during my final semester. Each shift, one of us was assigned to be charge nurse over our peers. Through this experience, I learned how to keep track of multiple nurses' patients, and I learned time management and organization that I will carry with me into my nursing career.
FORMAL PAPER
During my final semester, we were given the opportunity to write a formal paper on the topic of our choice. Since social media is up and coming, especially in the field of healthcare, I decided to further explore the topic. Below is the abstract from my paper as well as the link to the full text:
The baby boomer population, as well as the rise in the prevalence of chronic illnesses, places extensive burdens on healthcare systems today. There is an increasing need for education, as well as time saving interventions in order to effectively manage these demands. With the utilization of technology as a backdrop for health today, social media is becoming increasingly relevant in the healthcare setting. Evidence based social media allows for patient and staff collaboration and communication worldwide, making it a topic worthy of further exploration. This paper describes the benefits and risks of the integration of social media in the healthcare setting and provides guidelines for safe assimilation with minimal breaches to patient confidentiality.
Keywords: social media, technology, Twitter, Facebook, blog