Relational Skills Reflection Paper Essay Example for Free

Relational Skills Reflection Paper Essay The purpose of this paper is to allow me, the learner to analyze and reflect on a video created between an actor and themselves. Using my knowledge obtained I was to effectively incorporate trust, respect, honesty and effective communication, as they are key principles in establishing a relationship with a client (RNAO, 2002). During this experience, I encountered an issue that I believe is significant in my development as a nurse. I was placed into a scenario involving a 47 year old patient named John, who was waiting to be discharged after suffering his first heart attack. Finding the patients quietly sitting in a chair watching the floor as I entered the room, I felt the need to be in the moment with him. The issue that seemed significant to pay attention to in this scenario was my patients feelings of being overwhelmed by his medical condition and the changes that needed to be made (Appendix A). Sitting within good distance and showing respectable body language showed him respect, while acknowledging he had my full attention was displayed to the patient by making comments such as yes and I understand (Appendix A). Through the use of open-ended questions, I was able to identify what was meaningful and concerning to john. John showed a lot of concern around his ability to care for himself so this doesnt happen again, and being able to support his family (Appendix A). Knowing his concerns, I was then able to acquire the necessary knowledge needed to participate effectively in our nurse-client relationship (RNAO). This experience has allowed me to develop further in my role as a nurse. My patients comment on how our encounter gave him more encouragement to face his challenges was proof that my communication methods were effective in developing a therapeutic relationship (Appendix A). The opportunity to set aside my own concerns and focusing on the patients, allowed me to be in the moment with the patients. In those moments, the experience helped me become a better nurse as my actions made me feel more confident after each successful encounter. Watching his facial expressions and drawing in his positive responses allowed me to watch him develop confidence in my ability to care and in turn, allowed me to develop confidence in myself (Appendix A). The significant actors in this experience were the individual playing the part of John and myself, the nurse attending to the patients needs. My role in the scenario was to identify the concerns of the patient and help them to obtain knowledge. Providing  resources for my patient gave him options that were specific to his concerns such as a well balanced diet and proper exercise. The options of meeting with a nutritionist to help make healthy meal choices, and with a physiotherapist to help develop custom exercises to take with him on the road encouraged John to change his routines (Appendix A). Taking note of my patients feelings of being overwhelmed by his heart attack, I was able to give him some comfort when offering to find an individual recovering from a heart attack that would be willing to sit down and share their life stories and methods of coping (Appendix A). The patients role in this experience was to help create a therapeutic relationship. I first observed my patient with her arms and legs crossed and staring down at the floor with concerned look on his face (Appendix A). Comparing the first image to the end of the scenario showed an individual that was interested in making a change, a smile on his face and as he stated, an encouraged perception of his health (Appendix A). The client was in need of direction and help with making the appropriate changes to ensure a healthy lifestyle after having his heart attack. I was able to provide her with resources such as a nutritionist, physiotherapist and social support to adjust to life changes (Appendix A). While meeting the needs of my patient, I was successful in completing my own personal needs. Coming into the experience with knowledge of possible resources available, the anxiety present upon introduction had disappeared after gaining acceptance from my patient through effective communication. The development of a therapeutic relationship allowed both the patient and I to gain from the experience. The patient left feeling encouraged and satisfied, as I felt successful and confident in how I handled the situation (appendix A). Before the taping of the scenario began, I was trying to achieve the perfect scenario while presenting a professional image of a nurse. I acted the way I did due to the lack of experience in the spotlight and I allowed my nerves affect my thought process. This is demonstrated throughout the entire video as I kept returning to the same question are there any concerns you have, and trying to solve the patients problem instead of helping them understand and cope with the emotions that are attached to the experience (Appendix A). My feelings, thoughts and responses during this experience were influenced  by my personal view and the presence of my preceptor placed me in a nervous state to which I became unsure of how to respond properly to my patients thoughts. This experience allowed me to feel capable of my skill levels and feel confident as a nurse. Overall this scenario showed perception of my growth through the friendly gestures and facial expressions of the patient. Anxiety and stress diminish communication, interpersonal effectiveness and empathy within a nurse-patient relationship (Beddoe and Murphy, 2004). Lack the knowledge and understanding of why I am feeling this anxiety, even with positive reflections on my experience, allowed me to evaluate what I did wrong. Future encounters will help me to reflect on the scenario and blindside my anxiety before it has an effect on my actions. Having a limited amount of empirical knowledge made it challenging to let the patient know exactly what to expect after having a heart attack and what daily routines have to be adjusted. Obtaining empirical knowledge from my education regarding the components of a nurse-client relationship reminded me that I needed to place the power into my patient and develop respect and trust within the relationship (CNO, 2004). Personal knowledge was limited in this scenario as it was my first time being placed in the spotlight with a patient and I was unsure of how everything would unfold. Introducing my aesthetic knowledge was shown when I offered to find John an individual recovering from a heart attack that he could speak with (Appendix A). Throughout the experience, I became more aware of the patients feelings as I picked up on Johns overwhelmed feelings and concerns around providing for his wife and son (Appendix A). This perception of the experience is seen as John believe that he should have seen the heart attack coming before it occurred (Appendix A). He stated the he felt encouraged by this experience and felt he had more options to seek. The wife was more of a background actor, but was said to be a sweet woman, who has helped a lot throughout the experience (Appendix A). Valuing ones beliefs and concerns based on an experience is something all nurses should consider. Giving John multiple options and resources to consider instead of telling him what he has to do, have given him the power to make all the necessary changes within his life with the help of his wife and son (Appendix A). If I was given the opportunity to be placed in a similar situation in the  future, I believe that my anxiety would still be present, but more control over the situation would be noticeable due to the knowledge I have developed on therapeutic relationships. The relationship skills that I could have performed differently during this experience, was my self-awareness of human emotions. My nerves had played a role in distracting my train of thought when trying to be in the moment with the patient. Repeatedly asking the patient if he had any other concerns he would like to address may have given him the feeling of being rushed and that I was not interested in how he was feeling emotionally (Appendix A). On a few occasions, I would finish my patients sentence for him as I felt he was stuck for words, this may have allowed the patient to know I was listening to what he was saying, but also might have given him the idea that I was being rude (Appendix A). During the introduction stage of the experience, my patient told me he was in the hospital due to a heart attack. Empathy is the appreciation of the patients emotions and expression of awareness of what they are presenting (Haslam, 2007). My nerves caused me to overlook his feelings and just right into asking him about any concerns he might have with his state of health (Appendix A). It is possible to slip into a task-and time-orientated way of thinking to get jobs done, thereby neglecting effective communication with patients (Cocker, 2008). Consequences that may have developed from overlooking the patients feelings was the challenge of developing a closer relationship with the client as I was interested in obtaining information to help me solve his problems. Rushing my patient through the experience may have caused him to close himself off from the relationship as he may have felt that I was not listening to what he was truly feeling. This would leave the patient in the same state he had entered the experience with. The sources of knowledge that I could use to enhance my relational skills in these areas, is to take the time to practice with a partner a variety of scenarios that would help me develop my communication skills and place more focus on the patients feelings. The outcome of this experience was positive as my patient left feeling more encouraged and had obtained multiple resources to help him incorporate any changes that he may need to adjust within his daily routines (Appendix A). Looking back at this experience I was able to reflect on all of the positive  and negative aspects of a therapeutic relationship. I feel that the next time I am placed in a similar experience, I will be able to blindside my anxiety and personal thoughts and feelings. In turn, I would have the ability to be in the moment with my patients and address not only how I can help solve his problems, but also the feelings and thoughts being experienced. I have learnt that having self awareness identifies what skills I possess and those I need to learn and develop on. Self awareness provides nurses with knowledge of their thoughts, feelings and what they do to become awareness of issues that may affect their ability to intervene effectively (Parsons White, 2008). There will always be room to learn and improve my skills, and with practice, I will get the chance to watch them become second nature to me. This experience has taught me to avoid all the barriers such as the presence of anxiety in new situations. With confidence in creating an effective therapeutic relationship, I can focus on being in the moment with the patient. I have learnt that my anxiety can affect my interactions with patients, and that it is more than trying to solve the patients problems, it is about showing you care and being there in the moment to listen. This experience has allowed me to realize how a nurses action can affect the development of a therapeutic relationship. My ethical knowledge allowed me to recognize my patients overwhelmed feelings due to his health condition and by following my values and beliefs, I knew that he was in need of someone to care and help guide him in the right direction. Using my aesthetic knowledge, I was able to think of possible resources for my patient, and the creative idea of finding a previous heart attack patient showed my patient that I was willing to take that extra s tep and comfort his feelings. The knowledge gained from this experience can be incorporated into future situations and will allow for proper adjustments and better relationships to be developed. Lacking empirical knowledge before entering the scenario was a barrier that challenged my patient care. Knowing more information on heart attacks would have allowed me to present the patient with more options and what he could expect in the future (RNAO, 2002). Acknowledging my personal knowledge gathered from previous experiences, I considered how I would like to be treated and that anxiety would be present. Knowing this helped me to reduce my fidgeting and respect my patient by actively listening and keeping eye contact (Appendix A). This experience  will influence my future practice as a nurse because I have learnt that nursing is more than working on fixing the patients physical needs, but is more of an ethical interaction where you can take the time to be there in the moment with them. Looking at each experience as a stepping stone toward my success as a nurse and with each successful hurdle crossed, I can confidently await the next. â€Æ'Reference Beddoe, A., and Murphy, S. (2004). Does Mindfulness Decrease Stress and Foster Empathy Among Nursing Students? Journal of Nursing Education, 43(7), 305-12. Retrieved April 4, 2008, from ProQuest Nursing Allied Health Source database. (Document ID: 669281021). Carper, B.A. (1978) Fundamental Patterns of Knowing in Nursing. New York. Aspen Publishers, Inc. Cocker, J. (2008). Patient dignity. Nursing Standard, 22(25), 59-60. Retrieved April 4, 2008, from ProQuest Nursing Allied Health Source database. (Document ID: 1440306621). College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO), (2004, January). CNO Practice Standard: Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship. Retrieved February 15, 2008, from http://cno.org/docs/prac/41033_Therapeutic.pdfHaslam, N. (2007). Humanising medical practice: the role of empathy. Medical Journal of Australia, 187(7), 381-2. Retrieved April 4, 2008, from ProQuest Nursing Allied Health Source database. (Document ID: 1374608891). Parsons,A., and White, J. (2008). Learning from reflection on intramuscular injections. Nursing Standard, 22(17), 35-40. Retrieved April 4, 2008, from ProQuest Nursing Allied Health Source database. (Document ID: 1413949861). Registered Nurses of Ontario (RNAO), (2002, Novemeber). Best Practice Guidelines: Establishing Therapeutic Relationships. Retrieved January 15, 2008 from http://www.rnao.org/bestpractices/completed_guidelines/BPG_Guide_C2_TR.asp

Brother Grim Taking The Merry Out Of Fairy Tales Essay -- essays resea

After reading the Brothers Grim version of â€Å"Cinderella† and viewing the film version of â€Å"Cinderella†, Everafter, one can distinguish precise differences between the these two similar stories. Both versions tell of a young maiden whose mother died when she was young and is then tormented by her stepmother and her two stepsisters who enslave her in her own home and force her to sleep among the ashes of the fireplace. Yet, both stories vary greatly when it comes to the content of the tales. The Brothers Grim version portrays Cinderella as a young, defenseless woman who submits to her stepmothers every wish and endears harsh punishment for any insolence she may show towards her. Another difference in the Brothers story is that Cinderella’s father is still living and does nothing to protect his daughter from the brutal treatment inflicted upon her by her stepfamily. Cinderella’s only comfort is the friendship she has developed between the wild animals that live outside her home.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unlike, the Brothers Grim version Everafter portrays Cinderella as a headstrong orphan who becomes a heroine by standing up for herself even though it may result in punishment. Like the Cinderella in the Brothers story she is tormented by ...

Controversial issues in psychology Essay

Controversial issues in psychology are those that cause the greatest concern within both psychology and within society as a whole. Advertising uses techniques of persuasion to manipulate people’s behaviour in the desired direction of the perpetrator of the persuasive message, which uses invasive and exploitative techniques and try to show that social norms and values are not always for the best. Advertisements are a set of shorthand signals about products we are to buy and the circumstances we would use them in. They are a ready source of stereotypes, sexual, regional and cultural, e. g. families are always happy and adults are always employed. The first advertisement on TV in the UK was for Gibbs SR’s toothpaste. The ad has become an icon of the consumer age, and psychologists have become increasingly fascinated by the art of persuading people, despite its controversies. What persuades people to buy or use the advertiser’s product or service is how the advert makes them feel, i. e. the meaning we attach to the advert. However the advert is interpreted by the individual, the impact of any advertisement is what it means to us. The author invites us to participate in constructing a meaning for the advert. O’Barr (1994) suggests that advertisers create an advertisement for us to use as a skeleton to add flesh to and breathe life into. Another area controversy in advertising is that it is difficult to disentangle the impact of advertising from other influences that might be current at that time. Hedges (1982) points out that to the consumers, advertising is just part of their background – advertisements form just one part of the sensory bombardment that we experience every day. We cannot stop to evaluate every piece of sensory input, so for the most part, advertisements are relegated to fairly low levels of consciousness. Advertisers use many psychological theories to make their work successful, including associating their product with a particular emotion or image. A need for an item must be created, therefore we must be motivated. In the case of pre-existing needs, such as for bread, the motive must be to buy a particular brand (e. g. through price, quality). Where there is no pre-existing need, it must be created, as in the case of children’s toys. Neurological research has shown that the left hemisphere of the brain is more concerned with ‘practical’ functions such as language, where styles of response are, foe example, verbal and analytic. The right hemisphere is more concerned with spatial, imaginative processing, where responses concern feelings and are, perhaps, unconscious. Lannon and Cooper (1983) suggested that because of this, much advertising is geared towards the right hemisphere. Fast marketing is a relatively new approach, which targets those that have developed brand loyalty and become offensive when they are offered a new alternative. This creates problems for advertisers trying to target new groups, so a blitz of free samples is distributed (fast marketing) so that everyone has a chance of trying out the new product. Consumers are then more likely to change their attitudes or opinions about the product, and so the advertisers will have succeeded. People are also more easily persuaded to change their minds after witnessing testimonials or adverts which use someone who they think is admirable or attractive, such as sports heroes or actresses (Pratkanis and Aronson, 1992). Advertisers typically pair an attractive person or item (unconditioned stimulus) with their product (conditioned stimulus) to produce a positive attitude towards their product (conditioned response). This helps to give positive attitudes towards the products.

What Does Eastern Religions Mean For Americans - 1397 Words

â€Å"What does Eastern Religions mean to Americans?† Starting in the 19th century, Buddhism began to make its way to America through the immigration of the Chinese whom brought their religious traditions with them. Buddhism continued to gain popularity in America when Buddhist texts, as well as Buddhist teachers, were brought here to share and spread their religion. It wasn’t until the late 1950’s/early 1960’s that we see the interest in Buddhism, particularly Zen Buddhism, blossom throughout the country. Through the memoir â€Å"Sacred Hoops† by Phil Jackson, an NBA player and coach, we are able to see how Zen Buddhism not only altered his life, as well as his players, but how the religion also adapts to American culture. From reading both â€Å"Sacred Hoops† and learning about Buddhism throughout this semester, I would argue that Eastern religions, specifically Zen Buddhism, is not only a way for Americans to escape the reality of American culture but also provides a complete alternative to Christianity and other similar religions that are predominate in America. Phil Jackson was born into a family of strict Pentecostal Christians. Both his mother and father were practicing ministers of the â€Å"Assemblies of God† so life as a child was stricter than most. Things like Television and movies weren’t allowed in his household, so sports, including basketball, was the one way that Phil and his brothers would get to participate in â€Å"normal† childhood activities. Even though Phil grew up in aShow MoreRelatedA Democracy Of The Middle East1304 Words   |  6 PagesThe Arab world is moving towards a democracy that accurately reflects the values of Islam. 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