Running head: PROFESSIONAL PROGRESS SUMMARY 1

Professional Progress Summary

Danielle Beard

Old Dominion University, School of Nursing

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The purpose of this paper is to provide an in depth overview of the skills, knowledge, and

overall academic growth that I have gained over the past two years in nursing school here at Old

Dominion University. During orientation in August of 2017, I was introduced to the eight core

competencies of the program which included critical thinking, nursing practice, communication,

teaching, research, leadership, professionalism, and culture. These eight concepts were the basis

of my nursing education and allowed me to grow and develop my nursing practice in a well-

rounded way. In each of my clinical logs, papers, and other assignments, I have in some way

demonstrated growth and knowledge in these topics. This is evident throughout my nursing

portfolio. This paper allows for me to go into more detail about my professional growth and

development as a student at Old Dominion University as I prepare to graduate and begin my

career.

Critical Thinking

In the beginning of my junior year, I had a very limited idea of what critical thinking

truly entailed. I was introduced to the concept in my foundations course, where I was told that

this would be one of the most foundational skills that I would learn throughout nursing school.

My critical thinking skills were very minimal during my first three semesters in the program.

My very first clinical log, I wrote about how my patient needed to have her pain treated so it

would be decreased down to a manageable level as she had just had surgery. This is much more

along the lines of common sense rather than using my nursing judgement to make decisions.

Throughout my senior year, especially my last semester, my critical thinking skills increased

significantly, as I was able to piece together all the knowledge I had learned throughout school

so far. I was able to assess a patient, look at their presenting signs and symptoms, and adjust their

care accordingly. For example, while on the pediatric ICU, I was able to adjust and titrate
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medications based on the patient’s blood pressure, sedation scores, and others. By the end of my

role transition clinical, I was making decisions independently, checking with my supervising

nurse, and caring for patients largely on my own. I was making clinically sound decisions that

resulted in better outcomes for my patient.

Nursing Practice

Throughout my junior year, I was still acquiring the basic skills and knowledge of

nursing care. During our first semester, I was taught how to do a thorough head to toe

assessment and this was the main tool I utilized during my clinical rotations. During my first

two semesters especially, I found that I was nervous about whether or not I had performed the

assessment correctly or if I had forgotten an area of the body to assess, such as the eye exam. As

I progressed through the program and began my senior year, I realized that while a head to toe

exam is a useful and thorough way to examine a client, a system-focused exam is much more

time-effective and allows for a more in-depth look of the patient’s condition. In addition to

assessments, as I progressed to my senior year of school, I became much more comfortable with

things like nursing-led interventions and the overall management of care.

Communication

During my junior year, communication with other nurses and doctors was a struggle for

me. I had a difficult time knowing when it was and wasn't okay to ask questions or talk to the

provider. I was often timid and didn’t want to interrupt their busy days. With patients,

communication came much easier, as I have always been an empathetic person and enjoy talking

to be people about their lives and what they are going through.

By my senior year, I had much more confidence about discussing patients with the unit

staff, including the physicians. I understood my role as a student nurse and felt comfortable in it.
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By my last semester, I was often the one letting the attending physician or resident know about

abnormal vital signs, lab values, and other pertinent care information. I feel as though I grew

significantly in this area and it allowed for me to expand my knowledge as a soon to be graduate

nurse.

Teaching

At the start of my nursing education, I felt severely underqualified to teach patients in the

clinical setting. I felt as though I had little to no knowledge of nursing or medical care and was

not equipped to teach someone else how to take care of themselves. I struggled with even

teaching a patient how to use an incentive spirometer, as I felt awkward and uncomfortable,

unsure as to whether or not I was communicating the correct information to my patient.

As I am now at the end of my undergraduate program, I feel as though this is still a

struggle of mine. Although I have come very far and developed this skill over the years, I still

feel as though it is difficult for me to convey the information needed to the client without using

medical jargon. As I worked with children in my last semester, this was made even more

difficult. As I have gone through school, I have come to realize that there is an abundance of

things that I don’t know. Part of the responsibility I have as a nurse is to understand that I don’t

know everything, ask questions and learn from those around me, and teach what I learn to my

patients. In a career such as this, it is important to acknowledge that you are going to constantly

be learning something new and should therefore be open to the teaching and instruction of others

as well.

Research

During the second semester of nursing school, I was taught about nursing research,

evidence based practice, and how to evaluate research articles. At the beginning of junior year, I
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had no idea how to analyze the quality of research, nor did I understand the difference between

generalized research and nursing research, however, as I progressed through the program and

after taking the research class, I started to understand how vital research is to the nursing

practice.

As I entered my senior year of college, I was able to utilize the countless number of

research articles I had read throughout school in my nursing practice, such as holistic pain

management, complementary therapies, and others. This is an invaluable tool to my future

nursing career. Staying up to date on current research will ensure that I am continually giving

my patients the best care possible.

Leadership

Leadership was something that I felt I came into nursing school with an already solid

foundation. I have always been a very driven person with a natural ability to lead others,

however, I had very basic leadership skills and this was shown early in my junior year. I felt

nervous about taking the lead on something that I generally knew nothing about, such as

directing a group activity on a new topic in class. However, the further I progressed in my

education and the more I learned about my peers, the better I felt about my leadership skills. I

would step up and volunteer to complete tasks during my clinical rotation so that it would

alleviate pressure on the nurses and care partners on the unit. This aided in me feeling more

comfortable during clinical as well, helping me to find a place as a student on the unit.

During my senior year, I was challenged as a leader as I was in several groups where the

group members were not completing the tasks that were required of them. I had to carefully and

respectfully address these issues with not only my peers, but with my professors as well. I have
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never been one to enjoy conflict and it was throughout this time that I learned that being a leader

is not only guiding others, but handling difficult disagreements with grace and kindness.

Professionalism

Upon the start of nursing school, I was unaware that nursing had a code of ethics and

standards to adhere by. Although I had heard of HIPPA and had a general idea of what it meant,

I had never been educated about it. I had also never heard of ANA Standards of Practice until

nursing school. Throughout my first two semesters, I was utilizing these standards of practice,

however, I was only utilizing them because that was expected of me by my professors and

supervising nurses. It wasn't until my senior year that I truly started to understand the concepts

put forth by the ANA. In addition, I had an encounter where a friend of mine actually knew a

patient that I had taken care of. My friend shared details with me about her situation, which

hospital she was in, and her prognosis. As soon as she began telling the story, I recognized the

details, however, I had to maintain my patient’s confidentiality and did not acknowledge that I

knew who she was talking about. It was then that I understood how “small” the world really is,

and that it is extremely important to always refrain from sharing patient information, not only

because it is what I want, but because you never know who might know that patient.

Culture

At the beginning of junior year, I thought culture consisted simply of individual’s

upbringing and background, including religion and daily practices and traditions. When I

analyzed my patient’s culture, I often only looked for these key characteristics to put into my

logs. As I progressed through my education, I began to see that culture was much more than just

traditions or where someone was from, it included their family background, marital status, where

they lived, the support system that they have, and many other things. By my senior year, I was
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able to identify these various cultural aspects of an individual and start to view my care through

their eyes and adjust it accordingly. This was especially useful in my obstetrics clinical, where I

took care of a first-time mom that was single, living with her parents with the child’s father in

jail for attempting suicide in front of her two weeks prior to her delivery. This mother’s situation

drastically affects her recovery, risk of postpartum depression, among other things. I was able to

adapt my care to her needs by giving her extra resources for single mothers, discussing

postpartum depression, and allowing her to speak to me about what was worrying her the most

about being discharged with her newborn. I feel as though this is the perfect example of how

culture is much more expansive than what I thought it to be in my junior year of school.

Conclusion

Throughout this process of reflection and consideration of my past two years at Old

Dominion University, I am thankful for the experiences and knowledge that the School of

Nursing has given me. When I first started this program, I truly did not know what being a nurse

entailed or the great responsibility is to take care of another human life. Although I have gained

knowledge and learned nursing skills, I have also obtained an understanding of the world

through a nurse’s eyes. I understand the disease process, nursing care, and how to be an

empathetic and caring individual. I have learned how to think critically and put my natural

abilities to use by advocating for my patients and strive to give them the best care possible. The

lessons I have learned over these past two years go far beyond academics however. I have

learned that perseverance and determination along with the support of others is all that you need

in order to achieve your goals.

Although I still have much to learn as a new graduate nurse, I am extremely appreciative

of the wide knowledge base that ODU’s School of Nursing has provided me. I feel as though I
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am adequately prepared to enter the nursing field and have a solid understanding of what is

expected of me. I strive to be a well-rounded, competent nurse who strives to do better than the

day before. I intend to eventually continue my education by eventually getting my masters or

doctoral degree. However, in the meantime, I plan on obtaining certifications and trainings

specific to my field to increase my baseline knowledge. Overall, I feel confident entering this

new chapter in my nursing career and am extremely thankful for ODU’s nursing program,

professors, and adjunct faculty for providing me with the tools and knowledge to advance my

career.
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Honor Code:

“I pledge to support the Honor System of Old Dominion University. I will refrain from any form

of academic dishonesty or deception, such as cheating or plagiarism. I am aware that as a

member of the academic community it is my responsibility to turn in all suspected violators of

the Honor Code. I will report to a hearing if summoned.”

Danielle Beard