Final Physical Exam Performance Self-Assessment Paper
Introduction
Health assessment is a critical factor in nursing that helps nurse practitioners to effectively provide quality healthcare to patients. The skills gained in the advanced health assessment course have numerous advantages to practicing nurses. In particular, nurses with advanced assessment skills can easily direct their skills to effectively interpret what they see, hear, and observe to make better medical judgments.
Advanced health assessment course has helped me to develop sharp critical-thinking skills that are crucial in making decisions. Upon completion of this course, I found that I have developed a high level of analytical skills which, according to Ndiwane et al. (2017), are essential for better diagnosis of patient conditions. This course has taught me to go deeper than what the eyes can see or what the patient says. Before taking the advanced health assessment course, I relied only on what I saw and what the patient says. Upon completion of the course, I have gained more analytical skills and I can accurately diagnose a patient’s condition using different analytical tools.
Through the advanced health assessment course, I have acquired critical skills for effectively addressing patient needs. In particular, I have developed the skill of creating treatment plans that, as Parker and Hill (2017) observe, are essential in addressing the needs of patients. Upon accurate diagnosis of a patient’s condition, I can develop solutions that adequately address these conditions. Before the course, I would simply rely on what the patient says which sometimes led to wrong diagnoses and ineffective treatment plans.
Using my newly acquired advanced health assessment skills, I can accurately collect data and perform patient documentation. An evaluation of a patient’s condition begins with accurate recording and collection of data. If this process goes wrong, so will all the subsequent processes. The advanced health assessment course has helped me to sharpen my skills in data collection and documentation. Further, the course has helped me to perform an accurate evaluation of a patient’s condition, status, and response to the intervention provided.
I have developed the frequent use of skill and proficiency in health assessment through advanced health assessment courses. Today, I depend more on the skills I have acquired in my nursing course rather than what I think or speculate. For example, I base all my patient evaluations largely on science-based approaches. This means that I can adequately use scientific-based solutions to offer interventions to patients. This approach helps me to accurately diagnose patients and offer the appropriate solutions to their needs. Besides, through the advanced health assessment course, I can maintain consistency in providing quality healthcare at all times by using assessment-related skills.
Conclusion
Advanced health assessment course has numerous benefits to nurses. In my case, the advanced health assessment course has helped me to develop sharp critical-thinking skills that inform my decisions. Upon completion of this course, I found that I have developed a high level of analytical skills that I can leverage in correctly diagnosing patient problems and crafting the appropriate intervention. Today, my nursing practice is largely informed by the assessment and interpretive skills I have so acquired in this course, and I believe I am able to deliver better nursing service as a professional.
Final Physical Exam Performance Self-Assessment Paper References
Ndiwane, A. N., Baker, N. C., Makosky, A., Reidy, P., & Guarino, A. J. (2017). Use of simulation to integrate cultural humility into advanced health assessment for nurse practitioner students. Journal of Nursing Education, 56(9), 567-571. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20170817-11
Parker, J. M., & Hill, M. N. (2017). A review of advanced practice nursing in the United States, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong special administrative region (SAR), China. International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 4(2), 196-204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2017.01.002