Professional Progress Summary

NURS 431- Transition to Professional Nursing Practice

Purpose of Assignment
The purpose of this assignment is to address the students attainment of all eight behaviors and/or
competencies that are specific outcomes of the program including: critical thinking, nursing
practice, communication, teaching, research, leadership, professionalism, and culture.
Student Approach to Assignment
When I approached this assignment, I reviewed clinical logs from my sophomore, junior and
senior years at Old Dominion University. I wanted to demonstrate my progression towards
becoming a registered nurse while highlighting my experiences in clinical.
Reason for Inclusion of the Assignment in the Portfolio
This assignment is included in the portfolio because it showcases my progress in the eight end of
program behaviors including critical thinking, nursing practice, communication, teaching,
research, leadership, professionalism, and culture.
The following program objectives are highlighted:
Critical Thinking
Revises actions and goals based on evidence rather than conjecture
Example: See page 2 paragraph 2 (sophomore year)
Uses nursing and other appropriate theories and models to guide professional practice
Example: See page 3 paragraph 1 (junior year)
Uses decision-making skills in making clinical or professional judgment
Example: See page 3 paragraph 2 (senior year)
Nursing Practice
Implements traditional nursing care practices as appropriate to provide holistic health
care to diverse populations across the lifespan
Example: See page 5 paragraph 1 (junior year)
Demonstrates an awareness of complementary modalities and their usefulness in
promoting health
Example: See page 5 paragraph 2 (senior year)
Communication
Accesses and utilizes data information from a wide range of sources to enhance patient
and professional communications
Example: See page 6 paragraph 2 (junior year)

 Adapts communication methods to patients with special needs

Example: See page 6 paragraph 3 (senior year)

Teaching
Evaluates the efficacy of health promotion and education modalities for using a variety
of settings with diverse populations
Example: See page 7 paragraph 1 (sophomore year)
Provides relevant and sensitive health education information and counseling to patients,
and families, in a variety of situations
Example: See page 7 paragraph 2 (junior year)
Uses information technologies and other appropriate methods to communicate health
promotion, risk reduction, and disease prevention across the lifespan
Example: See page 8 paragraph 1 (senior year)
Research
Differentiates between descriptive nursing literature and published reports of nursing
research
Example: See page 9 paragraph 1 (junior year)
Leadership
Assumes a leadership role within ones scope of practice as a designer, manager, and
coordinator of health care to meet the special needs of vulnerable populations in a
variety of practice settings
Example: See page 10 paragraph 2 (senior year)
Professionalism
Applies an ethical decision-making framework and legal guidelines to clinical situations
that incorporate moral concepts, professional ethics, and advocacy for patient well-being
and preferences
Example: See page 11 paragraph 1 (sophomore year)
Advocates for professional standards of practice using organizational and political
processes
Example: See page 11 paragraph 2 (junior year)
Differentiates between general, institutional, and specialty-specific standards of practice
to guide nursing care
Example: See page 12 paragraph 1 (senior year)