Report on Progress of Professional Portfolio

K-2-3 - Demonstrate the knowledge of prenatal

care and complications associated with pregnancy
Description of One
Significant Learning
Experience in this Course

In class we learned about the

complications that can arise
during conception and the
reproductive process in women,
one in particular called ectopic
pregnancy.

What I Learned

I learned that ectopic

pregnancies happen when the
blastocyst implants outside of
the desired uterine lining area,
the fallopian tubes being the
most common area. I learned
the signs and symptoms that
arise from an ectopic pregnancy
include: lower abdominal pain
(right or left sided if in one of
the fallopian tubes), vaginal
spotting, and if the fallopian
tube has ruptured from the
growing of the blastocyst, you
will also experience sharp
shoulder pain. To treat this
complication, if the fallopian
tube is still intact, you can take
an oral cytotoxic medication to
stop the growth of the baby, but
if the fallopian tube is ruptured,
they have to go in and do a
laprascopic removal of the
fallopian tube.

Proficiency Rating

I would rate my proficiency with

complications associated in
pregnancy as good, because
while I have learned all of the
nursing theory about
complications associated with
pregnancy, I have not had the

chance to use my knowledge

and apply it to real nursing
care. If I had a patient with a
complication during pregnancy,
I would know what to do as the
theory teaches us, but I would
not say it would be an
automatic seamless response as
you do not encounter ectopic
pregnancies or other pregnancy
complications every day.

Why It was Meaningful/

Significant

It is meaningful because one

day I do want to become a
maternity nurse, but even every
nurse should know the
complications of pregnancy as
they can run into a pregnant
person not only on a maternity
ward, but they could be in on a
surgery or medicine unit as well
for other reasons. All nurses
should know what to do if they
encounter a women with a
complication of pregnancy, as
some of the complications can
be detrimental to the mother
and babe and nurses should be
able to know the signs to
prevent these complications
from seriously harming the
mother or child.

How I will Apply this

Learning in Nursing Practice

I will apply knowing the

complications of pregnancy into
my future nursing care by
asking my pregnant patients
specific questions about pain,
contractions or bleeding, taking
their blood pressure, running
urine tests, performing fundal
height measurements, taking
the mothers weight to ensure
they care not experiencing any
pregnancy complications.

Student Name: Kaitlin Young

Course: NFDN 2004
Date: October 9, 2015
Instructor/Tutor: Allison McFadden-Squire