RUNNING HEAD: PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO

Professional Portfolio
Sasha Sproule
NorQuest College
NFDN 2007 Section A04
Assignment #2
Terilee Olorenshaw
May 9, 2016

PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO

Report on Progress of Professional Portfolio

IDENTIFY
M26Demonstrateknowledgeandabilitytorecognize
COMPETENCY
stressorsinmentalhealthandaddictionnursingincluding:
NUMBER, LETTER
stigma
AND SUBCATEGORY
Throughout this class so far we have talked a lot about how
mental illness until recently was something that we didnt
talk about much. It has been a Taboo subject because
people believe if they tell people they will be treated
differently and stigmatized. When we were learning about the
DESCRIBE ONE
history of mental health and how these people used to be
SIGNIFICANT
treated (or more like tortured) was deeply saddening, as
LEARNING
you would never see that kind of treatment if they were
EXPERIENCE IN THIS suffering from a disease such as diabetes or cancer. I believe
COURSE RELATED TO that these ancient forms of treatment and the idea of
THE CLPNA
institutionalizing these people who had a real illness is where
COMPETENCY.
the stigma comes from. I was however happy to learn that
PROVIDE AN
this trend is changing and people are making a real effort to
EXAMPLE.
remove the stigma that surrounds mental illness. I think
especially with the teaching we get in school about being
patient and listening to what the patients have to say will help
the up and coming nursing community to become more
understanding of mental illness and create more opportunity
for people in need to receive treatment.
Throughout the lectures and hearing stories about how the
stigma can really affect the family and the patient was quite a
significant learning experience for me. Being able to
recognize that these people have a real illness and treating
them as such. Even the ability to take them seriously is a
DESCRIBE WHAT YOU
huge area for growth in our healthcare system. This course
LEARNED AND HOW
builds on a course that I took before through the University
IT RELATES TO THE
of Alberta where we learned about caring for people who
COMPETENCY.
have a disability especially when it comes to stigma. Since
EXPLAIN WHY IT WAS
taking that course as well I have been able to change and
MEANINGFUL.
acknowledge these disabilities and mental illness as the
patient first, not just as a diagnosis. This was meaningful
because I got the opportunity to use what I had learned in
practice with a close friend who confided in me about her
addiction struggle.
USES THE
My competency level for this skill would be described goodPROFICIENCY
understands competency in theory and in scenarios and
CATEGORIES TO
nursing practice. Although I have not had a lot of clinical
RATE THEIR
experience dealing with mental health in a nursing role, I do
PROFICIENCY IN THE have a very close friend who has gone through a lot of mental
CHOSEN CLPNA
health issues over the past few years and I know how hard it
COMPETENCY.
was to tell me (and many of her other friends and family),

PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO

and I believe this was because of stigma that comes along

with having mental illness. I know it takes a lot of people
EXPLAIN WHAT WAS with the same attitude to foster change but when people make
DONE TO ACHIEVE
the decision to take people seriously and treat them with
THE COMPETENCY. respect, giving them the chance to explain themselves I
believe that more people will get treatment and will feel less
stigmatized.
By continuing to listen and have respect for each and every
DESCRIBE HOW YOU patient that comes in will help to make sure that all of them
WILL APPLY THIS
have equal opportunity to get treatment. I will continue to
LEARNING IN YOUR make sure that I make time to listen and have a conversation
CURRENT AND
with my patients and watch for the signs and symptoms for
FUTURE NURSING
mental illness. Providing an open and trusting relationship
PRACTICE
with your patient will help foster a relationship where they
will feel more comfortable talking to you and opening up.