Final Analysis

When I was first accepted into nursing school, I made a vow I would do everything

possible to achieve my dream of becoming a nurse. As I reflect back on the past three years of

school, I realize how much I have accomplished. My classes and clinical practice have allowed

me to grow in confidence and knowledge. I remember at the beginning of nursing practicum; I

knew very little about the role of the professional nurse. I didn’t even know how to take a blood

sugar and now I perform this task multiple times a day. I was shaking with anxiety before

performing my first head-to-toe assessment. Now I am quick and efficient with my assessment

skills. I will always remember my first Code Blue and the fear I experienced as fellow nurses

coached me on what to do. I have discovered a great deal about myself and my personal values

throughout this program. I have learned to view health holistically and keep empathy at the core

of my practice. I feel confident in my critical thinking and even question orders that I feel may

not benefit my patients.

During the first year, I found the curriculum challenging and found myself performing

many skills I have never done before. I often felt out of my comfort zone. I spent hours looking

up my patients the night before practicum and obsessing over their medication schedule. I

couldn’t perform a task unless I was “checked off.” The professor was with me always and

giving a bed bath was no easy task. I had my nursing friends to help me when I felt uneasy about

a task I never performed.

Let’s fast-forward to the second year, the practicum was becoming manageable but the

coursework was demanding. I was starting to learn the disease processes and appropriate

interventions for management of care. I accepted a job as a patient care tech to help boost my

confidence and to improve my performance of the fundamental skills. The patients in the clinical
setting were becoming more complicated and I was expected to do all of the charting. I was

passing medications on multiple patients now. At times, I feel like I am frantically running

around but still have the situation under control. My clinicals are no longer limited to med-surg

floors and I’m exposed to different medical units and patient populations. I had the opportunity

to have clinical on the intensive care unit and learned a great deal.

Now it’s the fourth year, I am amazed I made it. At times it doesn’t feel real. My

instructors and preceptor trust me and I feel confident about myself. I have immersion on the

Progressive Cardiac Care Unit and I am taking care of step-down patients. I’ve learned my

strengths and weaknesses. At times, I feel rushed and slow because I am new to practice. I made

some mistakes like hanging a piggyback antibiotic and forgetting to unclamp it. I learned

prioritizing and I continue to have the overall goal to keep patients safe at all times. I find myself

triple checking my work. I’m giving report and talking to the physicians. I know the patients and

my patients trust me. It feels good when my patients express happiness knowing I will be

returning the next day. I went from being scared to touch a patient the first semester to taking

care of three step-down patients on my own. I’m not in class much which has been an adjustment

because I’m accustomed to seeing my nursing school friends every day. Last semester, we did

everything together and now we are developing our personal practice.

The Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing program has given me the tools to be a

successful nurse. I know the professional nurse dedicates themselves to strong moral values,

compassion, non-judgmental attitude, and teamwork. In the future I plan to continue to mold and

develop my nursing practice. I will continue to incorporate evidence-based practice into my care.

As a future neuroscience nurse, I will become trained in nervous system disorders such as strokes

and brain injuries. My goal is to continue to develop confidence and broaden career
opportunities. As a new nurse, I must continue to develop teamwork, patient advocacy, adapting

to the bigger picture, and refining my personal compass.