Final Evaluation - Self

Name: Melissa Amos

Course Number: NURS 2021H

Course Name: Family Focused Practice

Area of Practice: Mat/Child

Clinical Instructor: Kate Burningham

Professional Responsibility and Accountability

During my clinical placement this semester it was extremely important for me to
be accountable and responsible for my actions. I demonstrated accountability by charting
my findings under my signature and taking responsibility for the values and observations
that I chart. When looking at my goals set at the beginning of the semester I can see that I
have fulfilled them. I now take full responsibility for the results of my head to toe
assessments and their values. In addition to this I also feel more accountable, and feel as
though I am now able to perform additional skills without supervision. For example I
now feel comfortable removing LOCs from patients. When I do this I assume the
responsibility for understanding the safe practices to remove the IV LOC without injuring
the patient. In addition to this I assume accountability by sharing my actions with the
nurse from the unit in charge of the patients care, and accepting the consequences should
I have not properly performed an action. In addition to this I do not tell patients I will be
able to get their medication if they have pain I inform them that I will ask a nurse. This
protects me from damaging the relationship.

Knowledge-based Practice
This semester I have demonstrated knowledge based practice by exhibiting not
only my skills but also my knowledge upon which the skills are based. For example I
have demonstrated that I can perform actions such as a baby bath, head to toe assessment

on both mother and child, perform vitals and various other skills. In addition to this
however I have also exhibited that I have gathered knowledge relating not only to child
care but also to care for the mother postpartum. An example of this is I can educate the
mother and family on the care of the umbilical cord of the child and the bathing
procedures. In addition to this I can also educate the mother on the timeframe for the
uterus to return to normal, breastfeeding as a birth control method as well as how long
she may continue to bleed following leaving the hospital.
Additional steps that I could take to improve my knowledge based practice
include: seeking out more information, offering information more often to patients
despite if they ask or even asking other peers and nurses for additional information or
experiences that they might have had that could provide me with more information. I
have been able to achieve all of the goals that I have set for myself this term relating to
knowledge based practice.

Ethical Practice
This term I have been able to practice ethically and achieve all of my goals that I
set for myself related to ethical practice. I have been able to practice thinking about what
is best for the patient. I attempt to work around the patients schedules and accommodate
their needs instead of simply focusing on my own timeframe. I practice ethically by
following the proper procedures. I maintain confidentiality with the patient, and only
perform actions that I feel comfortable performing without help from others. If I need
help or do not feel comfortable performing an action without a peer I do not, and I seek
out aid. I also take the proper precautions when performing assessments, I wear gloves

when checking for the mothers fundus in case she has any secretions or blood products
surrounding her incision of perineum.
Service to the Public
My main goal for this semester was to be able to properly educate my patients
relating to how to care for their child and themselves. I believe that I have achieved this
to the best of my ability. I have tried my best to share my knowledge with the patients,
especially when they ask for information. If I do not know the information I will either
talk to the nurse in charge of the patients care or I will speak to my clinical instructor. I
will try to seek out the answer in order to provide the best-informed care to the patient. I
believe that I am trying my best to provide the most informed and helpful care to all of
my patients, while learning myself along the way.
Self-Regulation
I regulate myself this semester by reflecting on my actions. Looking back on my
experiences in clinical allows me to learn from what I have already done. This also
allows me to make connections that I may not have noticed before. For example I have
learned how to better approach assessments and how to interact with patients when
performing these assessments. In addition to this I take responsibility for my actions and
their repercussions (should there be any). In addition to this I can still learn many new
things by continuing to practice self-regulation. I can learn how I approach others, how
they see me, and how to use both of these concepts to improve my care and interactions
with other individuals.