Completing Master’s level and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs allows nurses to acquire skills that they can apply to perform advanced nursing practice roles. Even with their advanced competencies, nurses still need to apply theories to guide their actions regarding the type of care that they will give to patients (Ozdemir, 2019). Graduate nurses are expected to possess essential competencies as defined by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) (DeNisco, 2015; AACN, 2011).
At the end of a course, learners are expected to engage in self-reflection to analyze how the course has enabled them to achieve various competencies and skills. The purpose of this assignment is to describe the specific essentials that the course has assisted the student in meeting. The assignment will also describe how the student will integrate the newly learned theory into practice and how this will improve patient outcomes.
AACN Essentials
The course assisted the learner in meeting all the nine AACN essentials. However, this discussion will only focus on three essentials. These include Essential I (Background for Practice from Sciences and Humanities), Essential III (Quality Improvement and Safety), and Essential IX (Master ’s-Level Nursing Practice) (AACN, 2011). As a master’s level nurse, the student is in a position to integrate scientific findings from nursing and other healthcare-related fields to enhance nursing care continuity across diverse healthcare settings thereby meeting Essential I. When completing course assignments, the student-built on the knowledge acquired from baccalaureate nursing, allowing an increased understanding of nursing concepts required to improve nursing care (AACN, 2011). Besides, the student learned to apply various methods, standards, and outcome measures that define quality nursing care thereby meeting Essential III.
The learner has acquired the skills and knowledge required to facilitate the identification of threats to patient safety and redesign processes to promote patient safety and improve healthcare quality (AACN, 2022). Additionally, the student has met essential IX by possessing master’s level competencies reflected in the increased ability to implement nursing interventions that generate positive health outcomes for patients, families, and populations. The learner has attained an advanced level of understanding that guides the implementation of care components that enhance healthcare quality and improve patient safety (AACN, 2011; DeNisco, 2015). Learning these essentials has added to the competencies that the student had before joining the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program.
Integrating Theory Into Current Practice
The newly learned theory that is applicable to operating room nursing is Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory. According to Benner, people acquire knowledge in five stages advancing from novice to expert. The specific phases of knowledge acquisition, according to Benner, include novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert (Ozdemir, 2019). Masters-prepared nurses who have practiced nursing for 1 to 2 years have reached the “competent” phase of knowledge acquisition. As a master’s-prepared operating room nurse, I will apply the skills and knowledge already acquired to address multiple patients’ problems at a time and comfortably take my patients through the process of recovery (Ozdemir, 2019). Competent nurses, according to Benner’s theory, can handle multiple patients’ needs and can comfortably implement health interventions that take their patients from one state of recovery to the next.
Effects on Patient Outcomes
Practice integration of MSN Essentials and nursing theory into clinical practice will have positive impacts on patient outcomes. For example, it promotes patient safety and ensures effective management of intravenous devices in surgical patients. Effective management of intravenous devices requires nurses to possess technical skills and apply critical thinking skills that involve interdisciplinary collaboration (Ullman & Chopra, 2022). Integrating MSN essentials will enable the nurse to utilize advanced competencies with the aim of preventing complications and mitigating harm for patients across all age groups (Ullman & Chopra, 2022; AACN, 2011). Besides, by integrating MSN Essentials and nursing theory into clinical care, the operating room nurse will be able to guide junior nurses on how to manage intravenous catheters thereby avoiding complications that might negatively affect patient safety.
Conclusion
Nursing students usually engage in self-reflection at the end of a course to identify the specific lessons and skills learned including the gaps i
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