Personal Learning Plan To Becoming A Nurse Practitioner

Personal Learning Plan To Becoming A Nurse PractitionerThis assignment discusses my Personal Learning Plan (PLP). It examines the rationale for development, justifying why I have not only chosen to under move out Nurse Practitioner (NP) studies, but this course in particular, along with its prescriptive modules and my natural selection of Extended Nurse Prescribing as the only optional module.I have colloquially and theoretically identified my learning style as practical, which rationalises the above choices, discussed shape up in this assignment.At present, I work as the sole Occupational Health (OH) Nurse for the head office of a large London-based media organisation which is a subsidiary company of the FTSE 250 (Financial Times Stock Exchange) listed business. There are an estimated 3000 employees on-site a catchment size similar to a small GP surgery, with a moreover 1100 employees regionally, to which telephone/e-mail victuals is avail suit adequate.2.2 Link to primary heal th careDue to the generally low hazard working environment, and as an OH initiative to concord employees well and at work, I largely act as a Practice Nurse (PN) by bringing primary health care (PHC) to the workplace. shell out includes treatment and/or advice for minor ailments and injuries health monitoring and promotion vaccinations and follow-up care such as wound and ear care. I am back up by a full-time Receptionist, and together we facilitate three afternoon GP clinics per week by two visiting private General Practitioners (GPs).This erratic service is carried over from the old Factory Nurse role and outdated in todays OH remit (Bagley, 2008). Occupational Health (OH) Nurses are now moving absent from a traditional clinical function (Richardson, 2008). However, whilst the service is promoted as a complement and not a replacement of employees National Health Service (NHS) GP surgeries, it is maintained that it is not in the OH remit to replace services provided by the NH S (Lewis Thornbory, 2006).Yet, in Dame Carol Blacks review of the health of the working population, the report welcomed and encouraged (Black, 2008 49) employers religious offering GP consultations in the workplace, as an initiative towards health and wellbeing for a healthy workforce. Given the waking hours spent at work, and with most GP surgeries closed(a) for the majority of weekends and after hours, the workplace is an ideal setting to target health and wellbeing (Department of Health, 2004), along with prevention and treatment of ill-health.Such a service has electromotive force benefits and opportunities for employees, businesses and NHS services. However, effective communication amongst all parties involved, is crucial. I make it a priority in my practice to engage in effective communication between both our on-site health professionals, and employees off-site NHS and private health professionals.2.3 Strengths and weaknessesTo fulfil the above role, I was equipped with a Bachelor of treat, with the acquaintance and skills to care for expectant patients in an acute care setting. Although I went on to specialise in critical care, further development was only accessible through in-house training, on-the-job experience, egotism directed learning and reflection. When I moved to the United Kingdom, I fell into PHC through an agency placement, which was to cover an extended period of leave on the brand side of the business. Again, I was working as the sole Nurse, with a private GP visiting once a month.Despite this placement being wholly out of my depth and somewhat daunting, I enjoyed the break from acute care, and thrived on the autonomy and diversity of the role. However, this was compromised with a lack of confidence, not having any prior experience, and heightened by working alone. The next section discusses the rationale for my development having been taken on in permanent employment as the sole OH Nurse.3.0 PERSONAL LEARNING program3.1 Rati onale for developmentThe move to PHC from acute and critical care knowledge and experience prompted a significant need for learning and development. There was no support from management in the virtuoso of allowing study leave or time off work to attend practice-related conferences, and any learning was on-the-job or self directed with no colleagues to facilitate development. One of the main reasons why I took up a position at head office to restructure their OH Department, was that the wideness of professional development was not only understood, but both promoted and encouraged.In addition to my gap in knowledge and because I worked alone, I wanted to take my service to the next level, to provide greater satisfaction to both patients and myself by being able to complete the full rhythm of health care. For example, rather than advising patients that it sounded give care they had a chest infection and should therefore arrange an appointment with the visiting GP (or to see their NHS GP), I would be able to diagnose and prescribe on the spot.This call for development reflects Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, which outlines an aim to bring the Esteem level of confidence, independence and achievement into balance, while also building towards the Self-actualisation level of creativity, problem solving and acceptance of facts (Maslow, 1943). The Self-actualisation level can also be interpreted as my Masters talk. Furthermore, ten years have lapsed since completing my Bachelors degree, and I mat up stale, very eager to study again, and to learn more about the NHS system.3.2 Course selectionI began investigating NP courses in London. Prior to this course, I had in nutly identified my learning style as being practical, and set about finding the most hands on course (see Appendix 1 2 for course enquiry and application, with the relevant sections highlighted in blue). This course was therefore selected as the most practical, rather than theoretical, managerial or ref lective. I wanted to be able to apply skills in the clinic as I was learning, and definitively at the end of the course.Through Philosophy Politics of Primary Health Care (Philpol), I have gain that my learning so far in PHC replicates Kolbs The Lewinian Experiential Learning Cycle, whereby knowledge is gained through experience (Kolb, 1984). This is further backed by Omrods behavioural definition of learning, again linking learning to experience (Omrod, 2004). Yet, according to Honey Mumford (1992), my learning style is Pragmatic, followed very closely by Reflective. By this model, it means I am generally proactive in attempting new ideas, concepts and practices, and eager to apply them. A Reflector contemplates experiences both personal and those of others, and weighs up all possibilities before coming to a decision. Taken together, practical and reflective learning styles demonstrate a careful and practical approach, with which I concur.3.3 Modules selectedThe NP route of the Masters of Science in Primary Care is a very prescriptive course, with only one optional module. This is to satisfy the Royal College of Nursings (RCN) prerequisites based on international competencies, to qualify as an approved course. In addition, should the Nursing Midwifery Council open up a separate part of the register acknowledging the advanced role of NPs, an RCN approved course will be a pre-requisite requirement (Queen Mary, University of London, 2009). The term NP is currently being loosely applied to Nurses with autonomy and/or experience. Therefore, the term Advanced NP is replacing NP, where Nurses have both formal training, and are working in an advanced role (RCN, 2008).Through Research Methods 1, I have gained the skills to recognise the different methods and approaches to research, and how to read a paper. These skills have enabled me to critically evaluate a paper, distinguish between good and poor research, and to determine whether a papers findings are credib le, and should be applied in my practice.Philpol has laid a foundation in my gap in knowledge of PHC structures and policies, including an appreciation of the NHS, its history, services, how it works, and potentially, where it can all go wrong. Some of the most interesting learning has been in interchange and debates with fellow students. Our diverse backgrounds and individual functions in PHC, has been valuable to hear about each others roles and experiences.Physical Assessment 1 and 2, and both the Biological Foundations and Pharmacology in Clinical Practice will provide a much needed brush up in theory, and advance my current knowledge. During my Bachelor degree, learning was largely based on fact recall for exams and practicals. It is because of this, that I am now questioning my actual understanding, which I hope to overcome by these modules. This is a touch from my former academic learning experience to Engels Learning for Understanding, where the emphasis lies in understand ing rather than recollection of facts (Engel, 1997). It perhaps also highlights the difference between canvas for a Bachelor and a Masters degree.I anticipate that Clinical Practice will be one of the most important modules for me, to be able to apply what I have learnt. In past experience as a nursing student, clinical practice has been where all teachings have made sense rather than exams or assessments. I learn best through a hands on approach, and in past clinical practice modules, it has precipitated interest and knowledge beyond expected outcomes.For my optional module, I have chosen Extended Nurse Prescribing in order to be able to complete the full cycle in a consultation to be able to prescribe to enhance independence and autonomy in my practice.I have already given my dissertation much thought, hoping to research into our unique OH service, ideally being able publish at the end, and promote our model. At present, my research question isWhat are the perceptions of both emp loyees and managers on the provision of a GP and PN in the workplace for a media organisation in London?I propose to conduct this research via an online survey to our employees and Managers with a mixed methods approach both clicking on answers (quantitative), and asking participants for their thoughts (qualitative).I look forward to the challenges that this PLP presents, but more importantly, the opportunities and stimulation that will arise from my development.