Question: Discussion response apa 6th ed. With intext citations and references.
Personal knowing is comprised of an individual's experiences, interpersonal relationships, self-awareness, and introspection (Baixinho, Ferraz, Ferreria, & Rafael, 2014). I believe that personal knowledge affects professional growth and development as it correlates to how one receives and provides criticism, learns, and interact with patients as well as other health professionals. Also, one must be honest with the analysis of their self-knowledge to ensure achievement of professional growth and development.
Having a calm demeanor and being adaptable are among my professional strengths. My calm temperament enables me to reduce the anxiety of my patients as well as function methodically and efficiently during medical emergencies. I attribute my experience of being a travel nurse for several years to being clinically adaptable. My adaptable and flexible mindset permits me to work at ease with varied specialties within the OR. I am on the neurosurgical team, but the team leaders utilize me in other surgical specialties when needed as they know that I am clinically flexible and adaptable. Additionally, I assist the clinical educator with precepting new OR nurses because of my clinical strengths.
One professional weakness that I'm working on is asking for help when needed. Unfortunately, during my tenure as a travel nurse, I would often receive the most clinically challenging patient assignments with minimal assistance from the staff nurses. Although I have transitioned from being a traveler to a staff nurse, I struggle with asking for help when needed because of my previous travel experience. Another weakness I have is being assertive with rude surgeons. Instead of directly addressing their rude or inappropriate behavior I tend to ignore it.
As a nurse, I believe that it is vital that I seek strategies to change and improve my practice. Kurt Lewin is known for developing the change theory of nursing and as the father of psychology (Petiprin, 2016). Lewin's theory entails the concepts of unfreezing, change, and refreezing. Unfreezing addresses problem awareness, change encompasses strategizing for improvement, and refreezing is integrating the new behavior as a habit (Wojciechowski, Murphy, Pearsall, & French, 2016). Applying the framework of Kurt Lewin's change theory can further cultivate my strengths while improving my professional weaknesses.
Carmetrice Brock
References: Baixinho, C., Ferraz, I., Ferreria, O., & Rafael, H. (2014). The art and learning patterns of knowing in nursing. The Journal of Nursing School of University of Sao Paulo, 48(2), 164-170. doi:10.1590/S0080-623420140000800024
Petiprin, A. (2016). Lewin's change theory. Retrieved from https://www.nursing-theory.org/theories-and-models/Lewin-Change-Theory.php
Wojciechowski, E., Murphy, T., Pearsall, P., & French, E. (2016). A case review: Integrating
Lewin's theory with Lean's system approach for change. OJIN: The Online Journal of
Issues in Nursing, 21(2). doi:10.3912/OJIN.Vol21No02Man04