Student name

Capella University

NURS-FPX-4905 A5

Professor Name

Submission Date

Reflective Journal

Wellness and Disease Prevention

I also acquired certain experience on wellness and disease prevention at the Skilled Nursing Facilities in my practicum experience in the Skilled Nursing Facilities to support the health and safety of the aging population. The commonest preventative interventions used were fall risk assessment, flu and pneumonia immunization, and regular tests of nurse nutrition and hydration.

To address these problems, the staff attempted to arrange staff-staff groups, physical events, which may be participated in by the residents, and educate residents concerning the manner in which they may administer medications. Another thing that I noticed is the implementation of electronic health records to trace the immunization, vital signs, and record amendments to monitor the state of residents to avoid complications. All these were supplemented with team-based communication; hence, each member of the staff was enabled to contribute to the discovery of the risk and spread of healthy lifestyles.

The implication of this experience in my professional nursing life was enormous because I learned to be more vigilant of preventive measures, given that there was a high risk of a population facing development and worsening of the disease. I have also found out that in this respect, wellness does not only imply how to cope with the health problems that one might already have at hand, but also the foresight of risks and advocacy of holistic approaches that take into consideration dignity and autonomy. It was aimed at pointing out the role of the nurse as a teacher/advocate to address gaps in terms of social determinants of health. This has been confirmed by the fact that the proactive interventions have led to the residents leading a better quality of life, which was a confirmation of my intention to introduce the culturally sensitive, fair, and patient-centered preventive care to my nursing practice.

Chronic Disease Management

These discussions revealed the contributions of the two fields in distinct ways that resulted in the creation of more detailed and efficient care plans that are useful in preventing complications. Moreover, the disease management had continuity and responsibility since the care team was to maintain contact with the family members. The experience has also influenced my perception as a professional nurse in the sense that it has supported the role of teamwork and shared responsibility in the management of chronic diseases. I was aware that chronic disorders would hardly be favorably treated separately, but the success would result in integration of the medical intervention with lifestyle change and psychosocial support.

It is the interaction of healthcare professionals that has made me dogged in developing my leadership skills, namely, through facilitating communication and by encouraging integrated care. It strengthened the position of a systems thinker since I am not only a direct provider of nursing care but also contribute to the organization of the resources and development of consistent objectives that positively impact the results of residents. This gave me more resolve to spread the spirit of collaboration that would enhance the management of chronic diseases and deliver holistic services to the residents.

Regenerative and Restorative Care

Those interventions demonstrated the inclusion of the acute management interventions and restorative interventions in the everyday routine of residents to prevent long-term disability. This, in my instance as a professional nurse, was helpful as it aided me in cementing the view that restorative care does not merely centre on physical healing but on cognitive and emotional stabilization too. It underlined the fact that it was supposed to give prompt review, preventive interventions, and highly team-based interventions in the event of an acute health crisis. I also discovered that nurses are required as the leaders of the interdisciplinary teamwork to ensure that the residents are offered rehabilitation services and supportive therapies depending on their needs.

Hospice and Palliative Care

The interdisciplinary meetings were done with the aim of discussing the purpose of care, making the values and preferences of the residents the priority, and training the families to make end-of-life decisions. In other cases, it was the community-based hospice services, but I had noted that many aspects of palliative care had also been integrated into the daily nursing practice, including the prioritization of dignity as well as the quality of life.

The experience has also assisted me to learn professionally because it has reminded me that palliative care is not the last few days of life and can and should be administered at an earlier stage of the continuum of care. I was taught how to begin caring conversations regarding advanced care planning and the necessity to respect the will of residents in order to make them spend the remaining part of their lives comfortably and with dignity. It also compelled me to continue promoting the early and responsible implementation of the palliative care concepts in the conditions of the long-term care.