Reflection On Clinical Rotation

Over the past few weeks I was able to learn an incredible amount during my time in the community clinical rotation. This rotation was not at all what I expected it would be. I was surprised by the diverse skill sets and leadership qualities required of the home health nurse. The clinical day that sticks out the most to me was the last day I spent with my nurse. Before noon my nurse had already seen six patients and attended a staff meeting. The amount of prioritization and organization she put in to each day was incredibly exceptional. Each patient required different skilled care, yet she was always capable of providing quality care no matter the environment. My nurse served as a mentor as she embodied a quality home health nurse. She taught
me the importance of building rapport with patients, prioritizing care, and advocating for your patients when they cannot advocate for themselves. On any given day, no matter the number of patients we had on the schedule, my nurse would make time for every client and their needs. I am certain that my time in this clinical rotation helped increase my confidence in basic communication and in performing clinical competencies such as wound care, catheters, and blood draws. Every day I went into the community setting my nurse challenged me to perform tasks on my own in order to build my confidence as a nurse. At first, I found this to be overwhelming and nerve racking. However, as time went on I found that I had all the necessary knowledge and sometimes I just needed to be challenged in order to apply it correctly. I could not have asked for a better clinical experience or a better preceptor to challenge my leadership and clinical competency abilities along the way. In many ways I wish this rotation could have been longer than just five weeks. I am beyond grateful for this clinical experience, as it embodied everything I have learned so far in this program and challenged me to be a better nurse.