I remember feeling slightly intimidated by the Advanced Health Assessment course simply because assessment skills are developed over time and experience. As a new nurse, only a few months into my first nursing job on a busy Telemetry floor, I thought that trying to comprehend and replicate the desired skill set would be a struggle amidst trying to adapt to my new career responsibilities. From the time the camera started filming my first assessment video, I knew that I was learning a new found confidence with not only executing advanced assessment techniques but also interacting with patients. The Advanced Health Assessment course has enriched my professional identity by strengthening my nursing judgment through a deeper knowledge and refinement of my assessment skills. Assessment skills are a toolbox for improving the quality of care that nurses can provide. By incorporating the knowledge that I have learned in expanding my clinical assessment skills, I am now able to better help my patients and their families become more empowered to know about their illnesses and how to manage it.

The confidence gained from being better at assessment translates into stronger teaching skills, stronger advocacy skills, and a stronger desire to research the best evidence based practices and communicate these findings with my coworkers in order to continually enhance the quality of care that can be provided to patients. For example, COPD is a common respiratory disease that is seen in the hospital. Being able to properly assess for signs and symptoms of exacerbation and worsening of condition is an important function of the nurse. Miller, Owens, and Silverman(2015) detail the importance of assessing the adult patient with COPD, using a dyspnea scale, and promoting positive outcomes. Currently at my facility we do not use a dyspnea scale, however, being able to adequate assess a patient should include their subjective experience of the dyspnea. This aspect of assessment is missing in the routine monitoring of patients with COPD at my facility and could be a strong indicator of disease progression or exacerbation. Being more knowledgeable about advanced assessment gives me the confidence to share this type of information with my coworkers and create an environment of better health care for every patient alike.

This course has undoubtedly helped me to flourish as a nurse by creating a platform to enhance my knowledge and be able to put it into my daily practice. The assessment techniques and findings acquired throughout this course have given me the education to be a better nurse by being more proficient with assessing, more confident with interacting with patients, and more informative with my peers in the workplace.  

References

Miller, S., Owens, L., & Silverman, E. (2015, May-June). Physical examination of the adult patient with chronic respiratory disease. MedSurg Nursing, 24(3), 195+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.db04.linccweb.org/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA418844553&v=2.1&u=lincclin_ccla&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=001d5420236eb226f812ae81d3aeba4b