Student name

Capella University

NURS-FPX6026 Biopsychosocial Concepts for Advanced Nursing Practice 2

Professor Name

Submission Date

Share personal, professional, and leadership development goals you intend to pursue during the practicum.

            My primary goal while on practicum is to build time management, self-care, and resilience skills during practicum and beyond so that I can achieve a productive and healthy balance during stressful clinical scenarios. On the professional front, I aim to develop my ability to use evidence-based practice to enhance my nursing and advocacy skills to optimize care and outcomes for the communities I serve and practice safely and effectively. I also aim to increase my skills and knowledge around informatics and the use of data in care-based decision-making to improve care. As a leader, I hope to focus on developing my transformational leadership, ethical decision-making, and cultural humility to inspire and balance teams. All the above shall focus on my personal and professional development as a caring and competent nurse and leader.

Reflect on your feelings about DEI principles and implicit bias. How do these principles shape your actions and decisions in your designated discipline? How does implicit bias impact our development as professionals and leaders?

            Valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) allows me to provide respectful and patient-centered care to all individuals, regardless of their backgrounds. Personally, I believe diversity and equity need to be recognized to give patients the individualized and culturally appropriate care they deserve. Critical reflection on my past work enables me to identify the importance of not only challenging stereotypes but also advocating for marginalized populations. The most prevalent, unintended biases that exist have the greatest potential to impact a clinician’s care for a patient. I utilize critical reflection to be aware of my biases and uphold equity in my judgments, as well as lead with inclusion. I believe my efforts foster a trusting and respectful environment among the patients I serve and the other professionals with whom I work.

What steps can you take to further incorporate DEI principles into your practicum experience?

            I will tactically work to integrate inclusivity, cultural awareness, and equal treatment of all clients into my practice as I advance the principles of DEI to better assist the patient during my practicum. I will participate in different workshops and trainings related to cultural competence and the social determinants of health to understand the varying needs of my future patients. To identify the gaps in the principle of inclusiveness within my practice, I will seek feedback from my preceptor and mentors, as well as my clients. I will further cultivate an extensive practice of reflective journaling to assess the integration of DEI principles in my practice. My aim is to create a space of respect, equity, and cultural awareness in all the dimensions of care.

Consider a recent interaction with a client. How did you incorporate DEI principles into this interaction? What could you have done differently to better promote DEI?

            I had a new client who spoke little English and had a low income. To fulfill this client’s DEI needs, I relied on my use of plain speech and active listening to make sure I was understood. If needed, I called a professional interpreter. I brought in the client’s cultural health beliefs and preferences to the care plan, which helped build trust and brought the client to engage. However, I thought that I perhaps should have done a more in-depth cross-cultural situation assessment to gain a better understanding of the social variables that affected my client’s health decisions. To aid my social equity in the care I provide in the future, I plan to use open-ended questions, collect feedback, and address needs for better equity inclusion.

How can you leverage your specialization courses to help you prepare for your MSN capstone project?

            The specialization courses prepare me adequately for my MSN capstone project. The courses on evidence-based practices support my ability to assess research to improve clinical practices. The course on informatics has prepared me for utilizing data to construct informed trends on patient outcomes. The courses on policy and leadership have prepared me to understand and support equity in healthcare and the ethical decision-making process in healthcare. During my practicum, I will identify a problem in practice, collaborate within an interdisciplinary team, and employ evidence-based practice and informed data to promote practice sustainability and the advancement of the profession.