As nurses, we could be robotic in our practice. What do I mean by that? We are just being mechanical instead of purposeful in our practice. It is therefore a welcome change if we stop for a moment and reflect on what we accomplished for the day. Moreover, it is significant to evaluate the impact of our actions on our patients’ lives, no matter how small they may be.

A Premature Baby with Congenital Anomalies

For my reflective practice narrative, I want to focus on my case study regarding a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) baby. B. J. had multiple congenital anomalies. To recap, he was born at 38 weeks of gestation via Cesarean section. He was small for gestational age. These facts were known to his family even when he was in utero. His case was perceived to have been too complicated for his family to cope with. It got to the point that the doctor suggested to his mother to have an elective abortion.

As a NICU nurse orientee during B. J.’s inpatient admission, I found his clinical course to be challenging. Moreso, I was able to appreciate the importance of providing holistic and person-centered care. I considered not only his physical signs and symptoms but also his and his family’s emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. Developing a mutually respectful relationship with his mother, despite the language barrier, was an important foundation of my ability to advocate for his needs.

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Practice Assumptions of a Seasoned Nurse

One of the assumptions I had when I took care of B. J. was my inability to adequately provide care for him due to my limited knowledge and expertise in the NICU. I was not that confident that I will be able to manage a case as complicated as his, but my preceptor was very encouraging and supportive. She allowed me to use my critical thinking skills and develop a plan of care tailored to his unique needs. I was able to grow in competence and confidence because of that. If given another opportunity to take care of a similar patient in the future, I will not doubt my capabilities, but rather be assured that I can always tap on my NICU colleagues for support especially when I come across a situation that I may not be able to efficiently address by myself.

Professional Introspection

In retrospect, I have learned that involving the family in a patient’s care early on does not only benefit the patient. Rather, it helps the family to be appropriately prepared for the patient’s discharge. The baby’s family must identify and mitigate all barriers that may impede the discharge preparation. It is the nurse’s responsibility, on the other hand, to make the process as seamless as possible. In B. J.’s particular case, the nurses routinely utilized the iPad interpreter to ensure his mother’s understanding of his condition, plan of care, and discharge goals. She was also encouraged to verbalize her concerns and questions so that they can be answered appropriately. After all, effective communication is an integral part of the provision of safe, quality, and holistic care.

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Main Takeaways

1. Safe and quality care provided to patients should be holistic and person-centered.
2. Involve the family as early as possible so that they are aware of the patient’s progress. This will help them gain confidence in taking over the caregiving responsibilities once the patient is already discharged.
3. Communicate effectively. Solicit family’s feedback and inputs. Use the interpreter, as necessary, to ensure that mutual understanding occurred.
4. I should know when and how to rely on my wing-women. As a new NICU nurse, I still have a lot to learn, but I should be confident that my colleagues are there to help me navigate through difficulties, if and when I encounter them.

As a practicing nurse, have you encountered a patient or patients that have significantly impacted your professional and personal life?