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LaLine Angus' Nursing Portfolio

Collaboration

Collaborate in the design, management and coordination of care

I plan to begin the achievement of this program outcome in Nursing 420 and achieve the program outcome by the end of Nursing 499. (Portfolio, 2007)

Nurses have an abundance of autonomy (depending on your field of practice), however they do not work alone.  Nurses must collaborate with many other specialties as well as their peers.  In order to treat the person holistically, often times you must call in a social worker, spiritual counselor, doctors or simply rely on other staff members. 

To effectively coordinate care, I have to be able ascertain the dynamics of the group, know where I fit in and communicate my needs effectively.  This was demonstrated in nursing 420, our leadership class.  The group assignment was to choose something you’d like to see change and then be the change you want to see. Using the nursing process, our group focused on PEDIATRIC FEVER PRESENTATION IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.  In doing the assessment we experienced many barriers in both our group and the local hospitals. Our group had some difficulty with communication and was never able to establish trust amongst ourselves.  What I learned was there is sometimes going to be a gap in values when working in a group and it is important to first close that gap before true change can be made. Learning to work as a team and to collaborate in the care of your patients is tantamount in reaching positive outcomes.  

While we never were able to complete the project, we collaborated with each other to create a FEVER BROCHURE that could be used in clinic, emergency department and health department settings. Ultimately, while our leadership styles were different, we met the outcomes efficiently and learned a lot about ourselves in the process.

In nursing 430, community health, we did a poster presentation with a partner. Another student and I were assigned to update the charts of foster children on the S'Klallum Reservation near Kingston, WA.  This project required me to collaborate with not only my fellow student, but the staff at the S'Klallum Health Clinic and the S'Klallum Dental Clinic.  My partner and I ended up creating a poster decdicated to DIABETES AND OBESITY IN FOSTER CHILDREN of the S'Klallum Tribe.  My proficiency in mastering this program outcome was evident in the 98% we received for our paper and 100% on our poster presentation.

Community Health Poster

In the future I plan to seek out opportunities to serve in leadership positions both in my career and in my community.  I plan to always strive to communicate in a respectful and professional manner, while never leaving a team member feeling less than when they arrived.  I plan to focus on my strengths while constantly working to improve my weaknesses, never losing site of the importance of teamwork.