Clinical Skills Assessment Essay

1  PMHNP PRAC 6645 Clinical Skills  Self-Assessment Form Lenick Bermudez Beltran College of Nursing-PMHNP, Walden University NRNP 6645: Psychopathology and Diagnostic Reasoning Walden University Dr. Fleming 9/5/2021.(Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)

Introduction PMHNP PRAC 6645 Clinical Skills 2    Nurse practitioners collaborate with diverse healthcare workers to provide quality, timely, safe, and efficient care. Providing advanced care to patients requires diverse clinical skills. The clinical skills are vital in diagnosing patients, treating, and managing different mental conditions. Assessing clinical skills is vital in identifying the capacity and areas to make improvements (Bennett, 2017). The purpose of the essay is to examine the strengths, opportunities for growth, and the goals and objectives of the practicum experience. Self-Assessment Form         Desired Clinical Skills for Students to Achieve     Confident (Can complete independently)   Mostly confident (Can complete with supervision)     Beginning (Have performed with supervision or need supervision to feel confident)    New (Have never performed or does not apply)   Comprehensive psychiatric evaluation skills in:   Recognizing clinical signs and symptoms of psychiatric illness across the lifespan    Confident         Differentiating between pathophysiological and psychopathological       Mostly confident          3  conditions   Performing and interpreting a comprehensive and/or interval history and physical examination (including laboratory and diagnostic studies)     Mostly confident        Performing and interpreting a mental status examination       Mostly confident          Performing and interpreting a psychosocial assessment and family psychiatric history        Beginning. Have performed with supervision     Performing and interpreting a functional assessment (activities of daily living, occupational, social, leisure, educational).     Mostly confident       Diagnostic reasoning skill in: Formulating diagnoses Confident   Developing and prioritizing a differential diagnoses list     Confident             Pharmacotherapeutic skills in: 4   according to DSM 5 based on assessment data                Differentiating between normal/abnormal age- related physiological and psychological symptoms/changes     Mostly confident         Selecting appropriate evidence based clinical practice guidelines for medication plan (e.g., risk/benefit, patient preference, developmental considerations, financial, the process of informed consent, symptom management)        Beginning. Have performed with supervision     Evaluating patient response and modify plan as necessary     Mostly confident        Documenting (e.g., adverse reaction, the patient response, changes       Mostly confident          5  to the plan of care) Psychotherapeutic Treatment Planning:             Recognizes concepts of Beginning  therapeutic modalities  across the lifespan            Selecting appropriate evidence based clinical practice guidelines for psychotherapeutic plan (e.g., risk/benefit, patient preference, developmental considerations, financial, the process of informed consent, symptom management, modality appropriate for situation) Mostly confident             Applies age appropriate psychotherapeutic counseling techniques with individuals, families, and/or groups Mostly confident                Develop an age appropriate individualized plan of care Mostly confident        Self-Assessment skills: 6   Provide psychoeducation to individuals, family, and/or groups        Beginning. Have performed with supervision     Promote health and disease prevention techniques     Confident             Develop SMART goals for practicum experiences     Confident            Evaluating outcomes of practicum goals and modify plan as necessary   Confident      Documenting and reflecting on learning experiences     Confident           Professional skills:            Maintains professional boundaries and therapeutic relationship Confident   with clients and staff            Collaborate with multi- disciplinary teams to improve clinical practice Mostly confident    in mental health settings        Identifies ethical and Mostly   Accurately documents Mostly 7            legal dilemmas with possible resolutions    (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)                      Demonstrates selecting the correct screening instrument appropriate confident      Demonstrates non- judgmental practice approach and empathy Confident    Practices within scope of practice Mostly confident     Selecting and implementing appropriate screening instrument(s), interpreting results, and making recommendations and referrals:     Mostly confident    for the clinical situation            Implements the screening instrument efficiently and effectively with the clients         Interprets results for screening instruments accurately Mostly confident    Mostly confident            Develops an appropriate plan of care based upon screening instruments response Confident            Identifies the need to refer to another specialty provider when applicable Confident        Summary of strengths: 8   recommendations for psychiatric consultations when applicable       confident            One of my strengths is communicating with multidisciplinary teams, patients, and families. Communication involves using verbal, non-verbal, and written forms. I strive to express empathy while sharing information with patients and family members. Sharing information with nurse practitioners and physicians improves the safety and welfare of patients (Durmaz et al., 2018). For instance, I endeavor to share accurate information with nurse practitioners during handover to reduce the risk of medical errors. Communicating with patients and family members requires a quality selection of words and expressing empathy (Durmaz et al., 2018). Patients need to know that a nurse genuinely cares for their needs. Communication between a nurse and a patient is vital for improving trust (Durmaz et al., 2018). Sharing information about the treatment plan and educating patients about their health condition is essential in realizing quality outcomes. Family members require quality information about the progress of a patient. I possess quality skills in recognizing clinical signs and symptoms of psychiatric illness. I have carried out assessments on various patients with diverse mental conditions. During my practicum, I have met patients with different problems. For example, I strive to determine if a patient has a diminishing interest in daily activities or a chronic sad mood. Accurately identifying the signs and symptoms is vital for appropriate diagnosis (Percy & Richardson, 2018). I am competent in developing and maintaining a professional relationship with patients. I strive always to avoid dual relationships with patients. If I realize any emotional attachment can affect the therapy, I know when to refer a patient to the next available therapist. Maintaining ethical and   Opportunities for growth: 9    legal considerations in the healthcare environment is critical in realizing positive health outcomes and promoting patient trust (Percy & Richardson, 2018). I maintain a non-judgmental approach and empathy to all patients despite their ethnic background, sexual orientation, age, gender, or health condition. I believe healthcare service is a right for all people despite their diversity. Maintaining a non-judgmental approach to healthcare is vital in boosting patient trust and diversity (Bennett, 2017)(Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students).     Continuous improvement is vital in the nursing field since it leads to quality care for patients with diverse needs. My first opportunity for growth is to cultivate a nursing mentorship relationship with my mentor. I should strive to spend more time with my mentor to clarify various issues that require improvement. One of the areas that require improvement is performing and interpreting a psychosocial assessment and family psychiatric history. I need to improve my skills in psychosocial assessment. Patient assessment is vital in developing accurate diagnoses (Pelin & Ayise, 2019). I should also blend the knowledge with a family psychiatric history. The information can help me to assess different patients accurately confidently. My mentor will be critical in boosting my expertise in performing and interpreting a psychosocial assessment and family psychiatric history. The second opportunity for growth is online training, webinars, and conferences. The platform is critical in enhancing the knowledge of nurse practitioners (Pelin & Ayise, 2019). For instance, webinars and seminars held by nursing associations and recognized practitioners and hospitals will address emerging issues. For instance, the webinars will address discrimination problems and the development of treatment plans custom for different patients. The third opportunity for growth is to join nursing associations. I am aiming to join American   Now, write three to four (3–4) possible goals and objectives for this practicum experience. Ensure that they follow the SMART Strategy, as described in the Learning Resources. 10    Nursing Association and National League for Nursing. Organizations are vital springboards for growth in the nursing field (Wills et al., 2020). The membership will provide personal development, networking, scholarships, and opportunities for continuing education. For instance, networking will help me learn more skills and get more resources for my nursing career. The fourth opportunity for growth is volunteering in organizations offering mental healthcare services to low-income families. The volunteer opportunity will help me meet diverse patients and learn the different dynamics of mental healthcare (Wills et al., 2020). I will strive to volunteer over the weekends or during specific days of the week. For instance, diverse residents of Louisiana facing the wrath of hurricane Ida are suffering from mental problems such as depression. Other residents in the state are suffering from employment and other adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. I will acquire advanced technology skills by forming a group of students and inviting a preceptor to discuss how to use different screening tools for mental health problems. Meeting regularly in the group will sharpen my skill in using diverse skills (Pelin & Ayise, 2019). I will use Walden Library as a tool to sharpen my skills. I will browse for peer-reviewed materials to search for current, accurate, and evidence-based information. The quality information will help me identify the trends in mental healthcare services (Percy & Richardson, 2018)(Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students).     1. Goal: Develop quality communication skills in sharing information with patients, family members, and multidisciplinary teams. a. Objective: Utilize different communication channels to share information with patients and family. b. Objective: Use communication channels to create a healthy relationship with   11    multidisciplinary teams. c. Objective: Demonstrate effective communication skills in creating quality relationship with patients. 2. Goal: Develop the skill to accurately select the best psychiatric diagnostic screening tools for patients with diverse conditions. a. Objective: Utilize nursing knowledge to identify and differentiate various screening tools. b. Objective: Use advanced nursing skills to identify the symptoms that differentiate various mental conditions. c. Objective: Demonstrate quality nursing skills to select and apply diagnostic tools. 3. Goal: Develop appropriate diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment plan, and follow up. a. Objective: Utilize different diagnostic tools to reach a diagnosis. b. Objective: Utilize advanced nursing skills to develop a differential diagnosis. c. Objective: Create a suitable treatment and follow-up plan. 4. Goal: Develop trust with patients by maintaining legal and ethical standards of care. a. Objective: Cultivate open and friendly communication channels with patients. b. Objective: Uphold legal and ethical code of conduct in treating patients with diverse   References Journal, 28(4). Durmaz, Y. C., Serin, E. K., & Polat, H. T. (2018). Determination of Problem-Solving and sciences, 11(3). Pelin, K., & Ayise, K. (2019). Assessment of mentorship applications in nursing clinical , 12(2), 869-876. Percy, M., & Richardson, C. (2018). Introducing nursing practice to student nurses: How can we , 29, 200-205. 12    characteristics. c. Objective: Use advanced nursing skills to learn cultural diversity and cultural trends.  Signature: Lenick Bermudez Beltran Date: 4th September 2021 Course/Section: NRNP 6645: Psychopathology and Diagnostic Reasoning  Bennett, L. L. (2017). The Gap Between Nursing Education and Clinical Skills.  ABNF    Communication Skills of Nursing/Midwifery Students.  International journal of caring    education.  International Journal of Caring Sciences    promote care compassion and empathy?  Nurse education in practice   Wills, J., Hancock, C., & Nuttall, M. (2020). The health of the nursing workforce. A survey of , 67(2), 294-299. 13   National Nurse Associations.  International Nursing Review (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students) 

Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students

Self-Assessment Form

An understanding of one’s background, abilities, and experiences is crucial before commencing any professional or academic assignment. This requires a critical self-reflection, which is equality crucial in developing competencies in the profession. In this assignment, the clinical skills self-evaluation form has been used to self-evaluate to identify strengths and opportunities for growth, and list four goals to achieve at the end of the practicum.(Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)

PMHNP PRAC 6645 Clinical Skills 

Desired Clinical Skills for Students to Achieve	Confident (Can complete independently)	Mostly confident (Can complete with supervision)	Beginning (Have performed with supervision or needs supervision to feel confident)	New (Have never performed or does not apply)
Comprehensive psychiatric evaluation skills in:
Recognizing clinical signs and symptoms of psychiatric illness across the lifespan (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)	✓
Differentiating between pathophysiological and psychopathological conditions  (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)		✓
Performing and interpreting a comprehensive and/or interval history and physical examination (including laboratory and diagnostic studies)		✓
Performing and interpreting a mental status examination  (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)		✓
Performing and interpreting a psychosocial assessment and family psychiatric history			✓
Performing and interpreting a functional assessment (activities of daily living, occupational, social, leisure, educational). (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)		✓
Diagnostic reasoning skill in:
Developing and prioritizing a differential diagnoses list (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)	✓
Formulating diagnoses according to DSM 5 based on assessment data	✓
Differentiating between normal/abnormal age-related physiological and psychological symptoms/changes			✓
Pharmacotherapeutic skills in:
Selecting appropriate evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for medication plan (e.g., risk/benefit, patient preference, developmental considerations, financial, the process of informed consent, symptom management)  (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)			✓
Evaluating patient response and modify plan as necessary  (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)		✓
Documenting (e.g., adverse reaction, the patient response, changes to the plan of care)		✓
Psychotherapeutic Treatment Planning:
Recognizes concepts of therapeutic modalities across the lifespan (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)			✓
Selecting appropriate evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for a psychotherapeutic plan (e.g., risk/benefit, patient preference, developmental considerations, financial, the process of informed consent, symptom management, modality appropriate for the situation)  (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)		✓
Applies age-appropriate psychotherapeutic counseling techniques with individuals and/or any caregivers (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)		✓
Develop an age-appropriate individualized plan of care		✓
Provide psychoeducation to individuals and/or any caregivers (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)			✓
Promote health and disease prevention techniques	✓
Self-assessment skill:
Develop SMART goals for practicum experiences  (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)	✓
Evaluating outcomes of practicum goals and modify plan as necessary	✓
Documenting and reflecting on learning experiences (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)	✓
Professional skills:
Maintains professional boundaries and therapeutic relationship with clients and staff (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)	✓
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to improve clinical practice in mental health settings  (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)		✓
Identifies ethical and legal dilemmas with possible resolutions	✓
Demonstrates non-judgmental practice approach and empathy		✓
Practices within scope of practice		✓
Selecting and implementing appropriate screening instrument(s), interpreting results, and making recommendations and referrals:
Demonstrates selecting the correct screening instrument appropriate for the clinical situation  (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)		✓
Implements the screening instrument efficiently and effectively with the clients (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)		✓
Interprets results for screening instruments accurately		✓
Develops an appropriate plan of care based upon screening instruments response (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)	✓
Identifies the need to refer to another specialty provider when applicable (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)	✓
Accurately documents recommendations for psychiatric consultations when applicable (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)	✓

Summary of strengths:

Based on the clinical assessment form, my first core strength is the ability to recognize mental health clinical signs and symptoms for different patients. Secondly, I am competent in making differential diagnoses based on the client’s data and the DSM5 criteria. Thirdly, I am equally skilled in promoting disease and health prevention among patients and their families. My fourth strength is the competency in developing SMART goals for my practicum, evaluating the outcomes, modifying them as the need arises, and documenting and reflecting on the experiences. My sixth strength is maintaining professional boundaries and establishing therapeutic relationships with staff and clients. I am equally competent in identifying and resolving ethical and legal dilemmas and developing appropriate care based on mental health screening outcomes. Lastly, I am adept at identifying conditions that require a referral and documenting psychiatric recommendations. (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)

Opportunities for growth:

Growth is crucial for maintaining competence. My first opportunity for growth is to interact more often with my preceptor, conferences and seminars, and join local chapters of mental health organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association and American Psychiatric Nurses Association. This will improve my clinical communication and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams. I believe mental health care is dynamic and requires input from various professionals. Besides, communication is crucial for the effective management of patient conditions. Communication is central to effective nurse-nurse and nurse-patient relationships (Ball et al., 2021). The second opportunity for growth is the availability of Walden University library and other online resources to EBP and which can be translated into practice. Translating evidence is crucial in providing sustainable and transparent healthcare services (Curtis et al., 2017). This will enhance my competency in selecting appropriate evidence-based approaches to plan for medication. As a mental healthcare nurse, there is a need to consider the risks and benefits of interventions, incorporate patient needs, provide informed consent, and manage patient symptoms. My third opportunity for growth is through shadowing and volunteering, which will enhance my competence in evaluating patient responses and modifying treatment plans. Shadowing and volunteering will help improve my competence in providing psychoeducation to clients and caregivers. Patient and family education is vital in managing symptoms (Kramer & Bjorklund, 2021).(Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)

Now, write three to four (3–4) possible goals and objectives for this practicum experience. Ensure that they follow the SMART Strategy, as described in the Learning Resources.

1.      Goal: To be competent in performing a comprehensive psychiatric examination and interpreting psychiatric assessments for clients and their families.  a.      Objective: Review the existing legislation relating to the protection against mental health clients, identifying mental health symptoms, and respecting client rights. b.      Objective: Use different communication channels to communicate with peers and share crucial clinical information with clients and their families. c.       Objective: Utilize available resources for clinical assessments, i.e., screening tools. 2.      Goal: To be competent in diagnostic reasoning, differentiating various age-related psychological and physiological symptoms. a.       Objective: To consult my preceptor and experienced nurses as the need arises. b.      Objective:  Research Walden University and other online sources c.       Objective:  Be proactive and support clinical assessments. 3.      Goal: To be competent in selecting appropriate and relevant EBP guidelines for various mental health issues. a.       Objective:  Research Walden University and other online sources. b.      Objective:  Consult my preceptor whenever necessary. c.       Objective:  Refer to existing evidence-based practice guidelines. 4.      Goal:  To be competent in recognizing therapeutic modalities across the lifespan. a.       Objective:  Interact with patients and their families during a psychiatric assessment b.      Objective:  Research Walden University library and other online resources. c.       Objective:  Consult with my preceptor and other experienced mental health nurse practitioners whenever necessary.

Conclusion

Self-reflection is crucial in identifying one’s strength and weakens. Besides, the process is crucial in outlining goals and objectives that aligns with one’s weaknesses. I believe that I attained majority of my goas set at the beginning of the practicum. However, I have identified areas of competence that needs improvement and strategies to achieve these aims. I look forward to consistent engagement with my preceptor, peers, and the faculty to continue learning and improving my clinical competence. (Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)

Signature:

Date:

Course/Section:

References

Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W. (2021). Seidel’s Guide to Physical Examination-E-Book: An Interprofessional Approach. Elsevier Health Sciences.(Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)

Curtis, K., Fry, M., Shaban, R. Z., & Considine, J. (2017). Translating research findings to clinical nursing practice. Journal of clinical nursing, 26(5-6), 862-872. https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fjocn.13586

Kramer, A., & Bjorklund, P. (2021). Implementation and evaluation of a psychoeducation program in an outpatient mental health center. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 57(1), 219-224. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.12552(Clinical Skills Assessment Essay for Nursing Students)