Self-Assessment of Clinical SkillsWalden University Psychopathology and Diagnostic Reasoning Practicum NURS 6635December 3, 2020IntroductionNurse practitioners are licensed clinicians who have received a master or doctorate education and license to provide advanced health care in collaboration with other health care professionals (American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 2020). A psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) is an advanced practiced registered nurse trained and licensed to assess, diagnose, and treat patients with mental and behavioral disorders (Gaines, 2020). Part of the educational modules for student nurse practitioners is clinical training. Clinical training provides an opportunity for student psychiatric nurse practitioners to identify and learn the clinical skills needed to perform their job functions. The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss personal strengths and weaknesses pertaining to clinical skills using the clinical self- assessment form. The paper will also include goals and objectives for the practicum experience.PRAC 6635 Clinical Skills Self-Assessment FormComprehensive psychiatric evaluation skills in:Desired Clinical Skills for Students to AchieveConfident (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)Recognizing clinical signs and symptoms of psychiatric illnessConfidentDifferentiating between pathophysiological and psychopathological conditionsMostly confidentPerforming and interpreting a comprehensive and/or interval history and physical examination (including laboratory and diagnostic studies)Mostly ConfidentPerforming and interpreting a Beginning mental status examinationPerforming and interpreting a psychosocial assessment and family psychiatric historyMostly confidentPerforming and interpreting a functional assessment (activities of daily living, occupational, social, leisure, educational).Mostly confidentDiagnostic reasoning skill in:Developing and prioritizing a differential diagnoses listPsychotherapeutic Treatment Planning:Promote health and disease prevention techniquesSelf Assessment skill: Develop SMART goals for practicum experiencesDocumenting and reflecting on learning experiences Professional skills:BeginningDemonstrate knowledge of psychopathology of mental illnesses through discussion for different age groups and mental illnessesBeginningFormulating diagnoses according to DSM 5 based on assessment dataBeginningDifferentiating between normal/abnormal age-related physiological and psychological symptoms/changesBeginningProvide psychoeducation to individuals and/or any caregiversBeginningMostly confidentMostly confidentMostly confidentEvaluating outcomes of practicum goals and modify plan as necessaryMostly confidentMaintains professionalboundariesConfidentand therapeutic relationshipstaffwith clients andCollaborate with multi-Confidentdisciplinary teams to improveclinical practice in mentalhealth settingsIdentifies ethical and legal dilemmas with possible resolutionsConfidentDemonstrates non- judgmental practice approach and empathyConfidentPractices within scope of Confident practiceSelecting and implementing appropriate screening instrument(s) and interpreting results:Demonstrates selecting theBeginningcorrect screening instrumentappropriate for the clinicalsituationImplements the screening instrument efficiently and effectively with the clientsBeginningInterprets results for screening instruments accuratelyBeginningIdentifies the need to refer to another specialty provider when applicableBeginningAccurately documents recommendations for psychiatric consultations when applicableMostly confidentSummary of StrengthsOne of my notable strengths is the ability to utilize effective communication techniques. This includes verbal and nonverbal communication skills that promote a good interpersonal andprofessional relationship with coworkers, patients, and families. Over the years, continually practicing the principles of effective communication has awarded me the ability to be more empathetic, thus encouraging open communication. It has also prompted the ability to conduct myself professionally and be open to accepting constructive criticism and learning from my mistakes. As a healthcare provider, the need to be empathetic and possession of effective communication skills cannot be overemphasized, more so for the psychiatric mental healthcare provider because many psychopathology symptoms assessment and therapeutic tools are dependent on communication (Chambers & Ryder, 2016).As an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), It is important to always conduct an accurate physical and mental assessment using the proper techniques as this is the basis of ensuring an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan (Krautter et al., 2017). Another vital strength identified from the skills self-assessment form is the ability to perform a comprehensive and focused physical examination applying the proper techniques necessary.Having practiced as a registered nurse for six years, in various specialties, my multifaceted skill sets have proven to be valuable on many occasions in providing data for early identification and diagnosis of medical conditions.Opportunities for GrowthThe diagnosis of mental and behavioral disorders is complicated. It includes the use of physical examination, diagnostic tests as well as mental status evaluation, and psychosocial assessment to rule out the differential diagnosis and determine an accurate psychopathology diagnosis. An identified area for improvement is the ability to differentiate between psychopathology and pathophysiological and also prioritize psychopathological differentialdiagnosis. Although I have cared for patients with mental and behavioral disorders as a registered nurse, the diagnosis and treatment of psychopathological disorders require extensive knowledge and assessment skills. This is because most psychopathological disorders are not readily diagnosed using diagnostics tests but are instead dependent on the clinician’s assessment (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2020).To improve on these weaknesses, it is important to continually expand my knowledge of psychiatric conditions and utilize every opportunity to apply this knowledge during the clinical rotations. Another weakness identified is the ability to perform and interpret mental status examination. This weakness will be improved upon with continuous practice during clinical. In addition to improving my knowledge at the clinical sites, continuous research, and taking opportunities to improve where applicable. Personal and professional development is another way to improve on the above weaknesses and acquire new skills and knowledge that will foster the provision of evidence-based care as a PMHNP (Price & Reichert, 2017).Possible Goals and Objectives for this Practicum Experience.1. Goal: Develop advanced mental status examination skills by the end of practicuma. Objective: perform mental status exam on all patient encountersb. Objective: identify potential mental and behavioral disorders using mental status examc. Objective: interpret results of mental status examination2. Goal: Develop the knowledge and skills to Formulate psychiatric diagnoses independently y the end of practicuma. Objective: demonstrate advanced techniques in performing focused assessment necessary for making diagnosisa. Objective: Utilize laboratory, physical assessment, and patient’s concerns to develop psychiatric differential diagnosis for patient encountersb. Objective: apply advanced assessment skills in making and prioritizing psychiatric differential diagnosis3. Goal: Develop the knowledge and skills for selecting appropriate psychiatric screening instruments by the end of practicuma. Objective: apply advanced techniques and effective communication skills in interviewingpatients.b. Objective: Utilize advanced knowledge in understanding various psychiatric screeninginstrumentsc. Objective: demonstrate advanced techniques in implementing psychiatric screeninginstrumentsReferencesAmerican Association of Nurse Psychiatric (2019). Discussion paper: Standards of practice for nurse practitioners. Retrieved from https://storage.aanp.org/www/documents/advocacy/position- papers/StandardsOfPractice.pdfGaines, K. (2020). Career guide series: Psychiatric NP. Retrieved fromhttps://nurse.org/resources/psychiatric-nurse-practitioner/Krautter, M., Diefenbacher, K., Schultz, J. H., Maatouk, I., Herrmann-Werner, A., Koehl-Hackert, N., … & Nikendei, C. (2017). Physical examination skills training: Faculty staff vs. patient instructor, 12(7), e0180308.National alliance on Mental Illness (2020). Understanding your diagnosis. Retrieved fromhttps://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Individuals-with-Mental-Illness/Understanding-Your-DiagnosisPrice, S. & Reichert, C. (2017). The Importance of Continuing Professional Development to Career Satisfaction and Patient Care: Meeting the Needs of Novice to Mid- to Late-Career Nurses throughout Their Career Span. Administrative Science 7(17); doi:10.3390/adm- sci7020017.Chambers, C. & Ryder, E. (2016).Compassion and caring in nursing. CRC Press.feedback—A controlled trial.PLoS OneSent from my iPhone

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