Introduction
This essay reflects my understanding of bronchitis pathophysiology, often categorised as a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (Waugh and Grant, 2018). The essay emphasises how a person’s body system is affected by this pathophysiological condition. In addition, I will also promote and demonstrate my desirable professional integrity, work ethic, professional values, and personal integrity. Specifically, I will broadly reflect on my knowledge about bronchitis pathophysiology. Specifically, I will concentrate on my thoughts about my work values, integrity, and ethics. To conclude the reflection, I will highlight my team contributions and prospective improvement areas to foster my self-progress, integrity, work ethic, values, and competencies for my nursing career and future development.
Waugh and Grant (2018) emphasise that chronic bronchitis is characterised by sputum and cough for more than three months. Bronchitis is an inflammation of airway linings, often involving the generation of excessive mucus (Burgel, 2012). In some incidences, bronchitis can be chronic or acute (Waugh and Grant, 2018). Bronchitis pathophysiology is when goblet cells hyper-secrete and overproduce mucus (Mejza et al., 2017). Nevertheless, bronchitis pathophysiology manifests when infectious cigarette smoke invades the lining of tracheobronchial epithelial cells, which outputs inflammatory mediators, particularly increased mucus generation, thickening, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (Waugh and Grant, 2018).
After mucus generation, the bronchial mucous membrane becomes oedematous and hyperaemic resulting in the expansion of airway walls, which stiffens the route and obstructs the airflow. In due course, ciliary efficiency and bronchial mucociliary’s functional efficiency decline, further resulting in neoplastic transformation. Airflow is impeded since luminal obstruction blocks airways and causes debris which increases irritation. Moreover, mucus overproduction or hypersecretion in chronic bronchitis causes cough and breathing difficulties, resulting in right-hand heart failure and hypoxia pulmonary hypertension (Waugh and Grant, 2018). Although pathophysiology knowledge is crucial for my career progress and future development, I do not consider bronchitis pathophysiology enjoyable. This is because pathophysiology is challenging and fascinating to grasp since it is new and complex to me. I have basic knowledge in educational sciences, particularly in Biology. Regardless of my feelings about pathophysiology, I must avoid perceiving pathophysiology as a complex subject area. I must focus on increasing my pathophysiology knowledge by engaging in group work and improving my research about this subject area (Wray et al., 2012).
As a nursing scholar, motivation is part of my primary attitude towards working. Motivation describes external conditions that contribute to manifesting inner emotions and specific behaviour, which demonstrate how persons interact and behave in professional and social environments (Balloon, Banjar, and Banakhar, 2018). Nevertheless, I draw my motivation to work from my willingness to help others and gain knowledge to advance my career and stand better chance of getting a job in the future (Caldwell and Miller, 2022). I strive to inspire my children as their role models to know that everything is achievable provided much devotion and focus is performed by the aspirant (Wilkes et al., 2015). In addition, motivation positively influences scholars’ effective learning attitude (Köksal and Yurttaş, 2015). Student motivation is crucial to scholars’ educational success and develop into qualified nurses to provide quality and safe patient care (Nasrin, Suroor, and Soodabeh, 2012).
Additionally, I have developed respect as another personal attitude over time based on my cultural background. It is cultural in African culture to respect people, and I have exercised this attitude since childhood (Caldwell and Miller, 2022). It is by coincidence and desirable that respect applies to my nursing endeavours. In contrast, nursing professional values are relevant approaches and benchmarks to nursing practice (NMC, 2018). Prioritizing persons receiving nursing care is among the primary nursing professional values, especially when providing person-oriented care. In practice, a nurse can prioritize nursing care for patients by demonstrating respect for patients (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2018). Clucas and Chapman (2014) claim that respect is an emotional feeling in a person’s life exhibiting their value and worth (Clucas and Chapman, 2014). Respect involves an individual being cautious of psychological and physical integrity. Establishing a respectful culture is crucial during the delivery of nursing care (National Institutes of Health, 2016). In addition, Leape et al. (2012) emphasise that a nurse who shows respect to patients is likely to foster healthcare-seeking behaviour and patient satisfaction. Further evidence shows that nurses who demonstrate respectful behaviour towards patients enhance the nurses’ perception of patients in health facilities and society (Leape et al., 2012). National Institutes of Health (2019) presupposes that nurses who do not demonstrate respect often realize poor interactions with patients and fellow healthcare providers, resulting in poor patient care outcomes (National Institutes of Health, 2019).
My professional values and attitudes must demonstrate my nursing identity. By exhibiting nursing’s core values, I will likely treat patients plus their families or relatives suffering from bronchitis or other challenging health conditions with respect (Basak et al., 2016). Additional evidence shows that recognising people’s dignity during nursing care is another primary nursing value (NMC, 2018). The Department of Health (2013) claims that nursing professionals must address patients’ healthcare needs with respect and dignity. Fostering patients’ satisfaction through dignity, respect, and empathy improves effectiveness of care delivery (Goodman, 2013). Moreover, practising effectively is another nursing practice’s professional value (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2018). The above professional value is demonstrated in nursing practice when the nurses consistently adhere to availed and benchmarked nursing evidence and standards. More so, utilizing available nursing evidence and standards facilitates quality, adequate, and effective patient care (Chien, 2019). In addition, effective communication with people is another way of practising effectively by the nurses. In practice, nurses must prioritize and pay close attention to patient’s preferences and concerns as defined in the nursing codes (NMC, 2018). Evidence shows that effective communication is crucial to offering patients with proper nursing care services (Ali, 2017). As a result, patient happiness, patient engagement and patient recovery are largely impacted by effective communication (Dwamena et al., 2012).
Most significantly, I have also made valuable contributions to nursing practice. For instance, I have contributed to nursing teams’ progress by actively listening to patients’ health concerns and delivering timely nursing care (Basak et al., 2016). In addition, I have frequently spent valuable time with patients to enhance their hospital experience and boost awareness about the engagement of patients in nursing care (Grocott and McSherry, 2018). Teamwork is a relevant practice in nursing since it enhances staff and patient outcomes by boosting job satisfaction and minimising stress levels (West, 2012). For instance, teamwork allows nurses to integrate vast experience and diverse talents to manage patients’ severe and adverse health conditions by ensuring that patients are given quality nursing care (Baird et al., 2020). In practice, teamwork is demonstrated through collaborations among nurses and other healthcare professionals that enhance team cohesion and information sharing. Collaboration enhances working relationships among nursing care teams. In order to positively contribute to patient care, I will prioritise scheduling one-on-one engagements with patients whenever I am not busy to understand chronic bronchitis patients about desirable lifestyle amendments (Palmryd, Rejnö, and Godskesen, 2021). For instance, advising patients on interventions to mitigate smoking habits with detailed observations is a potential desirable lifestyle change. In addition, I may also give information leaflets to chronic bronchitis patients for a better and clear understanding of their health conditions to influence their adjustment to a positive lifestyle. I will prioritise expressing support, respect, dignity, and empathy to patients and assisting nursing teams with relevant equipment to provide timely and quality nursing care to patients (Ryan and Deci, 2017).
Being a nursing scholar, it is must responsibility to identify potential development approaches to provide quality, safe, and effective nursing care to patients. Broadening my knowledge and understanding of long-term bronchitis pathophysiology is my potential one area I must improve to deliver quality nursing care to patients in the future. I will conduct comprehensive research about long-term bronchitis pathophysiology by reading nursing journals, articles, and books to improve my knowledge about the above area (Winterstein, 2012). In addition, I will also attend all learning sessions, such as group work sessions and lectures, to enhance my knowledge about long-term bronchitis pathophysiology. Also, I will research about illness and health topics to improve my knowledge about this area (Ryan and Deci, 2017). In addition, I will improve my understanding by practising, observing, and listening to expert simulations since my mentor provides nursing care to persons with long-term bronchitis pathophysiology on placement (Basak et al., 2016).
Competency and confidence is my second area which I must improve to foster my ability to deliver effective, safe, and quality nursing care to patients in the future. After a well-thought self-reflection about my nursing practices, I realised that I have low confidence in my potential and capability to execute assigned tasks. This is because I have had an underlying attitude of giving up on things easily, especially when I find out that I may have a challenging time executing and completing them because I was often reluctant to explore my potential in handling challenging circumstances (Ryan and Deci, 2017). I recognised that I needed to develop a newer positive attitude focused on improving my confidence by facing challenging situations. For instance, I intend to be an active listener and calm nurse whenever faced with arrogant clients to prioritise and address their health concerns. These efforts will enhance my proactiveness and confidence to foster my future nursing practice (Basak et al., 2016).
Iacobucci et al. (2012) emphasise that healthcare delivery is affected by nursing students’ devotion to creating and managing relationships with patients and healthcare providers. For instance, student nurses who effectively create and maintain relationships can realise positive patient care outcomes because they can share knowledge and skills to address patients’ healthcare needs. Therefore, I must improve my understanding of nursing procedures to boost my confice in my evidence-based nursing practices (Winterstein, 2012). In addition, I will seek assistance from fellow nursing professionals and be more proactive to smoothly apply my expertise in my future nursing practices. Additionally, I will improve communication competencies and skills with healthcare workers and patients since teamwork provides exemplary patient safety and care, thus mitigating adverse outcomes associated with miscommunication (Burgener, 2017). Therefore, I will maintain proper eye contact and practice active listening to enhance my communication competencies and skills.
Conclusion
Long-term bronchitis is defined by mucus hypersecretion and calledred to as COPD. Long-term bronchitis’ pathophysiology shows that goblet cells cause mucus hypersecretion. The disease’s pathophysiology is relevant in my nursing career and the nursi a whole because it demonstrates the severity of the disease to human life. However, long-term bronchitis pathophysiology is less attractive since it is complex. Nevertheless, I must consider my values, such as effective practice, dignity, respect, and patient prioritization, to effectively execute my nursing care practices during good and challenging experiences. I will prioritise research and reading books to enhance my knowledge about how I can deliver safe and quality nursing care. I will foster my knowledge and strength about nursing procedures, boost my communication skills, and improve my confidence by learning from motivational speakers to deliver quality nursing care in the future.
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