As suggested by the Nursing Lens section by Moss and Phillips, health equity is a critical issue that resonates well with my goals as a nurse. The nursing lens they assert embraces nursing as a way to see health through a holistic approach that factors in the social determinants of health, namely socioeconomic status, race, and resources. This is a statement I closely relate to as I am passionate about working towards institutional inadequacies to have inclusiveness in health benefits to all individuals (Moss & Phillips, 2020). Furthermore, as a future healthcare professional, I would like to speak out for equal access to health that, on the other hand, will help denounce the injustices that have to do with health disparities. According to this aim, I set another personal goal to value the competence of patient-empowered care and their relationship in my practice. I am committed to reinforcing an environment that is supportive of the patients, where they feel respected, and their decisions about their health are respected by others and an environment that will constantly empower these patients (Moss & Phillips, 2020). This revolves around the practice of active listening, empathy, and a team approach in treating patients for the sake of the latter’s full engagement in providing their healthcare experience.
The values of caring and empowerment offered by nurses, as Moss and Phillips emphasize, are the characteristics that I strongly relate to. My goal in my personal and professional life is to allow people to be involved in their care and promote a caring and empowering environment where every patient, including workers, is valued and respected. Moreover, in addition to addressing the inequalities at their roots, I will strive to champion policies and projects that provide affordable healthcare services, education, and social support to ensure more equitable health outcomes in my community. On the issue of working for change in environmental and social conditions responsible for inequalities, another of my personal and professional goals is to participate in advocacy measures to combat the barriers to health equity (Kramer, 2020). This can mean backing up initiatives and policies that seek to address the disparities in healthcare, health education, and literacy in the underprivileged or in collaboration with community organizations to address the social determinants of health. Although this objective may be challenging and complex, I strive to contribute by campaigning for a fair system to address health inequalities in my community.
Reflection has dramatically informed my learning throughout this course. It allows me to look at my experiences, assumptions, and internalized beliefs critically. Through reflective activities, I have learned some essential things about my communication style, decision-making, and what parts I need to improve to become a better future healthcare professional. As a future healthcare professional, I aim to maintain the use of reflective practice in my daily life, such as writing a journal, doing self-assessment exercises, or doing peer discussions, to gain a deeper understanding of complex healthcare issues and to improve the quality of my clinical practice (Andrade, 2023). In the cause of my SMART objective of being more physically active, several tactics have been revealed to me to help keep me consistent and motivated. Setting particular and attainable goals, like walking for 30 minutes every night, made me concentrate and disciplined. On the other hand, including joyful sports in my exercise program, for example, music or discovering new walking ways, has made physical activity more pleasant and practical (Andrade, 2023). My last motivation boost is seeing my progress and rewarding myself gradually until I reach the goal. Ultimately, I have made significant strides toward becoming physically active by focusing on consistency and accountability. Empowering and preventative care, meeting some of the causes of inequality, and advocating for social justice and equal access to health care are the messages given. As a future nurse, this lens mirrors the nursing profession’s values, which are based on compassion, advocacy, and social responsibility.
To give compassionate, empowering care, one personal and professional objective I have set for myself is to develop my communication skills to be in a better position to support patients from a diverse background. Through effective communication, trust, and confidence in the patient and their healthcare choices will be built. Another goal targeted at environmental and social factors that cause health inequalities is to participate in community health programs intended for health equity achievement and social determinants of health closing (Andrade, 2023). Reflection has been an essential tool in my learning, allowing me to critically interrogate my experiences, track down growth spots, and apply new knowledge into practice. The plan entails continuing the reflective practice by regularly jotting down the clinical experiences, soliciting feedback from colleagues and mentors, and consequently seeking self-development and professional enhancement (Andrade, 2023). When I think of my progress in achieving the SMART goal, there are three significant things about persistence, approval, and recognition. Beyond this, I will work on improving or altering my workout routine to avoid boredom and enjoy exercising by doing new physical activities or changing the routes I walk.
References
Andrade, C. (2023). Physical exercise and health, 2: benefits associated with different levels and patterns of activity. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 84(5), 49358.https://www.psychiatrist.com/jcp/physical-exercise-and-health-2-benefits-of-different-levels-of-activity/
Kramer, A. (2020). An overview of the beneficial effects of exercise on health and performance. Physical Exercise for Human Health, 3-22.https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-15-1792-1_1
Moss, M. P., & Phillips, J. (Eds.). (2020). Health equity and nursing: Achieving equity through policy, population health, and Interprofessional collaboration. Springer Publishing Company.
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