Through my nursing journey as a student, although I am only in my second month of education, I have prepared myself for the transitions I will experience going forward. Transitioning from classes to clinical practice brings more responsibility to the nursing student title and makes room for theory to become a reality. To support this statement, Carless-Kane and Nowell (2023) discuss the challenges students face transitioning from classrooms to clinical settings. It is mentioned in the article that the key aspect of preparing for the shift is developing and maintaining connections between the knowledge acquired in class and how to apply it in the clinical setting. In the nursing curriculum, we will learn how to take care of a patient, and nursing students are expected to use that knowledge in clinical practice to create skills and judgment.
As I reflect on what aspects of nursing will strengthen my practice once I am a nurse, the terms confidence and competence come to mind. It is common to lack confidence as a nursing student due to lack of experience or clinical practice. With confidence comes competence because to be a respected nurse, it is expected to be competent in our practice as we are taking care of other human beings. With that said, the best time to start reflecting on these traits is now. As I was reading an article by Dent and Doorman (2016), I paid attention to how seasoned nurses reflect on the type of new graduate nurse they once were; this made me realize that the best learning tool is advice from an experienced nurse. This article is a great way for nursing students to familiarize themselves with the shifts from nursing student to New graduate nurse and from New graduate to seasoned nurse. It scares me but also prepares me for the exciting future of change ahead.
The easiest way to implement learning most effectively is to reflect on the basics of what makes a good nurse; this is vital for me because I can use this information and practice it throughout clinical practice so that when I graduate, it will be second nature to me. The background of becoming a good nurse is taught in nursing education. According to Helminen et al. (2017), the purpose of nursing school is to train nurses to meet the needs of the patient. This is done through competence and knowledge acquired during school. Another component is building teamwork skills and learning how to get along with other people on the team to strengthen the quality of care. Team building is taught from a young age, mostly from working on group projects. However, it is emphasized most in nursing school because we need our peers’ opinions and knowledge to balance our care. Knowing how to work with and cooperate with everyone did not jump out at me until reading this article, and it has emphasized the importance of it.
This reflection underlines certain aspects one, such as myself, needs to practice and strengthen throughout nursing education to ease the transitions we will face over time. Just like healthcare, nursing evolves and continues to grow, reflecting how a student becomes a registered nurse. I intend to take what I have learned and carry it with me past my education and during my nursing career.