Reflection

The choice to return to university to pursue my Bachelor of Science in Nursing took significant contemplation. As a mature student who is already 50 years old, it required bravery, determination, and deep consideration of what I was trying to achieve and whether it was the right thing to do. I have decided to return to school because an RN licence will not only enhance my knowledge and skills and, ultimately, patient care but also open doors for more opportunities within the profession in the future. I also have a curious mind, which makes me want to deepen my medical knowledge. This decision took great deliberation and talking through with my family. I knew it would be a sacrifice because it would require time away from my growing children. It would also mean leaning on my husband to help support me with getting our children to extracurricular activities and appointments. The thought of juggling numerous roles was and still is somewhat overwhelming. I am not alone in this; research shows the challenges of nursing students working during their schooling. It suggests that although there are clinical benefits to continuing to work as a nurse, it is difficult to maintain a work-life balance and avoid attrition from schooling (Lamswood et al., 2024).

A part of me was also nervous to enter university-level education for the first time at this age. It was something that I had never considered in the past because I doubted myself academically up until I enrolled in the RPN course.  Some professors at Fleming College approached me about continuing my nursing education, which put a bug in my ear. The ultimate deciding factor in returning to school was having a close friend pursue the same journey alongside me. We completed the RPN program together and we currently work on the same unit and share similar drive, interests, and moral compass. I feel that this friendship has been an incredible two-way support system not only academically as study partners, but also in managing stress and finding outlets to let our hair down and enjoy physical activity. I am acutely aware of the need to relax and be active, so we have been rowing and camping together. Studies show the value of meaningful peer relationships amongst nurses both in the workplace and socially, and how a sense of belonging benefits their well-being and reduces stress (Hill, 2024).

Reflecting upon semester 1 so far, I would say that it has been more challenging than I expected. The main difficulty is that of time constraints. This time around, I am working 24 hours a week, alongside full-time university and managing family commitments. During my time at Fleming College, I was not working and was therefore able to apply more time to my studies. The ability to focus on my studies resulted in a GPA of 3.96. This time, however, although I am very driven, my grades are not as high, which is disappointing, but I am also trying to be kind and realistic to myself to protect my mental health.

Moving forward through placements and employment, I have a desire to explore wound care and critical care nursing. Eventually, I plan to investigate travel nursing opportunities in remote areas of Canada and globally. I have started researching organizations such as Doctors Without Borders and the Red Cross and hope to have the chance of an international placement during my time at Trent to get a feel for working abroad. Last semester, I took a Spanish course to work towards proficiency in a foreign language to enable improved communication. The reason behind travel nursing is that I like the idea of giving back to nations or areas that do not have the same access to medical care. As a believer in social justice, I strive to contribute to this area, especially with the effects of climate change and the increasing natural disasters. Ragavan et al. (2022) have identified that natural disasters magnify the inequities in healthcare, and that climate change impacts those who are already vulnerable to a greater degree. The way in which Covid-19 vaccinations were held by the government and not outsourced to other countries appropriately is an example of social injustice. I see myself being hands-on rather than a policy maker for change, but who knows what the future will hold.

My nursing career began after completing the RPN program at Fleming College. I entered the workforce in September 2023 and have never felt so much job satisfaction in my life. I have been working on a medical unit at Peterborough Regional Health Centre and feel fulfilled in my work. Although some days are exhausting and fast-paced and do not always have the outcome you would hope for, I have realized that I belong in this profession and have found my passion. I feel committed and energized to give compassionate and quality care. I believe in listening and advocating for my patients and ensuring that I communicate effectively with the interdisciplinary team to support them.

My drive home each day is a 45-minute commute, and I use this time to reflect on my day and decompress before returning to my family. I often wonder if I could have noticed a change in patient status quicker or how I could have been more efficient with my time or documentation. I notice my weaknesses, work with peers and bounce ideas off a charge nurse to work towards closing my gaps. I often use resources and reach out to the nurse educators to ask for guidance when needed. Although research indicates there can be barriers to lifelong learning due to lack of opportunity or funding, it is critical for nurses to engage in continued learning to ensure competence in practice (Miambo et al., 2021). One skill I know will come with time, practice, and further education is proficiency when a patients’ status declines rapidly, and multiple orders come in. I still lack experience and efficiency and need to be able to prioritize care, assessments and giving medications in a timely and efficient manner. I believe working through school, having some critical placements, and a deeper understanding of physiology will increase my abilities here. Research on the benefits of reflection suggest it is an important component to bring into nursing practice and increases critical thinking ability, and can widen nurses’ perspectives (Shin et al., 2023). Reflection is an important way to raise our self-awareness. Even writing this section of my Pressbook, helps me find the truth about myself, guide the direction I am heading in, and direct my goals.

When examining issues and trends that impact nursing practice, one that stands out is the attrition of newly graduated nurses in practice. This is of concern to me as I have witnessed it myself and feel sad that these individuals feel overwhelmed and unprepared for nursing practice after graduation. I feel fortunate to have life experience on my side and often think that starting a new job on a fast-paced medical unit would be intimidating if I were younger as the workload is very different from that of clinical placement expectations. As an employee, I make a significant effort to welcome and support new staff. I have a background in teaching and find myself seeking out students on the unit to enrich their learning and exposure to new skills. I often take nurses on orientation for the day and will put myself forward as a mentor in future.  Research identifies the importance of nurses in practice being able to feel a sense of belonging and states that a supportive atmosphere protects against discrimination and improves patient care (Hill, 2024). I will also advocate for myself in clinical practice to address my knowledge gaps and ask for feedback and learning opportunities.

Reflection will be an ongoing tool to use throughout school, and nursing practice, and it can be interesting to look back on previous written reflections to notice areas of growth or ongoing challenges.

References

Hill, B. (2024). The importance of belongingness and friendships within the nursing community. British Journal of Nursing

(Mark Allen Publishing), 33(6), 310–310. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2024.33.6.310

Lamswood, J., Hancock, P., Randell, G., Kennedy, D., Brooks, D. W., & Moores, P. (2024). “We Have Bills to Pay Too”: The

Juggling Act of Working While Attending a School of Nursing. Quality Advancement in Nursing Education – Avancées En

Formation Infirmière, 10(2), 1-15, A-B. https://doi.org/10.17483/2368-6669.1423

Mlambo, M., Silén, C., & McGrath, C. (2021). Lifelong learning and nurses’ continuing professional development, a metasynt

hesis of the literature. BMC Nursing, 20, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00579-2

Ragavan, m., Marcil, L. E., & Garg, A. (2020). Climate Change as a Social Determinant of Health. Pediatrics 145 (5),

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7193972/

Shin, S., Lee, I., Kim, J., Oh, E., & Hong, E. (2023). Effectiveness of a critical reflection

competency program for clinical nurse educators: a pilot study. BMC Nursing, 22, 1-8.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01236-6