Cherise Pendleton
Phase 2 Reflection – D024
I enjoyed the SEI activity more than I expected. Going through the activities,
papers, and videos throughout the Social and Emotional Intelligence module was
enlightening. I have studied these topics before but not in such a practical
application mode. It was fairly easy to create scenarios for my favorite SEI skill
sets. I decided to use real-life experiences that reflected SEI skills, which reminded
me of many of the positives I had experienced as a nurse in my unit and made me
think about what I wanted my future to look like.
The Self-efficacy skill set is a big one for me, as there is so much you must do
independently as a Nurse. It is part of the critical thinking aspect of being an
effective nurse. We regularly have to be able to look at many variables such as
labs, assessments, patient background, and discharge goals to make decisions
about care all the time, usually quickly. We must be able to act when there is a
change in status or an emergent situation. If we don’t have our skills down, we will
be unable to move care forward. It feels good to feel like I can do these things
successfully.
Teamwork and Adaptability are two other skill sets that make a difference in a
positive work environment. My best days on a unit were when we were able to work
collaboratively as nurses, nurse assistants, and administration to create the best
patient experience possible. For example, something as simple as IVs completing
and beeping before a nurse can turn off the pump or disconnect a patient. When
others see a need like this walking by a patient’s room, they can go in and help.
The patient is thrilled, and the nurse can finish what they are doing at the time.
This is an optimal situation for everyone. When charge nurses or other
administrators ask how they can help or see a need and do it really makes a
difference in patient care, especially when a unit is short-staffed. This truly creates
a team environment.
This leads me to think about Resilience as a skillset. During COVID, we were often
short-staffed, and I would get floated to higher-level care units. I made a few
mistakes or didn’t know how to use certain equipment. This could make me feel
down on myself, but I tried to put it into perspective and appreciate everything I
had learned. In reality, it has taught me so much, and I have gone on to work in
Intermediate Critical Care with Ventilators, Tracheostomies, and other situations
that initially seemed overwhelming. Resilience is similar to Adaptability, where you
must adapt to challenging situations to promote positive outcomes for patients and
yourself.
Reflecting on these SEI skills, plus the others discussed in Phase 2, was an
opportunity to look at how I can impact the work environment. I not only learned
my strengths but was also reminded of areas that I need to work on.
