Introduction
Nursing practice is a complex engagement that requires practitioners to have an array of abilities to handle the challenges and various situations they encounter within the healthcare systems. Therefore, baccalaureate nurses must comprehend different categories of multiple intelligences that can be of significant help in their profession.
Based on Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences, human beings have the potential to possess a variety of skills viable to guide their thinking. In relation to the variations, providers may have distinct capabilities that make them completely different from one another; hence nurse educators should be able to identify the unique qualities in each novice provider. Proper examination of oneself is essential in enabling practitioners to understand their learning styles which makes them capable of providing effective patient care. Some of the intellects include logical-mathematical, intrapersonal, interpersonal, linguistic, and musical. Having an outstanding comprehension of personal abilities to think is fundamental in making an amateur nurse develop crucial skills useful in the provision of care services.
Importance of Understanding the Concept of Multiple Intelligences
Nurse educators should be well conversant with the idea of multiple intelligences. Having the knowledge will make it easier for them to nurture novice practitioners and promote their ability to think from a wider perspective. A number of factors, such as culture, self-concept, and genetics, play a significant role in influencing the nature of capabilities an individual possesses. During the training of nurses, proper utilization of multiple skills can make the educator influence the learning process of various providers by tapping key aspects that directly correlate with their potential. For instance, when the student nurse has spatial intelligence, using charts, diagrams and other forms of pictures will be appropriate to enable easy understanding of the content. Similarly, in a case where the nurse prefers the use of rational reasoning and analysis of various situations, using logical-mathematical skills will enable such individuals to develop better insight into the practice. By concentrating on the relevant abilities of the novice nurse, an experienced practitioner can encourage and build on the specific areas where the beginner is having challenges to better their performance.
Four Types of Multiple Intelligences Focus
Howard Gardner proposed several intellectual competencies that are useful in solving challenges within the workplace. Some of the intelligence includes logical-mathematical skills based on this concept; the practitioner focuses on finding finer details of information based on the facts and figures to justify their reasoning. In other words, an individual makes observations by inferring the accepted models to support their opinions. Similarly, there is an interpersonal intellect that involves having proper intonation during the conversation with another party. Intelligence promotes the ability of the nurse to empathize and understand the status of the patient. In addition, linguistic aptitude is crucial in the nursing practice. It allows the nurses to communicate effectively with each other through writing and speaking, which is essential in facilitating cooperation during service delivery. Lastly, intrapersonal intelligence helps practitioners to thoroughly examine and understand themselves by engaging in self-evaluation to become better professionals (Rubenfeld & Scheffer, 2015). Intrapersonal skill, such as self-awareness, makes it easier for nurses to visualize their inner thoughts and make a meaningful outcome that positively impacts their practices in the healthcare setting.
Two Multiple Intelligences Related to My Nursing Practice
Based on the complexity and demanding nature of nursing practices, logical-mathematical intelligence is an essential capability necessary for improving the performance of novice nurses aiming at developing their knowledge. There are several challenges faced by providers in various departments that require urgent clinical solutions (Rubenfeld & Scheffer, 2015). To provide such interventions, practitioners must have the ability to critically analyze the problem and then develop an effective countermeasure to thwart them. For instance, assuming a patient is suffering from a critical condition that requires proper treatment, using the skill, a nurse will conduct deep research to unveil the underlying cause of such illness to implement an effective management approach. The other intellect that is fundamental in critical care nursing is intrapersonal knowledge. Since the practice entails dealing with patients and other stakeholders, there are high rates of burnout, fear and misunderstandings. By employing the concept, nurses will be able to comprehend their capacities and therefore formulate proper ways of handling varied situations in the facility. Once an individual can manage and control personal desires and possible anxiety, it becomes easier to work effectively with other people, promoting effective patient care. For example, during interaction with patients suffering from critical diseases such as cancer, I will control my fear of managing patients in acute conditions to ensure I provide effective care services that meet their health needs.
Impacts of Using Multiple Intelligences
Using the multiple intelligences concept while mentoring novice nurses is crucial for developing all-around practitioners in the nursing field. Some of the key advantages of using the approach include understanding the areas of strengths and weaknesses of each provider. Since learning style differs from one person to another, it might be challenging to offer the best education to beginners if the educator is not aware of how they react and perceive the information. However, through the use of multiple intellects, trainers can easily comprehend and apply the right skill to enable nurses to understand the concepts accordingly. Similarly, the technique allows providers to develop maximum self-awareness, which is essential for their personal and professional development. Furthermore, using various skills to mentor nurses can enable nurses to continue learning and succeed in their practices. Furthermore, the approach allows mentors to learn various effective styles of mentoring nurse beginners to achieve the required skills. It provides a wide perspective of learning, making it possible for nurses to acquire a variety of capabilities.
How Multiple Intelligences Improve Mentoring Process
Applying the multiple intelligences approach in mentoring novice nurses enables educators to develop and achieve the self-awareness necessary to improve their training practices. The ability makes it easier to deliver an enriched learning experience for beginners in the nursing practice who have the intention of developing their capabilities in their respective area of focus. Furthermore, using different bits of intelligence allows the trainers to formulate the best programs which they can utilize to influence the engagement and minds of novice providers (Fisher & Stanyer, 2018). Since the system has the potential to enable mentors to impact changes in nurses’ practice, therefore it is effective in changing the mindset of novice practitioners for proper transformation in the field.
Conclusion
In summary, the use of multiple intellects is an effective approach to mentoring novice nurses in healthcare facilities. The strategy is relevant since it allows experienced practitioners to use an array of skills to impart proper knowledge and understanding to providers who are aspiring to improve their competencies in the nursing practice. Therefore, the technique facilitates the development of adequate capabilities necessary for becoming experts in the provision of care services. In addition, it provides nurse beginners with different intelligences that fit their capacities in practice. Lastly, different aptitudes allow mentors to explore and apply different learning techniques during mentoring programs, promoting effective education.
References
Fisher, M., & Stanyer, R. (2018). Peer mentoring: Enhancing the transition from student to professional. Midwifery, 60, 56-59.
Rubenfeld, M. G., & Scheffer, B.K. (2015). Critical thinking TACTICS for nurses: Achieving the IOM competencies (3rd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.