Introduction
As a nurse, one is charged with a wide range of responsibilities. The responsibilities include, among others, counseling and caring for patients, as well as working in collaboration with other health practitioners. The aim is to provide the best quality of services to the consumers (Pollard, Thomas & Miers 2010, p. 21). There are a number of themes surrounding the functions and roles of a nurse. The first important theme includes that of inter-professional relationship. The nurse has to work with other experts from other professions to deliver quality healthcare services to the clients. For example, they have to work together with doctors, community health workers, and such others. For one to be an effective nurse, it is important to have effective inter-professional relationships with other people. The provision of healthcare services involves the joint efforts from each and every professional working in the healthcare sector. As a result, a nurse, who is one of the professionals in the field, should aim at working closely with others. To enhance collaborative practice among professionals, it is important for them to build on their interpersonal communication skills, knowledge, values, as well as ethics (Smith 2012, p. 1512).
The other theme important in nursing involves cultural diversity. The issue of cultural diversity is one of the most important considerations when it comes to working with members of the same inter-professional team. In most cases, we tend to view cultural differences in terms of the nurse-patient relationship. Such a perspective is inadequate given that nurses themselves should be able to appreciate the differences that exist between them and their fellow co-workers (Riley, Smyer & York 2012, 382). Diversity should be embraced and not seen as a source of disunity in a given setting (Omeri 2008, p. 209). It is important to acknowledge the fact that diversity comes in many forms. For example, there is diversity based on culture, religion, disability, race, as well as beliefs. As such, it is important for nurses to appreciate the fact that there will always be diversity in our places of work. It is not possible to work in a homogenous setting.
The two themes (cultural diversity and inter-professional relationship) go hand-in-hand. One must have good inter-professional skills for them to appreciate their co-workers. The co-workers may, for example, hold belief systems that are different from those of the nurse. As such, the nurse needs to have inter-professional skills to appreciate these differences. It is, however, important to acknowledge that the aforementioned skills are not inherent to the professional nurse. In addition, the skills are not acquired automatically. The skills are cultivated by the individual and other people around them. Their acquisition is a process that starts right from the nurse’s life in college. The skills are enhanced throughout the individual nurse’s learning process (Reeves et al. 2010, p. 236). For this reason, students are encouraged to develop these aspects in their practice. Support should be offered to them during the process. To this end, they should be guided through what is expected of them in their practice.
In this paper, I am addressing the two themes mentioned above in relation to my practice as a nurse. The paper is a reflection of a scenario that shows my masterly of the nursing practice with regards to themes.
Reflection
Scenario
In my practice as a nursing student, I have experienced a number of issues that we covered in class. My field attachment provided me with an opportunity to experience, first hand, some of the issues I am to expect later in my practice as a professional nurse. During the practice, I got the opportunity to interact with individuals from diverse cultures. In addition, as part of my practice, I was required to relate appropriately with other individuals that I was to work with during the time (Bulman & Schutz 2012, p. 34). As a result, I was required to apply the knowledge I had acquired in class. My inter-professional skills were to play a significant role on my effective and efficient engagement in team activities during my practice. As I had learnt in class, the provision of healthcare services requires teamwork. As such, relating well with each and every member of the group was paramount (Gardner 2010, p. 265). I also realised that by cooperating with other members of the team, I was in a better position to be assimilated into the system. As a result of such assimilation, my work and my time during the attachment were enhanced.
I have used Gibb’s model of reflection to evaluate and analyse the scenario. With the help of the model, I will analyse the scenario in six phases. The phases include description, feelings, and evaluation. The others are analysis, conclusion, and action plan.
Inter-Professional Relationship and my Practice
During my placement, I collaborated with all health care personnel in the team I was working in. I was assigned tasks that I was required to complete by the end of each day. I was new to this organisation, and as a result, I had to work a little bit harder than the other members of the team. I lacked enough knowledge on my nursing roles in the hospital. I felt that by collaborating with other individuals, making decisions concerning clients in the health facility would be easy (Kilpatrick, Lavoie-Tremblay, Ritchie, Lamothe & Doran 2012, p. 1509). I also realised that my work will be made easy and as a result, I will achieve better results. I feel that the practice was helpful as far as my future nursing profession is concerned. The efficiency with which activities were carried out in the team I was working with is indicative of the success of my practice. My team members also perceived me as hardworking. Many of them wanted to be allocated tasks together with me. My performance was also exemplary, which is reflected in my supervisor’s report. In a nutshell, I realised that individuals love working with other hardworking people. Collaboration among team members also improves relations between them (Hammick, Freeth, Copperman & Goodsman 2009, p. 34). As a result, the working conditions are improved to the benefit of every person. I feel that I achieved good results not only by collaborating with other individuals, but also by effectively playing the roles that were allocated to me. The success of a group is as a result of the combined efforts of each individual in the team. To this end, I was keen to conduct my individual roles and collaborate with team members (Hastie & Fahy 2011, p. 76).
During my placement, I created and maintained accurate, clear, and updated records for my clients. I made the records in accordance to the rules and procedures laid down in the legal and ethical framework (Parrish, Daniels, Hester & Colenda 2008, p. 514). I made the records in a systematic manner to ensure that they would be easily understood by my fellow work mates. I felt that if the team was to work efficiently, effective communication was important (Quinney & Hafford-Letchfield 2012, p. 27). The record keeping practice was effective in that referral cases were easily handled. Together with my team members, I was able to provide other healthcare teams with the information that they required concerning the clients we referred to them. Keeping proper records was one of the requirements in the health centre where I did my placement. The practice of keeping records not only helped me work effectively during my placement, but also prepared me for my future nursing career.
Throughout my career as a nurse, I am likely to encounter a large number of clients. It is important for me to give each and every one of them personalised attention. Such attention will improve the quality of healthcare services I provide to them. However, in some instances, I will not be in a position to deal with the health issues of all the patients who come to me. As such, I will be required to seek assistance from other team members. In other complex cases, the entire team will be required to refer the client to a totally new healthcare team (Eagly & Chin 2010, p. 219). As such, we will be required to disclose all the information pertaining to the patient for the other team to be in a position to handle them effectively (Jelph & Dickinson 2008, p. 33). I still feel that my practice was in order and I would do the exact same thing in the future.
During my placement, I respected and related well with other members of the healthcare team that I was working in. I would easily converse with them and I still consider most of them as my close friends to date. When work was limited, my friends and I would socialise and get to know each other better. I felt that by relating well with my workmates, we would form a strong team. Work is made easy when one is working with a strong team (Miers 2010, p. 14). The experience was good since I got the opportunity to make many friends in the team that I was working in. Work also became interesting since all the members of the team were in good terms with each other. Ties were also strengthened. As members of the healthcare team, we felt like one big family.
However, the deep ties that developed between me and my team members were, in a way, disadvantageous. Some of the team members took advantage of the good relations that existed between me and them. Laxity was observed in some of these members. Negligence of duty was rampant in some cases. I was expected to cover up for these members. The performance of the group started deteriorating since work was no longer done as a group. On the contrary, work was done by a few individuals. From this experience, I learnt that it will be important to maintain professional boundaries in future (Miers 2010, p. 14). I felt that professionals should be in a position to separate their social matters from work. Such a separation is the only way they can perform in the various stations they have been posted to. Close relations between team members is important in enhancing teamwork (Quinney & Hafford-Letchfield 2012, p. 27). However, boundaries should be set to avoid a situation where the relationships start having a negative effect on the working of the team. If I got to encounter the same situation again, I would ensure that friendship does not affect the working of the team. I will do this by making sure that I maintain professional boundaries at my place of work.
During my placement, I used my judgment to determine what was right and what was wrong. My conscience acted as my guiding tool. I felt that by following my conscience, I would be in a position to better evaluate my actions. I thought that what I considered moral would be pleasing to each and every member of the healthcare team I was working in. The practice was effective given that my actions were viewed to be in good faith by my fellow workmates. However, I failed to take into consideration the organisational policies. Normally, my actions were supposed to be in line with the policies and procedures put in place by the management (Miers 2010, p. 14). I realised that in as much as I wished to be morally upright in my work, it was important to adhere to the set rules and regulations that governed the workers there. By so doing, my activities would not collide with those of my fellow workmates. As such, flow of work in the team would be made easy (Peery, Julian, Avery & Henry 2013, p. 122). Work will also be conducted in a coordinated manner to enhance uniformity. I feel that following the laid down policies and procedures would have improved my results. The work performed by my team would have been homogenous (Quinney & Hafford-Letchfield 2012, p. 27). The organisation’s aims would also have been achieved in the process. According to Quinney & Hafford-Letchfield (2012), following rules and regulations improves the flow of power in a team. By following instructions, the chances of conflicting views occurring are reduced. The activities of a team are carried in accordance with the guidelines given by the team leader and other relevant authorities. In future, I would stick to the laid down procedures to ensure the success of the entire team.
During my practice, I worked in accordance with the ethics that govern nurse’s activities. I felt that by conducting myself in an ethical manner, I will improve inter-professional relationships between me and my team members (Miers 2010, p. 14). I also thought that by being ethical, my actions would be in line with what my profession demanded of me. As a result, working with group members would be easier. The reason is that all of us will be guided by common principles. Chances of conflicts would be eased since each and every individual in the team would realise what is expected of them in order for the group to succeed (Jelph & Dickinson 2008, p. 33).
Apart from conducting myself ethically, I tried my best to strike a balance between professionalism and what the organisation that I was working for required of me. However, this does not mean that I totally disregarded the ethical issues taught to me in class. Instead, it means that I was in a position to judge circumstances. I tried my best to remain open-minded when judging objects and subjects revolving around a particular issue. With the help of such an approach, I was in a position to make informed decisions during my practice.
It is important to note that the provision of healthcare services is a very sensitive and critical issue in the society. To this end, I always remembered that my activities were sensitive and touched on life of the patient. As such, I realised that a balance should be struck between following basic instincts and rules while on duty (Stubbings, Chaboyer & McMurray 2012, p. 1447).
Culture and Diversity in Connection with my Practice
When I started my nursing practice, I realised that the individuals I was to work with came from different cultural, racial, and religious backgrounds. I felt that if I assessed each and everyone’s culture, I would be able to deal with my fellow workmates properly. Such an assessment will inform me on how to relate with each one of them (Almutairi, Gardner & McCarthy 2013, p. 193). I also felt that by understanding how to deal with each and every member of the healthcare team, there would be few chances of disputes.
I feel that the practice was a success since I was in a position to gain the respect and the trust of my fellow workmates. Most of my co-workers felt that I regarded their culture highly. As such, they regarded me as a close friend (Buscemi 2011, p. 42). However, it was difficult for me to carefully assess the culture of each member of the professional team. I often made mistakes, especially when communicating with them. However, many of them appreciated the efforts that I had made in trying to learn and understand their culture. I, however, think that I would have understood my team mates better by trying to learn some aspects of their culture from them. For instance, I would have learnt some of the basic practices in their culture, such as greetings. I would then have sought explanations behind their ways of life. I would have been in a position to appreciate their culture better since I would have been aware of the reasons behind their actions (Siantz 2008, p. 169).
Through observations, I compared my cultural attributes to theirs. Through this practice, I was in a position to appreciate the differences and similarities that existed between my culture and theirs. I also felt that by doing so, I would be able to respect each and every cultural group in the professional team. The fact that we were from different cultural backgrounds meant that I had to engage each individual differently. The engagement was dependent on their belief systems. However, I often misunderstood and misinterpreted certain aspects of other peoples’ culture (Dudas 2012, p. 319).
Such misinterpretations notwithstanding, I feel the practice was a success in that I learnt what was considered a norm and what was not a norm in different cultures. However, based on this experience, I realised that it would be foolhardy for me to say that I had fully understood another person’s culture. The reason is that it is difficult to comprehend all the underlying issues in a culture within such a short period of time (Wallace & Davies 2009, p. 13). I think that the most appropriate course of action that I should have taken would have been learning what pleased and displeased my fellow teammates. That way, I would have been in a position to work easily with them without necessarily having to understand each and every cultural group represented in the team. If I were to face the same situation again, I feel that adopting a friendly relationship with my fellow workmates would be effective enough. Such a relationship will help me in understanding their culture and fostering engagements.
After my observations, I would share my findings with my fellow team members. I would express any discomforts I had undergone as a result of the cultural differences. Sharing with my team members enabled me to seek clarifications regarding matters unfamiliar to me. I avoided making assumptions based on my own reasoning (Beagan & Chacula 2012, p. 148). As such, I felt that I would be in a position to avoid making stereotypical comments touching on fellow workmates (Bagnardi, Bryant & Colin 2009, p. 237). I feel that the practice was a success in that my teammates found it possible to tell what made me happy and what displeased me during my placement. As a result, my life during the placement period was made a lot easier. My team members, and the whole establishment in extension, knew how to relate with me. The members of the healthcare team that I was attached to were also in a position to understand and respect my culture. To this end, they avoided engaging in activities I considered undesirable. As a result, the working environment was bearable as I could easily associate with others.
However, the practice of trying to understand cultures disadvantaged some of my team members, especially where crash between cultures occurred. During my placement, I totally disregarded the culture of my teammates at times. Such disregards were especially common immediately after my placement. Looking back, I realise that I should have understood each and every member of the team had their own culture. None of the individual cultural values would have suited all of us (Andrews & Boyle 2008, p. 25). In future, I will try to encourage professional teams to adopt a team culture that is favourable to each and every member. Such an approach is better than imposing my culture on others.
During my placement, I refrained from making unreasonable judgments that touched on the culture of any member of my team. I also avoided criticising the various cultural practices of my team members (Naughton, 2013, p. 22). To this end, I considered myself an ‘expert’ in inter-professional relationships. I felt that I could effectively operate in a tem that consisted of people from diverse cultures, religions, and races. My profession requires me to appreciate the diversity presented by my workmates (Papdopoulos 2008, p. 69). I feel that the experience was a success in that conflicts between me and my teammates were significantly reduced. The members of the healthcare team felt that I respected their culture. As a result, working in the group was easy (Parker & McMillan 2008, p. 146).
Positive relationships are nurtured in a team when mutual respect is present. For instance, by the end of my placement period, almost all of my team members were my close friends. I feel that my decision to refrain from making judgmental comments helped me cultivate good relations with my team members (Littlechild & Smith 2012, p. 56). None of the members felt offended or insulted as a result of my views. However, I feel that I should have done more to this end. For example, I should have encouraged my team members to cultivate better working relations to improve the performance of the whole team even after my departure. In future, I will encourage the management of the health facility and members of the healthcare team to sign up for diversity seminars (Duerksen 2013, p. 5). I will also encourage the management to organise diversity seminars for members to foster good relations.
Conclusion
Nursing requires team work. As such, students undergoing training on nursing should be in a position to relate well with others. Culture and diversity, as well as inter-professional relationships, are some of the key aspects of the nursing career. A trainee nurse should pay attention to these and other aspects of the profession. That way, one will relate well with other people, enhancing performance. A team that recognises these nursing aspects will effectively meet its set objectives. Nurses should also be in a position to embrace diversity. For instance, understanding and respecting the culture of workmates will enhance interactions and overall performance.
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