Introduction
Students are inclined to set some goals and develop some expectations in relation to their next semester at college. This statement can be discussed as relevant for freshmen, sophomores and for third year students. However, the year of study at college is significant because many expectations are based on the previous experiences. This semester at college can be considered as challenging for me because many expectations were not met, and the academic experiences, obtained knowledge, and developed skills made me change my vision of the future career and rethink the professional goals.
From this point, the semester at college helped me realize my real desires and professional intentions, and the complex of such factors as my initial expectations, the real academic experiences, challenges, and successes can be discussed as significant for forming my background and observing me at the present stage of my professional growth.
Main Body
I have chosen Nursing as my major because I am inclined to work with people and assist them in the problematic situations. Thus, the career of a nurse was also discussed as a challenging occupation associated with a lot of stresses. However, I was ready to face these challenges and overcome the everyday psychological tension in order to help people and provide them with some hope.
Today, I can state that the factor of interpersonal communications and interactions in relation to the nursing career was rather overestimated by me. I have some practical experience because I was a volunteer in my family doctor’s clinic. My duties were based on communicating with the patients by phone and creating the comfortable conditions for those patients who were waiting for seeing the doctor. I enjoyed my duties, and I could discuss my experience as positive.
My initial expectations from this semester and my study were based on the idea of the nursing career’s social significance. Nevertheless, I did not pay much attention to the fact that Nursing is studied at the fringe of Social and Biological Sciences. I was ready to overcome any issues connected with the Social Sciences, but Biological Sciences became the real challenge for me.
The problem is in the fact that Nursing is the complex subject in which the biological fundaments can be discussed as even more significant comparing with the social and ethical aspects because Biological Sciences are the frame of nursing, and Social Sciences are its constituents. Thus, my initial expectations were not met, but I realized the fact that it was important for me to follow the social direction in my studies and improve my knowledge in this sphere.
Although there were a lot of challenges and obstacles during the semester, I prefer to find positive moments in any experience because it is always possible to learn some new and important information or develop some skills. Thus, I received the opportunities to develop my critical thinking skills and critical thinking habits during the semester, and I also improved my abilities in academic writing. In spite of the fact there were many academic obstacles associated with my lack of knowledge in some aspects of Biological Sciences, I was inclined to find many possibilities to improve my knowledge and form the definite positive experience.
The development of such critical thinking skills as information seeking and analyzing helped me improve my knowledge and work with different types of sources. If I do not know some facts I know how to find the most credible information on the topic and solve the problematic issue with the help of analyzing the controversial points. Moreover, a good nurse should make reasonable conclusions while regulating the problematic situations that is why logic reasoning is also important (Rubenfeld & Scheffer, 2010, p. 314). These skills were developed while working with the primary and secondary sources of information accessed with the help of online databases or taken from the library and while participating in the seminar discussions and debates.
Examining a lot of information about the realities of nurses’ work, I paid attention to the fact that good nurses should always predict the possible consequences of their actions in order to avoid any problematic situations. We spent much time discussing the particular features of planning the actions according to the definite objective. It is important to focus on a lot of different aspects because the nurse’s activities are based on many general and specific principles and rules along with following the certain ethical standards. While conducting the required researches and working out the academic papers, I also developed such critical thinking habit as inquisitiveness (Rubenfeld & Scheffer, 2010, p. 312).
It is typical for me to find more information about the object or idea in which I am interested. Moreover, I am ready to ask questions. I made the significant discovery, and it influenced my experience and attitude to it because it depends on the importance of questions. Those people who have more experience and who are real professionals in their sphere can provide a person with a lot of significant information while being asked.
During the semester, I have experienced many positive moments and improved my skills and knowledge in different spheres, but definite obstacles were also overcome. These experiences helped me rethink my future career and professional goals. I can state that I tried to realize and achieve all the aims set before starting my study. Thus, I used every opportunity to learn and develop and paid much attention not only to the professional growth but also to the personal development. That is why, I focused on working out my effective schedule and concentrated on the time management.
The only problem was in the fact that in spite of the time spent for preparing for Biological Sciences, I could not achieve the positive academic results in this field. This situation made me look at my future career and professional goals from the other perspective. I understand that good nurses cannot have incomplete knowledge in Biological Sciences, and my successes in the Social Studies are not the adequate alternative.
Nevertheless, I can continue my study and improve my knowledge in the other sphere which is close to nursing in relation to the social aspect, but which does not depend on Biological Sciences. It is important for me to develop the career which can be discussed as socially significant. I hope that my profession will be based on assisting people because I believe that each person’s activities should be useful for the society.
The results of the first semester influenced significantly my plans for the year because I had to rethink my professional goals. It is impossible to state that I have chosen my career without paying attention to such details as the necessity to study a lot of disciplines which are new for me or can be discussed as rather difficult, but the reality always differs from the person’s expectations. That is why, I discuss all my experiences as the opportunity to think more about my choice. I am sure that almost each person’s college activities are associated with definite obstacles and challenges which made them pay attention to more details and take more facts into consideration.
Conclusion
It is necessary to determine several key results of the semester which are important for me from the professional perspective and from the point of the personal development. Thus, I developed my vision of the career of a nurse, made some conclusions about its advantages and challenges, received the opportunity to examine the aspects of the career in relation to my personality and abilities, improved my critical thinking skills, and developed my critical thinking habits during this semester.
Furthermore, my confidence in my abilities to overcome the problematic situations grew. In spite of the fact the semester was not easy for me, I know that I can cope with many difficulties and resolve many controversial questions. The necessity to face challenges makes people stronger. Moreover, I developed many important qualities which are necessary for nurses and can be discussed as important and helpful for everyone. They are the ability to adapt to situations and decision-making skills. That is why, my experiences during the semester can be discussed as rather good from the point of their practical character.
Reference
Rubenfeld, G. & Scheffer, K. (2010). Critical thinking tactics for nurses: Achieving the IOM competencies. USA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.