Before the practicum session, I was not aware of what I was expected to do. Additionally, I did know that the experience would turn out to be fascinating due to the new bodies of knowledge that one gains through their constant interaction with senior professionals in the healthcare sector. However, after my interactions with my preceptor, I gained more insights concerning some of the best approaches that healthcare professionals need to adopt while delivering care to different population segments. By writing this journal, I will expound on some of the approaches that I gained from my preceptor and other senior health professionals.
During this week, I undertook my practicum sessions at a hospice facility, and I believe working there provided me with an opportunity of gaining new skills related to the management of a wide range of medical conditions. Most individuals in a hospice facility have various medical conditions; as a result, having the relevant knowledge and skills will lay a foundation for effectively managing these conditions. However, when one does not have these skills, the chances of managing the conditions wrongly or administering improper medications are very high.
One important aspect that my supervisor insisted on is related to the importance of using evidence practice in managing different patients. With the current changes in our societies, new conditions are emerging, and they cannot be effectively managed without evidence. As a result, when following findings from evidence-based articles, one can manage different conditions effectively. Most older adults in hospices have catheters inserted in them. As a result, the chances of them developing urinary tract infections are very high. By using based practice, my supervisor taught me some of the strategies that can be adopted to prevent the old from developing these infections. One last aspect that I learned in the practicum relates to assisting the old who are in their dying stages in meeting their spiritual and emotional needs. Despite learning all these new approaches, I believe that one needs to be open-minded and be ready to gain new knowledge in any practicum.
