Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner students will synthesize their knowledge from previous clinical courses and professional experiences related to the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of various mental health conditions for patients across the lifespan. Students gain clinical experience applying psychotherapy techniques in a mental healthcare setting. Critical reflection on your growth and development during your practicum experience in a clinical setting helps you identify opportunities for improvement in your clinical skills, while also recognizing your strengths and successes. Use this Journal to reflect on your clinical strengths and opportunities for improvement, the progress you made, and what insights you will carry forward into your next practicum. To Prepare Refer to the “Population-Focused Nurse Practitioner Competencies” found in the Week 1 Learning Resources and consider the quality measures or indicators advanced nursing practice nurses must possess in your specialty of interest. Refer to your “Clinical Skills Self-Assessment Form” you submitted in Week 1 and consider your strengths and opportunities for improvement. Learning From ExperiencesRevisit the goals and objectives from your Practicum Experience Plan. Explain the degree to which you achieved each during the practicum experience. Reflect on the three most challenging patients you encountered during the practicum experience. What was most challenging about each? What did you learn from this experience? What resources were available? What evidence-based practice did you use for the patients? What would you do differently? How are you managing patient flow and volume? Communicating and Feedback Reflect on how you might improve your skills and knowledge and how to communicate those efforts to your Preceptor. Answer the questions: How am I doing? What is missing? Reflect on the formal and informal feedback you received from your Preceptor. Psychotherapy with Multiple Modalities Practicum! Over the course of the practicum, you honed your assessment, communication, documentation, diagnostic reasoning, and therapeutic treatment skills within a clinical setting. You also assessed your clinical strengths and opportunities and worked toward improvement in identified areas. In so doing, you are better prepared for the clinical challenges of advanced practice nursing.
