Date of Learning Log: 17/11/2024
Time: 09:30-16:00
Learning Activity 1: Communication Skills for Nursing Practice
During this session, we explored the necessary communication skills for effectively assessing service users. We identified potential barriers to communication and learned strategies for overcoming them to improve care delivery. Through this learning activity, I have acquired valuable knowledge regarding communication skills, effective communication strategies, and the adverse effects of poor communication.
This session was valuable, as I learned the importance of accurately gathering patient information to promote collaboration between patients and healthcare professionals. Effective communication is essential for ensuring patient safety, gathering comprehensive assessments, facilitating timely interventions, and providing holistic care. Furthermore, proper record-keeping is crucial for maintaining continuity of care and legal compliance and as a valuable reference for future healthcare decisions. These fundamental skills are essential for achieving successful patient outcomes and maintaining professional excellence in healthcare practice.
Learning Activity 2: Caring for people with mental health, behavioural and cognitive needs.
It is essential to ensure that individuals with learning disabilities receive appropriate support as they age. To do so, staff members must consider everyone’s unique wants and needs rather than solely focusing on their age or learning disability. By taking a person-centred approach, staff can better provide tailored support to help individuals with learning disabilities lead fulfilling and independent lives. This session increased my knowledge and understanding of learning disabilities, the services available, and considerations in care planning and assessment within this population.
Nursing students must learn to care for individuals with mental health, behavioural, and cognitive needs. This training helps foster empathy, compassion, and a holistic approach to patient care. By understanding and addressing the unique challenges that people with mental health issues face, it is possible to provide person-centred care. This aspect of nursing education instils in students the ability to honour the dignity of every patient, promoting awareness of mental health and reducing stigma. Mastering these skills is essential to establish therapeutic relationships and achieve favourable outcomes for individuals with diverse healthcare needs.
KSB ADDRESSED:
Knowledge:
| K17 | Understand commonly encountered mental, physical, behavioural and cognitive health conditions as applied to delivery of care |
| K18 | Understand and apply the principles and processes for making reasonable adjustments |
Skills:
| S2 | Keep complete, clear, accurate and timely records |
| S3 | Recognise and report any factors that may adversely impact safe and effective care provision |
| S4 | Take responsibility for continuous self-reflection, seeking and responding to support and feedback to develop professional knowledge and skills |
| S5 | Safely demonstrate evidence-based practice in all skills and procedures required for entry to the register: Standards of proficiency for nursing associates Annex A & B (NMC 2018) |
| S7 | Communicate effectively using a range of skills and strategies with colleagues and people at all stages of life and with a range of mental, physical, cognitive and behavioural health challenges |
| S18 | Apply knowledge, communication and relationship management skills required to provide people, families and carers with accurate information that meets their needs before, during and after a range of interventions |
| S22 | Take personal responsibility to ensure that relevant information is shared according to local policy and appropriate immediate action is taken to provide adequate safeguarding and that concerns are escalated |
| S23 | Work in partnership with people, to encourage shared decision making, in order to support individuals, their families and carers to manage their own care when appropriate |
| S44 | Access, input, and apply information and data using a range of methods including digital technologies, and share appropriately within interdisciplinary teams |
Behaviour:
| B1 | Treat people with dignity, respecting individual’s diversity, beliefs, culture, needs, values, privacy and preferences |
| B2 | Show respect and empathy for those you work with, have the courage to challenge areas of concern and work to evidence based best practice |
| B3 | Be adaptable, reliable and consistent, show discretion, resilience and self-awareness |