At A&E, there are different sections, such as resuscitation, Urgent Treatment Centre, subway, triage and Major. It is a systematic process starting from the receptionist, who is also a critical nurse. They are the first point of contact with the patient and will make a critical decision on where to send a patient for treatment. I have been in all sections during my placement and had developed different skills. Each section of the A&E are already equipped with all the necessary equipment that is required in an emergency to save a life. The health team acts without delay to their abilities to give treatment to a patient by prioritizing the care. For example, when there are two patients, one with shortness of breath and another with leg pain, the team will priorities the patient with shortness of breath first because they are more critical ( damage to the brain cell and organs due to lack of oxygen).

During my placement, I was assigned to provide nursing care to a patient, I gained consent and provided care to the patient as instructed. At a stage the patient started shivering due to their present health issue, as the patient has had paracetamol less than 2 hours, co-codamol was not given as it contained paracetamol, and codeine was offered to the patient, but the patient declined to avoid being constipated. I discussed with a doctor and ibuprofen was given to the patient by the nurse. In this situation, I have priorities patient care by discussing with doctor my concern about the patient and ensuring that the patient received alternative medication (ibuprofen) as required at that moment.

I have treated each patient as an individual and upheld their dignity by being kind, respectful and compassionate. I provide them with the care they need without delay under supervision. I listened to patients and responded to their preferences for example when a patient that is nurse in bed due to health conditions requested a commode due to not being able to excrete in bed. I work together with another team member to deliver the care effectively. Also, I have recognized and responded compassionately and politely to a patient who was distressed because they had not been in contact with or seen their family. I ensured to pay special attention to promote patient well-being and prevent ill health for example suctioning a patient that has secretion in their mouth as instructed by the staff team.

I advocated for patients by speaking up for them. For example, I have been approached by a patient complaining of pain on their ankle, I took the patient’s name, discussed the patient’s concern with the doctor, and requested if analgesia could be prescribed. The doctor went through the system and gave advice on the medication to be given to the patient. However, the staff were busy, so I explained the patient condition to the nurse for the patient’s to be prioritised by receiving their analgesia.

I prioritise patients by acting in their best interest by gaining consent before providing any care and after documenting it. I ensured to follow hospital and university policy by not carrying out any task unsupervised. I also informed the team I am working with about any concern that I have regarding patient care and needs, and I ensured to share only information necessary on a need-to-know basis. I communicate effectively and keep clear records (observations) accessible to another professional who will be looking after the patient. I ensured to work within my limitations and seek clarification to avoid any errors. Also, during handover, the need to escalate unwell patients is addressed, and the importance of carryout patient assessment is discussed, such as the pain score and the Glasgow coma scale to detect deteriorating patients. I understand that this is done to priorities patient care; therefore, I ensure to ask the patient that was assigned to me whether they are in pain and to score it 0 out of 10.