Introduction
The semester has provided me with vast knowledge and experience as part of my nursing training. Every nursing student must develop the skills of safely performing practical skills in nursing. I will discuss manual blood pressure measurement as one of the skills I have perfected this semester. Blood pressure is one of the widely used assessment skills in health care. As part of my training, we put knowledge into practice by performing blood pressure assessments to each other and recording the results accurately on the observation sheet. In this paper, I will use Gibb’s Reflective cycle to discuss my reflection on manual Blood Pressure skills.
Description
The clinical simulation class provided me with an opportunity to practice my Blood pressure measurement skills on a fellow student. In this session, I was trained on several aspects, including preparation, positioning of the patient and equipment, estimation of systolic pressure points to record when measuring blood pressure, use of alternative equipment to mercury sphygmomanometer, and the number of measurements. It is during the preparation where the nurse should explain the procedure to the patient and what kind of sensation they may experience. Before attending to my colleague, I thoroughly explained the procedure to make sure she was comfortable. Patients should know the process, which helps them to consent. The patient should be left to rest for about five minutes before starting the test. The nurse should ensure the patient’s hand is well supported in a horizontal position for correct reading. If the patient’s hand is placed above the heart level, there will be an underestimation of systolic and diastolic pressure. Overestimation occurs if the hand lies below the heart level. Part of my training was to accurately record the observations on the observation chart, where I encountered both positive and negative experiences. Both measurements should be taken down as soon as possible to the nearest 2 mmHg. It is also important to record patients preferred position, arm, and whether he was restless, distress, or anxious. Accurate documentation of the nursing assessment is critical in nursing practice (Husebø et al., 2015). All equipment should be handled with the maximum level of cleanliness to reduce infections. I washed my hands before and after handling materials. Measurement on both arms should be taken for the first patients. The final clinical judgment should be made depending on which arm has the higher blood pressure.
Feelings
I felt that there was much more that I learned during the process. To practically apply the knowledge gained from the lab in a real-life setting enhanced my skills. Communicating with people in the background enhanced my communication and coordination skills. Initially, it was difficult for me to communicate and express my care due to cultural differences adequately. The second week was easy as I gradually became familiar with the culture. I had no problem using the machine to measure blood pressure but had a problem recording the measurement. As time went on, I gained confidence was able to make correct and precise records. Confidence is critical in efficient clinical practice (Husebø et al., 2015). I remained friendly throughout the procedure and made sure my colleague was comfortable hence providing the best care.
Evaluation
The blood pressure measurement procedure was performed in a clinical setup. It was, however, challenging to assess the process. I used a calibrated sphygmomanometer, cuffs that ensured the right-hand size, hand pillow, wipes, and a notebook. The environment was, however, not very calm also, I had low confidence that made it difficult to do a proper reading on my colleagues. Besides, I used an incorrect size of the Sphygmomanometer on my colleague’s arm hence inaccurate reading. I put Sphygmomanometer in my colleague’s hand and deflated the cuff, after which the first pulse was heard. The first sound is the Korotko off sound recorded as the systolic bp. It is then continuously monitored until the sound disappears. The sound is recorded as diastolic Bp. I documented the reading after completing the procedure, which I explained to my colleague about the outcome of the test. I then left the equipment well maintained to reduce the chances of error that may bring differences in the next clinical treatment. The patient should remain seated or lying down while measuring their blood pressure to ensure accurate readings are taken.
Analysis
Assessment should be done in a quiet and calm environment. The results of the simulated blood pressure measurement require further development to enhance accuracy. It was hard to hear the first Korotkoff sound due to the noisy environment. My colleague and I come from a different cultural background, which made the encounter more challenging. I was required to explain clearly to the patient the blood pressure assessment process. However, cultural differences between my colleague and me made it difficult to communicate the procedure to her. Hence, our understanding of thoughts, information, and ideas was hindered by the language barrier. However, I used therapeutic communication to manage the situation.
Moreover, I managed to address some gaps that existed within my knowledge scope via this firsthand experience. Practice experience has been valuable to me, and it has allowed me to learn firsthand hence boosting my health care knowledge. Also, nurses need to be empathetic to maximize their care. Nurses need to understand their patients to manage their ailment efficiently (Husebø et al., 2015).
Conclusion
The clinical practice taught me the importance of Blood pressure assessment in patients as well as performing the evaluation confidently. It taught me the essence of self-confidence in any medical assessment test. The training taught me to be attentive in measuring accuracy it critical in BP assessment. Besides, privacy is essential when practicing patient care. For the future assessment, I need to work on my acute reading and ensuring the confidentiality of care. The practice taught me how to care for patients with high blood pressure. It also helped me recognize my deficiency as self-realization.
Action Plan
I plan to work on my ability to show empathy and utilize information to help increase care for my patients. I will expand on my communication skills to be able to communicate with patients of different cultures and languages for better results. It is crucial to maintain excellent communication skills to ensure exceptional care conveyance between patients and their relatives and well care experts (Husebø et al., 2015).