Client Journal Entry
Reflect on the clinical experiences you’ve had over the past week, and record your thoughts in a document no more than 500 words long. Your peers will be able to read and reply to what you have written.
Your reflection must satisfy these criteria:
It must be about a client encounter you had this week.
It must include an analysis of the nurse practitioner role or the potential role in the clinical setting.
All clinical discussion or communication must protect the confidentiality of clients; your reflection must not use any patient names, ages, or other personal identifiers.
You will not be graded on the experiences you have had, but instead on your commitment to reflecting on those experiences and using those reflections to improve your professional identity and skill set.
Select one of the following options to help you give your reflection focus:
Option 1
Write about a situation that you felt you handled well. What did you do?
Option 2
Write about a situation in which you felt unsure of yourself. What happened? What made you question your decision making? If faced with the same situation in the future, how would you like to handle it differently?
Option 3
Write about a situation that you felt you handled incorrectly. What happened? How would you change your actions to result in a different outcome?
Option 4
Write about a continuing situation that began earlier in your clinical. How has the situation evolved since you first faced it? What have you done to guide the relationship? What interventions or strategies have you tried? What is the current outcome? What are your goals with this patient?
NOTE: ENSURE THE CASE IS ON INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC PATIENT
I chose option 2 for my reflection. This week, I had a client encounter that made me feel unsure of myself. The client was a 45-year-old man who was admitted to the inpatient psychiatric unit for suicidal ideation. He had a history of depression, alcohol abuse, and multiple suicide attempts. He was very withdrawn and reluctant to talk to me or anyone else.
I tried to establish rapport with him and ask him about his feelings, thoughts, and plans. He gave me very brief and vague answers, and sometimes he did not answer at all. He seemed to have low self-esteem and hopelessness. He said he did not see any point in living or getting better. He said he had no one who cared about him or who would miss him if he died.
I felt unsure of myself because I did not know how to help him or motivate him to engage in treatment. I wondered if I was asking the right questions or using the right techniques. I wondered if I was missing something important or if I was making him feel worse. I felt frustrated and helpless.
If faced with the same situation in the future, I would like to handle it differently. I would like to consult with my preceptor or supervisor and get their feedback and guidance. I would like to review the evidence-based practices for working with suicidal clients and apply them to this case. I would like to collaborate with other members of the interdisciplinary team and coordinate care with them. I would like to be more patient and empathetic with the client and try to understand his perspective and needs.
