Introduction
Among the contemporary threats the medical field has to face nowadays is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This lung inflammatory condition can be described by symptoms that include chronic bronchitis, thickening of airways, and emphysema (Rodrigues et al., 2021). With COPD being the third leading cause of death worldwide and a sharply increasing trend in global incidence, it is expected to become the most important condition for doctors to manage (Lortet-Tieulent et al., 2019). When it comes to identifying and managing it, understanding the fundamental pathophysiology of COPD can be extremely helpful, given how quickly novel processes, diagnostic procedures, and pharmacological treatments are developing. In this context, the current paper will focus on my perspective on COPD as a student nurse in terms of ethics, values, integrity, and the potential contribution I can provide to the medical field.
Thoughts and Feelings
In order to comprehend the concepts of health and illness and, hence, provide the most effective treatment, nurses must have a solid understanding of biosciences in general and pathophysiology in particular. I believe that the provision of the best care possible, regardless of the case, should become the focal point of all ethical, professional, and integrity values. I also believe that it is particularly important for the nursing workforce as it is often at the forefront of healthcare, serving as an example and inspiration. Therefore, I see my main contribution to the team as promoting thorough interdisciplinary communication and professional respect. Speaking specifically of contributions from the perspective of pathophysiology, I would name the utilization and promotion of patient-centered care and domain-related knowledge of evidence-based practice.
Analysis
Pathophysiology, as such, is a broad and comprehensive concept that entails large amounts of interconnected and systematized data. I find learning pathophysiology difficult, specifically due to the need to not only memorize terms, definitions, and statistical data but also to see the connections, analogies, and patterns between them. In terms of the former, which can be referred to as theoretical knowledge, I rate myself reasonably high, partly due to my ability to learn and memorize and partly due to the time I devote to my studies. However, regarding the latter, which has a substantial practical value, I can see the gaps in my ability to quickly apply theoretical knowledge to particular medical cases.
This can be partially attributed to the way in which I primarily acquire knowledge. A lot of knowledge may be covered in a short period of time using traditional teaching techniques like lectures (Hamilton et al., 2021). However, because students in these approaches are largely passive, their ability to solve problems, make decisions, and analyze information cannot be improved (Namadi et al., 2019). Numerous existing educational programs, according to certain surveys, fall short in this area (Parson, Childs, and Elzie, 2018). Students struggle to make decisions in challenging circumstances and lack confidence in their ability to apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios (Hashemiparast, Negarandeh, and Theofanidis, 2019). As a result, active learning techniques are required to enhance nursing students’ educational results. For instance, techniques like simulation, exposure to difficult situations, and multimedia education may enhance students’ professional talents more efficiently than purely theoretical instruction.
In terms of professional and ethical work integrity, I see the fundamental point of achieving the best patient care outcomes in to addressing the patient’s needs as much as possible. In this context, anticipating and knowing all the needs will not be achievable without acknowledging cultural diversity – the common reference point of contemporary care issues (Bailey, Mokonogho, and Kumar, 2019). Therefore, I believe healthcare professionals, and especially nurses, have to be culturally sensitive, that is, be aware of cultural peculiarities and their potential effect on the choice of treatment and care (American Nurses Association, 2021). Cultural sensitivity and awareness fall under the concept of diversity consciousness (Purnell and Fenkl, 2019). Consequently, a nurse’s cultural competence can be evaluated based on how well the nurse applies diversity consciousness in her practice.
In practice, the development of diversity consciousness is an infinite process. There are six areas for diversity consciousness development: self-analyzing, analyzing other people, exceeding personal boundaries, analyzing social inequality, self-criticizing, and applying what was learned (Purnell and Fenkl, 2019). Self-analysis is a critical starting point in the process of consciousness development. Above everything else, it provides a perfect reference point for all consequent research and analysis (Rolfe and Freshwater, 2020). Since every individual has their own vision and understanding, an attempt to expand the knowledge about that serves as a good second step in the development. The third step implies working on empathy – not only learning about others but trying to see things from their perspective (Moudatsou et al., 2020). As a result, certain features of social inequality will become evident; thus, they must also be considered. As people dive into external analysis, they tend to forget about self-reflection and proper implementation of acquired knowledge. This tendency might significantly impede the development process and must be addressed accordingly.
During my clinical rotations, I experienced several ethical dilemmas while treating COPD patients, most notably due to patient smoking. In this context, I aimed to simultaneously persuade them against it and not appear condescending or scolding toward the patients. I believe that in this scenario, professionalism and work integrity can be best demonstrated by the nurse being attentive, making appropriate inquiries, and learning how much the patient’s beliefs can influence his decisions regarding healthcare. According to Young and Guo (2020), when patients see genuine interest from the nurse’s side in their values, beliefs, and vision, it becomes easier for them to relax and stop worrying. The resulting dialogue should be viewed as a healthy sharing of knowledge relevant to the future course of action beneficial for both the patient and healthcare provider. In my case, we were eventually able to come to an agreement and managed to establish proper communication throughout the treatment process.
When it comes to how I can contribute to the team, I would focus on eliminating the barriers interdisciplinary teams usually face. Despite collaboration providing a broader spectrum of knowledge and experiences, the lack of teamwork, communication, and other teamwork barriers might result in poor outcomes. According to Arnold and Boggs (2019), the main areas affected by the quality of teamwork include standardization, sustainability, and the professional side of collaboration. In the case of standardization, if the procedures are not conducted or upheld in professional collaboration, there is a severe risk of losing domain-related knowledge. From the nurses’ perspective, a lack of clarity in patients’ treatment plans can be experienced as a significant obstacle (Lundereng, Dihle, and Steindal, 2020). As possible effects, increased risk for errors, lack of efficiency, loss of motivation, dissension, and isolation resulting in suboptimal patient care were mentioned. From the physicians’ perspective, the time-consuming search for information and lack of clear department policies, coupled with the inaccessibility of nurses, can produce significant obstacles (Gillespie et al., 2019). These time-consuming endeavors might result in a higher incidence of errors, which additionally cause demotivation and dissent among personnel.
A lack of professional respect might constrain knowledge sharing within and between collaborating teams. For instance, if the knowledge and experience between nurses and physicians are not appropriately shared, it might foster one-sided hierarchical professional relationships, resulting in an unclear approach to treatment plans and time losses (Jacobs, 2018). At the same time, the patients receive mediocre patient care due to the nurses’ knowledge and experience not being available to physicians (Kee et al., 2018). Overall, the lack of cooperation and communication brings a lack of motivation, time loss, team inefficiency, high turnovers, and an increased risk for errors and information losses crucial for patient care (Kyaw et al., 2019). Everything mentioned negatively impacts the sustainability of the collaboration process.
Regarding the overall collaboration efficiency, the knowledge gap caused by the differences in disciplines might fortify a lack of respect among professional teams. For the nurses, a lack of professional respect and the inappropriate attitude of medical specialists and interns during treatment can hinder a safe environment for inquiring patients (Godsey, Houghton, and Hayes, 2020). Moreover, it can decrease motivation and result in high personnel turnover (Labrague, Nwafor, and Tsaras, 2020). From the physicians’ perspective, the lack of professional respect for peers (for example, junior physicians) and nurses can cause insufficient knowledge sharing, which creates a higher risk for errors.
Evaluation
Based on the provided pieces of evidence, it is possible to highlight several important notions. Firstly, theoretical knowledge without a proper space for its practical application can lead to trouble with decision-making. Secondly, cultural awareness is fundamental both in the provision of patient-centered care and communication with colleagues. Finally, focusing on standardization, sustainability, and professionalism while working in interdisciplinary teams is crucial to maintaining the team’s cohesion, motivation, and performance. In this context, I see the strategy of aiming for active learning and acquiring practical experience both individually and in a team as the most relevant strategy for my personal and professional development.
Conclusion and Action Plan
The current analysis led me to two main conclusions regarding my future development: knowledge application and teamwork and collaboration promotion. In the former case, apart from being attentive at the university and during my clinical rotations, I might opt to search for additional courses that are designed in a case-based learning (CBL) fashion. CBL is a student-centered approach that encourages instructors and students to actively participate in learning and teaches students how to apply their prior knowledge to overcome obstacles (Gholami et al., 2021). Students are given a particular situational scenario that closely resembles a real-world clinical case. The scenario offers a variety of questions concerning the planned circumstance, the resolution of which necessitates problem-solving and judgment skills. The next step is for students to evaluate and brainstorm the desired scenario in order to come up with management strategies for the circumstances shown in it and respond to the questions it raises. As a result, this form of instruction has the potential to improve abilities including moral reasoning, problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making.
In terms of the latter, I can study the theories of leadership. Considering the gaps in knowledge about other disciplines, the interdisciplinary team requires strong leadership to not fall apart in minor conflicts and misunderstandings. The study conducted by Miles and Scott (2019) presents an interesting version of the nursing leadership model that intends to boost nursing leadership capacity. They argue that “conceptualizing leadership in nursing as both an influencing process and a formal role allows for incorporation of emergent concepts such as interdisciplinary leadership,” which perfectly corresponds with the reflection topic (Miles and Scott, 2019, p. 6). I believe this would provide a great starting point for my future practice.
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