Introduction
Nurse practitioners (NPs) working in different settings should strive to become proficient providers of exemplary health services. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory provides evidence-based approaches that NPs can consider to transform their professional growth goals. This paper explains how I will apply the model to achieve my expectations and provide a powerful strategy for managing patient care.
Professional Growth and Outcome Expectations
As a nurse who plans to practice in the family setting, I have managed to record improved gains in my profession. Currently, I believe that I am a caregiver who focuses on the changing needs of the targeted patients. In terms of self-efficacy, I possess minimum competencies and models that can ensure that I deliver efficient services to different individuals across the lifespan. I am, therefore, planning to move toward mastery experience and become a proficient family nurse practitioner (FNP). Bandura’s model is an evidence-based tool that will guide me throughout this journey.
The ultimate objective is to produce a superior personal philosophy for providing exemplary services. My outcome expectations will be founded on these sources of self-efficacy:
- Performance accomplishments: Under this section, my current and past performance will dictate how I achieve greater goals. My successes will encourage me to focus on mastery expectations.
- Vicarious experience: This will be achieved by monitoring how my colleagues perform their activities diligently and make them my role models.
- Social persuasion: The existing practices and training programs in my unit will encourage me to improve my philosophies and become a competent provider of services.
- Emotional and physiological states: I will develop positive emotions, overcome stress, and minimize sources of anxiety. This achievement will guide me to complete my tasks effectively.
I will use journal entries to record my gains and achievements. Such records will present evidence-based insights for identifying areas of weakness that require improvement. I will also collect feedback from my colleagues and use them to make relevant adjustments (Abdal, Alavi, & Adib-Hajbaghery, 2015). I will focus on the concept of mastery experience in accordance with the selected theory. The development of self-efficacy will promote similar performance behaviors in the family unit.
Case Scenario
Chronic sorrow is usually permanent in nature or reoccurs frequently, thereby making it impossible for every affected individual to cope efficiently. The theory of chronic sorrow is, therefore, a powerful model for understanding, guiding, and empowering individuals suffering from ongoing loss (Zhang et al., 2015). The identified person will require continuous support throughout the grieving period. The selected case scenario is of a woman aged 26 years who has lost her child. Using this model, I would begin by treating sorrow as a normal response to bereavement. Since the woman does not have another child, her sorrow has become pervasive.
As the one managing the identified patient, I would focus on both the external and internal approaches for delivering appropriate support. Internal aspects will include anger and emotions. These external strategies will be taken seriously: psychotherapy, the use of music, and engagement in various activities. I will provide guidelines for stress management and introduce the concept of coping. Family members will encourage the individual to pursue roles that can maximize comfort. Such measures will trigger positive events for tackling disparity and promoting healing (Coughlin & Sethares, 2017). The final outcome is that the patient will manage pain successfully.
Conclusion
The above discussion has outlined specific theories that nurses can consider to improve their self-efficacies and support their patients’ needs. The concept of continuous improvement can guide practitioners to acquire superior competencies. It will, therefore, be necessary to consider emerging ideas to develop superior philosophies for empowering patients.
References
Abdal, M., Alavi, N. M., & Adib-Hajbaghery, M. (2015). Clinical self-efficacy in senior nursing students: A mixed-methods study. Nursing and Midwifery Studies, 4(3), e29143. Web.
Coughlin, M. B., & Sethares, K. A. (2017). Chronic sorrow in parents of children with a chronic illness or disability: An integrative literature review. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 37, 108-116. Web.
Zhang, Z., Zhang, C., Zhang, X., Liu, X., Zhang, H., Wang, J., & Liu, S. (2015). Relationship between self-efficacy beliefs and achievement motivation in student nurses. Chinese Nursing Research, 2(2-3), 67-70. Web.