Self-Directed Learning and Self-Directed Learning Plan Guide

Introduction: Self-Directed Learning Plan

The Self-Directed Learning Plan (SDLP) is a process and document to chronicle your accomplishments and learning steps through the MSN program and beyond as they relate to your professional goals.

The SDLP will help you to identify and target the array of competencies you need to reach your professional objectives and to help you organize your MSN learning experience to suit your career objectives.

The SDLP will be a section of your Program Portfolio, so take some quality introspective time to consider strengths and areas of development relevant to your career objectives. Knowing your strengths and areas to develop, you can begin a plan to find out what you need to do to achieve your career goals. We encourage you to continue to reflect on the identified areas throughout the MSN program. If you feel a strength or development area is no longer relevant, you may add another to take its place. At any time, you may also add additional areas.

• Your Name: Date:
• Anticipated Nursing Role:
• Professional Goal (3-5 years) from now:

I have always aspired to help others in maintaining good mental and physical health and promote healthy behaviors among the target population. Therefore, my professional goal is to become an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) and provide care to adults across the United States. The time frame that I have currently set for my academic process is three years, although I am also planning to develop lifelong learning skills. Particularly, I seek to expand my knowledge even further as I start nursing practice by building cultural competence and learning the ways of catering to the needs of the target demographic. In addition, I am willing to update my nursing skills regularly in order to meet the increasing quality standards and apply the latest techniques for managing health issues.

Knowledge That Prepares a Graduate Student for an Advanced Nursing Role

The knowledge that allows be to meet the challenges of an ANP student is my ability to use critical thinking. The specified skill will help me approach complex nursing issues and analyze problems critically. Moreover, the knowledge allowing me to maintain effective communication process will serve as the platform for learning more about meeting the needs of specific populations and addressing factors that affect their health (Bryant‐Lukosius et al., 2016). Finally, the knowledge of evidence-based practice principles has helped me meet the challenges associated with the role of an ANP and cater to the needs of the vulnerable demographic.

Skills That Prepare a Graduate Student for an Advanced Nursing Role

When considering the skill set that I will need as an ANP, I must mention the ability to manage the available information properly. A nurse must be aware of the key factors affecting patients’ well-being, the latest innovations in healthcare, and the methods for encouraging patient education within a community. Furthermore, the ability to use interpersonal communication tool will also assist me in building a rapport with patients and acquire crucial information from them.

Finally, I seek to expand my skill set by engaging in interdisciplinary communication and learning to cooperate in a cross-disciplinary environment. When combined with the ability to engage in lifelong learning, the specified skills will provide a change for me to excel in my nursing practice and increase the levels of well-being among the selected population groups (Fletcher, 2016).

Accomplishments That Prepare a Graduate Student for an Advanced Nursing Role

So far, I have gained several accomplishments that will help me reach the desired level of competence as a future ANP. Specifically, I have completed the graduate education and acquired the FNP certificate. Furthermore, I am familiar with a range of theoretical concepts and frameworks, such as different nursing theories, and am ready to apply them to practical problems.

At present, I am striving to improve in several areas, which include the management of patients’ immediate needs, assessment thereof for the further diagnosis, and the ability to identify treatment strategies. In addition, I am willing to learn to incorporate innovative, patient-centered, EBP-based approaches into the set of tools used for addressing health concerns. Finally, I seek to develop the methods of deploying informational technology for educating patients and community members about health issues.

Strengths to Leverage

Step 1

The most effective and satisfied people align their work with their natural strong points. Identify 3-5 of your key strengths (see Column 1 below); these could be a competency, skill, ability, knowledge area or personal characteristic. Think about how you can leverage those strengths to be effective in your work, achieve your professional goals, and become a leader in your profession.

Step 2

At the beginning of each course in your MSN program, answer the following question either using this template or a narrative format. What do you expect to learn in this course that will help you leverage your strengths? (See Column 2 below) Be as specific as you can, e.g., assume that a strength is your analytical ability.

Step 3

Answer the following questions either using this template or a narrative format. Did you learn what you expected to learn? (See Column 3 below) Was there information or insights that helped you that you didn’t expect to learn at the outset of the course? What changes or additions, if any, will you make to your SDLP based on learning in this course?

Step 1: Strengths to Leverage	Step 2: Course Learning Goals	Step 3: Course Outcomes & Assessment
Strength 1 – advocating for patients’ needs	To advocate for patients’ needs, I will strive to determine health disparities within a community and build awareness regarding the issue, at the same time seeking the methods of assisting vulnerable groups.	Learning how APNs develops skills to influence health policies
Strength 2 – Ethical decision	The ability to follow key ethical principles when making difficult decisions is one of the strengths. I will not hesitate when facing a dilemma between the right choice and ethically questionable solution.	Reviewing ethical decision making in different arenas
Strength 3 – Listening skills	I will also seek to improve patient-nurse communication. It is critical to ensure that a nurse understands patients’ needs fully, and open communication will assist in accomplishing the specified goal. With my verbal and nonverbal communication skills, as well as readiness to learn about culture-specific communication strategies, I will improve patient outcomes.	Improving my communication skills
Strength 4 – Patient Relationship	I believe that building a strong bond with a patient is essential for a successful nursing process.	Multicultural approach to care
Strength 5 – Holistic approach	As a nurse, I seek to provide care that will help improve a patient’s health in all of its aspects, including physical and mental issues. Furthermore, I embrace a variety of factors including environmental and spiritual ones when making a decision regarding the choice of a nursing strategy.	Care plan development

Areas to Develop

Step 1

We all have strengths, but we also have areas on which we need to improve. As related to your career goal, identify 3-5 areas to develop (see Column 1 below); these could be a competency, skill, ability, knowledge area or personal characteristic. Think about how you can improve in these areas so that you can achieve your professional goals and become a leader in your profession.

Step 2

What do you expect to learn in this course that will help you to develop in the identified area? (See Column 2 below)

Step 3

Answer the following questions either using this template. Did you learn what you expected to learn? (See Column 3 below) Was there information or insights that helped you that you didn’t expect to learn at the outset of the course? What changes or additions, if any, will you make to your SDLP based on learning in this course?

Step 1: Areas to Develop	Step 2: Course Learning Goals	Step 3: Course Outcomes & Assessment
Area 1 – Multidisciplinary Collaboration	Interdisciplinary cooperation is essential for providing quality care. Therefore, I will learn to use tools that will help reduce the probability of miscommunication and workplace conflicts to ensure a proper environment. As a result, I will be able to address a problem as a part of a team.	Learning about collaboration
Area 2 – Expert clinical performance	I am also going to learn to analyze the factors affecting my performance in the clinical setting.	Setting performance quality standards
Area 3 – Scope of practice	The last but not least, I will define my role and functions in the selected setting, thus improving the levels of care and helping vulnerable groups.	Determining the scope of practice

Self-Directed Learning: Reflection

What do you expect to learn in this course that will help you achieve your academic and professional goals?

Based on the context of the course, I expect to learn more about meeting the needs of diverse populations. In addition, I hope to learn about integrating different types of media for building awareness among patients. The activities that I will integrate to prompt patient education will involve consultations, discussions on social media, and quizzes targeted at different population groups.

By learning the skills needed for cultural competence, I will be able to nurture and support vulnerable populations in the global community. As a nurse, I will have to focus on multidisciplinary cooperation, patient education, and the enhancement of patient-nurse cooperation (Douglas et al., 2016). The specified goals will be accomplished by using social media and active learning.

References

Bryant‐Lukosius, D., Spichiger, E., Martin, J., Stoll, H., Kellerhals, S. D., Fliedner, M.,… De Geest, S. (2016). Framework for evaluating the impact of advanced practice nursing roles. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 48(2), 201-209. Web.

Douglas, M. K., Rosenkoetter, M., Pacquiao, D. F., Callister, L. C., Hattar-Pollara, M., Lauderdale, J.,… Purnell, L. (2014). Guidelines for implementing culturally competent nursing care. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 25(2), 109-121. Web.

Fletcher, S. (2016). Nurse education specialist utilizing career coaching to encourage lifelong learning. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 6(6), 71-74. Web.