Clinical Reflective Journal Entry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Clinical Reflective Journal Entry - Essay Example This patient was leaving his hospital unit and it was clear that he demonstrated a significant risk of falling. Upon witnessing this, I offered to help the patient, however he rejected my offer of help. Instead, the patient chose to use his wheelchair. He then exited the hospital unit, and similar to the early patient was discharged from the hospital by the physician. After witnessing these two events – the woman and then the man leaving – I asked the staff nurse if these patients were permitted to leave their rooms. The nurse responded that they, in-fact, were permitted to leave, as the hospital was not permitted to hold them in their hospital units.   Upon learning this information, I notified that nurse that the woman look clearly cognitively impaired, and that the man was about to fall. In response to my query, the nurse indicated that despite these factors, she was still not permitted to hold the patients in their hospital units. While I lack the legal and ethica l background to accurately determine if the nursing staff and physician truly were not allowed to hold the patients in their hospital units, from an outside and common sense perspective it appears that the nursing staff did not function to their full professional capacity. It’s clear that these patients were mentally or physically impaired and that permitting them to freely leave the unit posed a risk to themselves, as well as a liability risk to the hospital. Furthermore, the patients were housed on the neurological floor.... Upon learning this information, I notified that nurse that the woman look clearly cognitively impaired, and that the man was about to fall. In response to my query, the nurse indicated that despite these factors, she was still not permitted to hold the patients in their hospital units. While I lack the legal and ethical background to accurately determine if the nursing staff and physician truly were not allowed to hold the patients in their hospital units, from an outside and common sense perspective it appears that the nursing staff did not function to their full professional capacity. It’s clear that these patients were mentally or physically impaired and that permitting them to freely leave the unit posed a risk to themselves, as well as a liability risk to the hospital. Furthermore, the patients were housed on the neurological floor because of cognitive dysfunctioning. Ultimately, it seems overwhelmingly apparent that the nursing staff at the University of Texas Medical Br anch should have taken more vigilant action in response to these patients. Professional Growth In terms of growth the experience revealed a number of important elements for my professional career. One of the most pervasive experiences I came to recognize was the cynicism many of the nursing staff experienced in relation to the hospital’s laws. I recognized that simply allowing individuals that were cognitively impaired to walk outside of their hospital room and outside the ward did not make practical sense. In addition, I believe that on some level that the nursing practitioners also recognized the general absurdity of such practices, yet they did so with a healthy dose of cynicism towards the hospitals practices. Rather than