Individual Leaders Have a Strong Sense of Vision, Have Passion and are Able to Inspire Commitment.

                On my second rotation up on MedSurg, I learned the ropes and was able to be independent of a nurse for everything within my scope of practice.  One day I was doing rounds and I was asked to do several tasks at once.  I was asked to take one patient back to her bed, put one patient on the bed pan and take two sets of vitals on two separate patients one of which was under contact precautions.  Now I knew what I was doing but I was getting overwhelmed.  Thankfully, numerous physical therapy patients cancelled due to snow so Eli and Jessie returned to MedSurg.  I immediately enlisted their help and they did what I asked without question.  This shows that I am an individual leader who has a strong sense of vision, have passion and who is able to inspire commitment.  I used my communication skills to motivate my fellow students into action.  I was able to take the course of action that was necessary to ensure that the necessary tasks were completed.  I even managed to instill confidence and enthusiasm into the hectic circus that the floor had become that day.  This demonstrates my ability to be an individual leader.

Personally and Professionally Responsible Individuals Take Responsibility for their own Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social Well-being

                During my second PT rotation I learned way more than I did on my first one.  I started taking my learning into my own hands and it has paid off big time.  I am learning about new therapies that I could possibly use in the future on myself as well as different stretches to keep my body injury free.  I learned about Active Release Therapy (ART) which is super helpful to release tension in muscles as well as different therapy tools that I can use with my running to reduce soreness and injury.  This demonstrates that I am a personally and professionally responsible individual that takes responsibility for their own physical, intellectual, emotional, and social well-being.  I use the knowledge that I gained to keep myself healthy while still being professional in a medical setting.

Quality Producers Create Products and Performances that Reflect High Standards

                During Health Systems Orientation our class learned about HIPAA.  This is a very important part of the health field as a whole.  At the end of the unit we were asked to make a jingle about HIPAA.  The HIPAA Jingle turned in by my group met every criterion that Mr. Allen required to complete the project.  I am a quality producer that creates products and performances that reflect high standards.  Originally we just had a voice recording and a few pictures.  Then I spent three hours threading a video, converting the voice recording to a usable mp3 file for windows movie maker, and polishing the finished product to make it perfect.  Then I sent it to my group and asked for feedback which I used to further improve the video.  I was super proud of the video because it turned out so well.

Active, Responsible Citizens are Well-informed and Apply Knowledge and Skills to Improve the Quality of their Lives and Communities

                For CBL I had the opportunity to go to Hillcrest Country Estates and volunteer my time.  I would decorate cottages 90 and 80 for the different holidays as they passed as well as baked various desserts for the elders who reside at Hillcrest.  Perhaps the most rewarding experience is when I get to spend time with the residents themselves.  I would play board games and just talk with the elders when I wasn’t completing other tasks.  These experiences show that I am an active, responsible citizen that is well-informed and applies knowledge and skills to improve the quality of their lives and communities.  The positive interactions with the elders were well worth spending my time on.   Hillcrest was a fantastic experience and I will value my time spent there for a long time.

Information Processors Assess and Analyze Information from a Variety of Sources for Different Purposes

                Last year in American Government with Mr. Fleming, we had a final project.  The project was over a landmark court case in the US.  I chose to do the case Bush v. Gore which is the case that decided the 2000 Presidential election.  This is a research paper where I had to use multiple different sources of information to gather what I needed to create a paper.  This demonstrates that I am an information processor that accesses and analyze information from a variety of sources for different purposes.  I used sources such as our online textbook and various websites to compile information.  With different websites I had to use my judgment to decide which sites are credible.  I had to accurately assess the value and biases of information, and effectively interpret and synthesize the information to make sure that the information I used was from a reliable source.  I effectively used a variety of information-gathering techniques and information resources to put together an awesome paper with accurate research and information.

Critical Thinkers and Problem Solvers Assess the Situation, Gather Important Information and Develop Relevant, Effective Alternatives to Reach a Solution or Decision

                During our Challenge Based Learning (CBL) time first semester I went to Heartland Family Services with a few other students from the academy.  Our job as volunteers was to sort clothing and other household items into piles of stuff to keep and move on to a few other places.  If stuff was in the keep pile, we would put the supplies out on the floor.  However, due to a lack of room and tubs to put clothes in, I often had to make room and find new locations for excesses of clothes that came in as donations.  This fits the 21^st Century Skill of Success of Critical thinkers and problem solvers assess the situation, gather important information and develop relevant, effective alternatives to reach a solution or decision. I had to take the information around me and create new methods of storage for areas like men’s clothing.  I spent an hour redesigning the section to better fit the needs of Heartland Family Services.  This example shows that I am a critical thinker who can use the situations around me and put it into an action that is relevant and effective.

Knowledgeable Individuals Understand Content Necessary to be Successful in a Variety of Endeavors

                In CNA we learned and tested on a series of skills necessary to receive a license to be a CNA in Nebraska.  These skills will be necessary in many places in my future.  This demonstrates the 21^st Century Skill for Success of Knowledgeable individuals understand content necessary to be successful in a variety of endeavors.  I want to become a doctor and right now an anesthesiologist.  The skills for patient care will help me when I am a professional in a hospital or a different setting.  In addition, I acquire, connect, and apply new knowledge and skills that I will need in the future. An example of this demonstration is from clinicals at Papillion Manor when I learned how to do vital signs on a Dinamap machine.  I had never used such a machine so it was good experience for me in the advancement of my knowledge.  I will also be able to use these skills as we proceed in our class to clinicals at Papillion Manor and next year in rotations.  I recognize knowledge and skill requirements necessary to transition to the next stage of life.  This content learned in our class allows me to be successful in other endeavors in the academy and life. 

Self-directed Learners Take the Initiative to Actively and Independently Inquire and Apply Learning to New and Different Situations

                This semester in AP Lit & Comp with Mrs. Swanigan, we read seven short stories for class.  At the end of the Short Story Unit, we received an assignment to do a research paper.  In order to do find enough information to do a good research paper, I had to demonstrate that I am a self-directed learner that takes the initiative to actively and independently inquire and apply learning to new and different situations.  I wanted to learn more about my topic strangulation and hanging otherwise I would not have picked it.  I have developed [good] habits that will enable me to learn independently and seek what I want and need to know at any point in my life.  This skill will continue to be useful as I approach college and any research papers in the future.

Collaborative Individuals Value Teamwork and the Results Achieved from Multiple Viewpoints and Talents Working Together toward a Common Puprose

                In CNA we have skills that we had to test out with Mrs. Spilker every unit.  Before actually testing out, we all wanted to practice.  In order to practice effectively, we broke up into small groups of three or four.  Though this time spent in CNA, I demonstrated that I am a collaborative individual that values teamwork and the results achieved from multiple viewpoints and talents working together toward a common goal.  I had to work with other people to practice and prepare to successfully pass the skills needed to become a CNA.  I knew that my success was dependent on the ability to establish and maintain positive, productive relationships with others.  Now I am an official CNA and I know that I needed the input and feedback from others to accomplish the desired outcome of becoming a CNA.

Effective Communicators Apply their Reading, Speaking, Writing, and Listening Skills to Communicate Effectively

            In this reflection I will discuss our unit on professionalism in the medical setting as well as how it helped me to showcase my ability as an effective communicator.  As a class we decided that professionalism means many things such as: teamwork, attitude, communication, honesty, punctuality, and many more.  I believe however, that attitude, communication, and honesty are three very important characteristics when it comes to working in a medical setting.  I have likewise learned how to use innovative websites and programs in this unit.  Along with new computer skills, I also gained some abilities that will help me with employment later in life.

            Attitude is critical in a medical setting.  Most residents do not want to be there, and if you have a negative attitude it won’t make them feel any improvment about their situation and less likely to cooperate.  However, if you have a positive attitude it may help the resident relax and be more cooperative and helpful.  A positive attitude can also make the work environment more pleasant for you and your coworkers.  This makes work more enjoyable for everyone.

            Communication is also vital in the medical setting.  If you do not communicate with your coworkers thoroughly, many issues can arise.  For one thing, if you don’t write down and report a medication that you gave a resident, someone else might give them a second dose which could be catastrophic.  Another example would be if a resident tells you something is wrong and you don’t report it, something might happen and it could be too late to resolve the issue.  Good communication helps make things run more efficiently and smoothly.

            Honesty is important anywhere not just in the medical setting.  In the medical setting though, if you make an error it needs to be reported so there aren’t any side effects that might affect a resident.  You also need to be honest and let someone know if you are not proficient in certain abilities so that you aren’t operating on a resident uncertain or unskilled.  Honesty is crucial in a medical workplace.

            These aspects of professionalism can also help in school on top of later in life after I graduate.  Having a positive attitude is always good in school and can eventually help me get and keep a job.  It is very important to be able to communicate concisely with teachers and employers in order to clearly get my ideas and questions across.  Honesty will be moral forever in any setting and permits you to gain trust from anyone with which you interact.

            In this unit I learned how to use fresh resources on the computer in order to enhance my information as well as demonstrate the material concisely.  We learned how to use the website bubbl.us to create a mind map of the many aspects of professionalism.  We were also introduced to a website called visuwords.com.  This website makes finding definitions to words stress-free and goes beyond the average definitions by showing relations between words.  You also learn synonyms to words and what those mean.  We used Microsoft Publisher to show our skill at communicating concisely.  In Publisher we created a pamphlet to showcase three aspects of professionalism that we thought were the most important in the medical setting.  Since a trifold pamphlet doesn’t allow ample space for text, I had to learn how to fit adequate information into a small, enclosed region.

            The professionalism unit has given me a skill that is included on the list of 21^st Century Skills for Success.  This skill is: Effective communicators apply their reading, speaking, writing, and listening skills to communicate effectively.  I have learned to effectively communicate in a concise manner.  I validate this ability by using new media forms such as Publisher, in order to convey my ideas and information in a clear, easily understandable way.  This will aid me in creating a project for any of my classes at school.  It will also help after I graduate by permitting me to communicate well with future employers, coworkers, and customers that I may interrelate with in life.

            As a class we discovered numerous things about professionalism throughout this unit.  I learned that attitude, communication, and honesty are aspects of professionalism critical in a medical setting.  I also learned how to use new websites and software and improved my technical literacy.  This has also helped me become a better, more effective communicator, which will help me later in life.