Research Topics: Self Reflection

Self Reflection on the theme of Marriage

The institution of marriage is the socially recognized union between a man and a woman that serves to legitimate their children. In most societies of the world, the husband and wife live together. Because a primary, although not essential, purpose of marriage is the procreation of children, sex is always recognized as a legitimate part of marriage. Marriages are either arranged between families, or are begun through a courtship in which the partners have found one another. Arranged marriages are predominant primarily in societies that place great importance on property inheritance, on linkages between lineages, or in which elders hold that young people are unable to make sound choices. Arranged marriages, taken as a whole, work as well as any other form of marriage. The bride and groom tend to expect far less, and the roles are far more clearly spelled out than in societies in which spouses select their own spouses. With the arrival of a child, the marriage partners face an important new set of roles – not just the roles of father and mother but those of co-parent. In some cultures, the standard of behavior for parents is rigidly enforced by society and leaves little room for deviation. In others, as in modern Western societies, such roles are less clearly defined, and questions of parenting can lead to considerable tension between the spouses or between the child’s parents and grandparents. Although monogamy, the marriage of one man and one woman at a time, is the rule in Western societies, many other cultures allow plural marriage, or polygamy. People involved in polygamous marriages generally have sought different rewards in marriage from those sought in a monogamous union. In most cultures divorce is allowed, and divorced persons may, and often do, remarry. Instances such as divorce make one question why in the first place two people decide to marry. Divorces are the reason why there are many broken families and broken children in the world. We can see famous personalities such as actors and singers marry and then divorce each other. On would wonder if they ever planned to stay together, or were they really sure that they would like to commit to each other at the time they decided to get married. Marriage is a wonderful opportunity to share your life with someone. But instances such as marital fights and divorce can make one scared of the very notion of getting married. Sometimes, even in relationships where two people would fight, we sometimes catch ourselves saying something so preposterous you want to burst out laughing. Yes, laughable but times like this makes one wonder if you two are really meant for marriage. If one wants to get married, he or she should be smart enough to know when you are just engaging in a childish, relationship-destroying behavior with your boyfriend or girlfriend but too stubborn to stop. Such behavior cannot and should not continue throughout marriage for it would be the very reason for parting of ways. You get too close to a person, you really get open and loving and vulnerable, and the next thing you know you get dumped for somebody else. You may feel it’s best to keep your options open. Your disillusionment could be so great that you’ve decided it’s best to avoid love and marriage entirely. This is actually true at some part of our lives. We get dumped by someone too often, see many couples separate ways and divorce, see children raised by only one parent because the other parent left them, all these and more makes one decide that it might be better not to get married and have a family after all. But hey, who are you kidding? Who am I kidding? Are you going to believe your own hogwash? Do you really want to spend the rest of your life with nobody to love and probably die alone in bed in the middle of the night and not have your body discovered until the next hot spell? I shudder to think that it would happen to me. Of course, you could live with your sister or with a friend and you wouldn’t worry about dying alone, but still such kind of relationship is not marriage. Deep within ourselves, a remote little part of us is going to rescue us from going old alone. That part that is willing to laugh when you say something preposterous or to admit it when you act like a stubborn child. The part whose sole responsibility is to save you from yourself. And so, you realize that although some of us fear marriage, it is not something that we should altogether avoid. Marital fights are a part of marriage. The solution is to deal with it and solve it in any way possible. It does not necessarily have to end in divorce. Both of you decided to get married, and so it is both your responsibility to stay within it. Perhaps, before deciding to get married, two people who are in a relationship should talk over their relationship and if they are willing to go through the next level. If one wants to get married, they must be sure that in the long run, they will not regret their actions. This is what you could perhaps call choosing well. Two people can see if they are really compatible with each other. Two good people can create a bad relationship even if they want to have the relationship succeed. Also, one must not marry for the sold purpose of sexual compatibility. That alone cannot hold a relationship, how much more a marriage. It is true that many people get married for the wrong reasons. Some would get married because the girl is already pregnant. Although this would save the child and the girl’s reputation, this still won’t be a basis that the marriage will succeed. Marriage is a miracle in which the efforts of both partners are needed. When one should get into marriage, he or she must be sure that he or she will not be tempted into that which was not chosen, he or she must be sure that this is the person whom I would like to grow old with. Marriage is a blessing also and must be seen as such by two parties entering the sacrament of marriage. Marriage is actually not a hard part of life, if both partners are compatible and have chosen well. Marriage could be fun. So one must not fear marriage, yet one must also not hurry to get into marriage. For getting into marriage for the wrong reasons could jeopardize one’s life and even another person’s life. If two people are not ready and not sure to get into marriage, then perhaps it is better that they wait. As they say, if two people are meant for each other, then their paths will cross again and they will be united at the right time. A good marriage is worth all the patience and the time. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Self Reflection on the theme of Marriage

The institution of marriage is the socially recognized union between a man and a woman that serves to legitimate their childre...

Self reflection on the theme of marriage

Self Reflection on the theme of Marriage   The institution of marriage is the socially recognized union between a man and a woman that serves to legitimate their children. In most societies of the world, the husband and wife live together. Because a primary, although not essential, purpose of marriage is the procreation of children, sex is always recognized as a legitimate part of marriage. Marriages are either arranged between families, or are begun through a courtship in which the partners have found one another. Arranged marriages are predominant primarily in societies that place great importance on property inheritance, on linkages between lineages, or in which elders hold that young people are unable to make sound choices. Arranged marriages, taken as a whole, work as well as any other form of marriage. The bride and groom tend to expect far less, and the roles are far more clearly spelled out than in societies in which spouses select their own spouses. With the arrival of a child, the marriage partners face an important new set of roles – not just the roles of father and mother but those of co-parent. In some cultures, the standard of behavior for parents is rigidly enforced by society and leaves little room for deviation. In others, as in modern Western societies, such roles are less clearly defined, and questions of parenting can lead to considerable tension between the spouses or between the child’s parents and grandparents. Although monogamy, the marriage of one man and one woman at a time, is the rule in Western societies, many other cultures allow plural marriage, or polygamy. People involved in polygamous marriages generally have sought different rewards in marriage from those sought in a monogamous union. In most cultures divorce is allowed, and divorced persons may, and often do, remarry. Instances such as divorce make one question why in the first place two people decide to marry. Divorces are the reason why there are many broken families and broken children in the world. We can see famous personalities such as actors and singers marry and then divorce each other. On would wonder if they ever planned to stay together, or were they really sure that they would like to commit to each other at the time they decided to get married. Marriage is a wonderful opportunity to share your life with someone. But instances such as marital fights and divorce can make one scared of the very notion of getting married. Sometimes, even in relationships where two people would fight, we sometimes catch ourselves saying something so preposterous you want to burst out laughing. Yes, laughable but times like this makes one wonder if you two are really meant for marriage. If one wants to get married, he or she should be smart enough to know when you are just engaging in a childish, relationship-destroying behavior with your boyfriend or girlfriend but too stubborn to stop. Such behavior cannot and should not continue throughout marriage for it would be the very reason for parting of ways. You get too close to a person, you really get open and loving and vulnerable, and the next thing you know you get dumped for somebody else. You may feel it’s best to keep your options open. Your disillusionment could be so great that you’ve decided it’s best to avoid love and marriage entirely. This is actually true at some part of our lives. We get dumped by someone too often, see many couples separate ways and divorce, see children raised by only one parent because the other parent left them, all these and more makes one decide that it might be better not to get married and have a family after all. But hey, who are you kidding? Who am I kidding? Are you going to believe your own hogwash? Do you really want to spend the rest of your life with nobody to love and probably die alone in bed in the middle of the night and not have your body discovered until the next hot spell? I shudder to think that it would happen to me. Of course, you could live with your sister or with a friend and you wouldn’t worry about dying alone, but still such kind of relationship is not marriage. Deep within ourselves, a remote little part of us is going to rescue us from going old alone. That part that is willing to laugh when you say something preposterous or to admit it when you act like a stubborn child. The part whose sole responsibility is to save you from yourself. And so, you realize that although some of us fear marriage, it is not something that we should altogether avoid. Marital fights are a part of marriage. The solution is to deal with it and solve it in any way possible. It does not necessarily have to end in divorce. Both of you decided to get married, and so it is both your responsibility to stay within it. Perhaps, before deciding to get married, two people who are in a relationship should talk over their relationship and if they are willing to go through the next level. If one wants to get married, they must be sure that in the long run, they will not regret their actions. This is what you could perhaps call choosing well. Two people can see if they are really compatible with each other. Two good people can create a bad relationship even if they want to have the relationship succeed. Also, one must not marry for the sold purpose of sexual compatibility. That alone cannot hold a relationship, how much more a marriage. It is true that many people get married for the wrong reasons. Some would get married because the girl is already pregnant. Although this would save the child and the girl’s reputation, this still won’t be a basis that the marriage will succeed. Marriage is a miracle in which the efforts of both partners are needed. When one should get into marriage, he or she must be sure that he or she will not be tempted into that which was not chosen, he or she must be sure that this is the person whom I would like to grow old with. Marriage is a blessing also and must be seen as such by two parties entering the sacrament of marriage. Marriage is actually not a hard part of life, if both partners are compatible and have chosen well. Marriage could be fun. So one must not fear marriage, yet one must also not hurry to get into marriage. For getting into marriage for the wrong reasons could jeopardize one’s life and even another person’s life. If two people are not ready and not sure to get into marriage, then perhaps it is better that they wait. As they say, if two people are meant for each other, then their paths will cross again and they will be united at the right time. A good marriage is worth all the patience and the time. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Self reflection on the theme of marriage

Self Reflection on the theme of Marriage The institution of marriage is the socially recognized union between a man and a woman that...

SELF REFLECTION

I have learned a lot from the past events in my life. These events challenge my ability to decide and go towards the right direction, and I can declare to the world that I am a strong and better person. I got married at the age of 18, because I got pregnant of my first child. Before I became a mother, I took most aspects of my personality for granted. With the advent of motherhood, however, I have to reexamine a usually silent part of my personality the way I form relationships and I will be moved to ask many questions about the kind of person I am. There may be much for me to wonder about, to rethink, and possibly to change. Changing is generally easier if I allow myself some time to reflect. In this case, I may find myself thinking about what I am like in my relationships, and how that carries over to the way I want to be with my baby.       Along with the concrete need to ensure my baby’s survival, as a new mother I faced with the equally awesome responsibility of developing an intimate, loving relationship with this new human being. Unlike the intimate relationships I have with parents, siblings, my lover, or my best friend, this one is unusual because it is based on interaction with someone who can’t communicate in words. I ask myself what is my basic understanding has been of what it means to relate to someone else. For this new relationship, I will have to draw upon my lifelong understanding of intimacy. Unexpectedly intense, relating to my baby will call into action and into question all my talents for loving, sharing, relating, giving, and receiving. Motherhood mindset is not born at the moment the baby gives its first cry. The birth of a mother does not take place in one dramatic, defining moment, but gradually emerges from the cumulative work of the many months that precede and follow the actual birth of the baby. What produces this motherhood mindset? How is it unique to each woman, yet shared by all mothers? What phases does it pass through? And how can I identify the passages of this remarkable new inner realm and learn to navigate its waters? We start at the beginning: Who exactly is a mother, and is she inherently different from other women? It may sound like a simple question, but in fact it strikes at the most basic assumptions held by the psychological and therapeutic communities   As a new mother I develop my own style of relating to and regulating my infant’s experience. It is part of who I am, and my personal style will remain fairly consistent, whether I am playing with my baby, feeding her, talking to her, or setting limits. The power of this interaction lies in the fact that when I deal with my baby, I simultaneously forced to confront important aspects of who am I really are. I can experience this as either an opportunity or a disappointment, but there is no doubt that it will be revealing. Being a mother made me a complete person. My world revolves around my baby, every single day we have memorable and fun memories together.     I continued to being the best parent that I can be. My efforts also include the father of my babies and the grandmothers and other family members as appropriate. Most importantly, my efforts continued to be based on the needs of the people we serve. I was not only adjusting on being a mother, I am also adjusting on being a wife. That teenage marriages are less stable than marriages of older persons is a truism. The marital instability at these ages is largely problematic only if children are involved. A disrupted marriage interferes with the usual socialization and maintenance functions which the family is expected to perform for society. Someone must feed and educate the children, and when a marriage dissolves, this may become more difficult. The presence of our children also helps to precipitate a marital dissolution. Then we had our second child. However, my husband died at the age of 28. Being a single parent and a widower is very hard, but it did not stop me to work harder. I raised my children and gave them the best especially when their dad passed away.  I need to work harder for them. I was a full time mom, but I come to a decision that I should go back to school so I could get more career options with a degree. I enrolled at the nearby University.  I am a full time student. I was scared I’d have to re-teach myself all the things I left during high school, and that I would have trouble adapting with my fellow students because I’m older, however so far so good.  I get a lot done after the kids’ bedtime and sometimes before they get up in the morning. It can be tough balancing everything, but I know I’ll be happy with the end result. I just have to keep in mind that it’s worth it to be tired so that I’ll be able to tell my kids how important college is, because I went myself. I’m having so much fun learning new things and meeting other people with the same interests. I think we all need to get away sometimes, and this is really an outlet for me. If my kids wonder why I’m not there for them when I’m at school. As they get older, I’ll explain that I’m not only bettering myself but helping them in the long run. I hope they’ll respect me for that. Since I’m always switching back and forth between mom and student, I’ve learned to study as close to class time as possible. When I started, I was working too far in advance, which was counterproductive. Now I’ve got a good excuse to procrastinate!           Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

SELF REFLECTION

I have learned a lot from the past events in my life. These events challenge my ability to decide and go towards the right direction, and...

THE PLACE THAT TINGLES MY SENSES

The Place That Tingles My Senses               Everyone has had a special place once in their lives where they could express their happiness or even their sadness without having someone bother or interrupt them. I have a place like that, and it’s still very special to me. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my life and this is where I take it all out on. Let me describe it to you.             My room is my special place. As they say in MTV, it’s my “crib”. Not only does it function as a sleeping area for me, but it’s also a place where I could express everything I feel without being afraid of being judged. The place isn’t too big, it isn’t too small either. It’s just of the right size. I have good wall décor, and I also have great big window so I could clearly see what the outside weather was. Sometimes, the weather outside the window matches my mood. There were times that if I felt happy, when I looked outside, the sun shined so bright and there were no clouds n sight. And other times, when I felt gloomy and sad, the weather outside would be cloudy and rain would start pelting on my window pane. It’s like my window acted like a monitor to what I was feeling inside. That’s why I like it so much.             I also have a single sized bed which I think I’d fit in quite well, if I didn’t move too much. But I really like it though. I put it near my window so I could easily see what was going on outside. Also, this bed has shared so much of my happiness and misery. At times I’d just sit in it and just stare blankly into nothingness, as if unable to decipher what my own mind was thinking. At times I’d just lie down and just doze off, not knowing that I was already asleep. Also, times when I just sat and laughed my heart out at something at I couldn’t even remember. Such wonderful days. Moving on…             I have a great wooly carpet on my floor. It’s like Persian carpet with lots of colors like gold and red and brown and even green.  really like the feeling when I have it rubbing against the soles of my feet. It’s kind of relaxing and also is tickly. It’s really nice. There are even times that I don’t read my book on the table or the bed anymore. I just throw some pillows on the carpet and lie there reading my book with a hot glass of chocolate. Now that’s my idea of leisurely reading.             I have study table in my room too. And it also has got a lamp. I kind of like looking at colorful stuff so I put flowers on my table. It’s not really girly things; it’s just a matter of adding life into the room. Apart from me, it’s the only other thing that exudes a sense of life in my room. I have a bookshelf on top of my table where I keep all my books and all the reference stuff that I need. Beside my table, I have my bureau I keep there all my writing stuff, my notebooks, papers, even my clothes. It’s oak-finished.             I have a cd player in my room. It keeps boredom away while studying. And the most essential part of my room, and my most favorite, is my Batik wall hanging. It’s like a blanket but is made of a very thin material and most likely won’t be able to keep the cold away. It’s mostly for design purposes. I really like it since it’s gray and has great circle designs. It’s most usually found in Indonesia, the Malayan peninsula and the Philippines. It’s a really great, no effort design.             You see, the room doesn’t need to be fancy for it to be special. It can just make you feel elated by the smell of it, by the sight of it, or even by the feel of it. It can be drab and dry to others but to you; it may be the most beautiful wonderland in the entire world. Having a place that makes you feel alright is enough to really make it the most special place in the world. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

THE PLACE THAT TINGLES MY SENSES

The Place That Tingles My Senses Everyone has had a special place once in their lives where they could express their happin...

Reflection upon my practice as an experienced student nurse undergoing the transition of registered mental health nurse

Reflection upon my practice as an experienced student nurse undergoing the transition of registered mental health nurse   Self-reflection             We live in a time when mental health has been increasingly failing for many individuals. Many situations that are reflected in our societies today re increasingly convincing me, helping me to come to realize that mental health nurses matter, are essential healthcare providers, and will continue to be needed in the future. Mental health nurses are in the right position to grow in the understanding of mental health and to better identify the constructs and care practices that promote, strengthen, and protect the mental health of individuals and families. Mental health can be a very challenging area to work in and as an experienced student nurse, I have a great admiration for the skills and commitment registered mental health nurses give. There are many qualities that a registered mental health nurse must possess. Personally, I feel that I have already developed some of these qualities given the time and experience that I have spent in the mental health field. To illustrate my capabilities, I will outline in the succeeding paragraphs the qualities that I have developed as well as the situations where I have applied them. These are experiences that I have encountered 6 months prior to registration.             A registered mental health nurse must adopt a quality of mental health practice. The nurse systematically enhances the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice (2004). As a student nurse, I have demonstrated quality by documenting the application of mental health nursing process in a responsible, accountable, and ethical manner. I also use creativity and innovation in nursing practice in order to improve the delivery of care. When I feel that the desired outcomes of quality are not achieved, I start to plan that I should incorporate new knowledge to initiate the desirable changes that are needed in the mental health area.             However, I have also reflected that the quality of mental health care or of health care for that matter also rests on other aspects. Quality of patient care is threatened by the acute shortage of nursing staff and at times a less than optimum mix of skills and experienced staff. The consequences are felt by patients or their families as well as nurses and have implications for clinical responsibilities and vulnerability to litigation.             When it comes to education, I know that as a student nurse I still have a lot to learn. This is one area where I feel that I am weak. I still need more education to be able to carry out my role as a mental health nurse. I personally believe that even when I become a registered mental health nurse, I still need to continually study and learn. It is a must that a registered nurse must attain knowledge and competency that would reflect the best current mental health nursing practice.             A registered mental health nurse interacts with and contributes to the professional development of peers and colleagues (Potter & Perry, 2004). As a student nurse, I have shared my knowledge and skills with my fellow classmates and even with some registered mental health nurses when I was practicing as a student. I have also maintained a compassionate and caring relationship with the other student nurses and registered mental health nurses. This way, I am able to enhance my own professional nursing practice and role performance. However, as a student nurse I feel that my weakness in this area about collegiality is that when I notice that the other registered nurses and student nurses have not performed the right procedure, I hesitate to give feedback regarding the practice or issue. I feel that I need to improve my voicing out of opinions or giving feedbacks to my colleagues.             When it comes to the care of the mental health patient, the registered mental health nurse collaborates with the patient, family, and others in the conduct of nursing practice. In my own reflection, I am aware that I have done this during my student practice. I communicate with the mental health patient, family, and other health care professionals regarding the care of the patient and my role in the provision of that care. I know that I really needed to ask and collaborate with other people because handling a mental health patient is very difficult. Especially when it comes to creating a documented plan for the mental health patient, my role becomes more difficult. Thus I collaborate with the patient, the family, or other health care professionals in creating a documented plan focused on outcomes and decisions related to care and delivery of services appropriate for the mental health patient.             The registered nurse also considers factors in the utilization of resources that are related to safety, effectiveness, cost, and impact on the planning and delivery of mental health nursing services ( 2004). As a student nurse, I was able to evaluate factors such as safety, effectiveness, costs and benefits, efficiencies, and impact on practice when I choose practice options that would result in the expected outcome. I was also able to assign and delegate tasks which I base on the needs and condition of the mental patient, potential for harm, stability of the mental patient’s condition, complexity of the task, and the predictability of the outcome. As a student nurse, I was also able to assist the patients and their families in becoming informed consumers about the options, costs, risks, and benefits of treatment and care with regards to mental health and illness.       Action Plan              (1963 described a number of tensions that help us understand developmental processes during the stages of identity formation. The same goes true in finding a perception for explaining, defining, and guiding mental health nursing. The development of an action plan that can guide not only me but other mental health nurses is definitely not an easy task given the fact that there is still an ongoing debate on the paradigm about mental health. Mental health nursing is a profession in which “genuine human to human connection should be of particular interest and priority” ( 1995). The identity of mental health nurses should be continually sought and defined in the relationship. However, it has been argued that mental health nursing is in danger of losing its identity if mental health nurses become puppets and just simply imitate psychiatry’s footsteps, particularly after the field of psychiatry has debated the wisdom of an exclusive focus on explanations and treatments in the realm of biology (2003). There is a debate regarding the cause of mental illness, whether by nature or nature and this has posed implications for which mental health nurses face a problem on which aspect should be used for reference. The selected paradigm or aspect must feed and nourish the mentally ill patients as well as the nursing profession. There are many authors that have argued that nurses should avoid adopting a perception that is overly individualistic or reductionistic because this could be in contradiction to the nursing profession’s efforts to seek scientific and professional legitimacy (2002;1992). Mental health nurses are taking a significant and leading role in the innovation that is driving up the quality of mental health services. I still have to improve myself to be able to proudly contribute to the quality of mental health services and staff. To be able to strengthen my strengths and overcome my weaknesses, I have developed a plan of action based on what is the standard and required of registered mental health nurses.             First of all, when I become a registered mental health nurse, there is a need for me to obtain and maintain a professional certification in the area of expertise. To further improve myself, I also need to evaluate the practice environment or the health care environment and the quality of nursing care rendered in relation to existing research and evidence.             When it comes to education, I should participate in ongoing educational activities related to mental health nursing and other professional issues. I must demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning through self-reflection and inquiry to identify if there are any learning needs that I should fulfill. Additionally, I have the responsibility to maintain my professional records that will provide evidence of competency and lifelong learning.             When it comes to collegiality or relationship with colleagues and peers, I must develop the courage to be able to give out feedback because this can be constructive and can help them. Participation with interdisciplinary teams that contribute to role development and advance nursing practice and health services must also be practiced. I must collaborate not only with other health care professionals but also with the patient and the family when it comes to care and delivery of health services.  (1996) indicated that mental health nurses who work in inpatient facilities have minimal interaction with other health care professionals and patients; thus has a reported high level of burnout. Aside from collaboration with health care professionals in the hospital or other health care setting, the registered mental health nurse also has to collaborate with other people outside of the health care field. Collaboration among psychiatric mental health nurses, school nurses, school administrators, and counselors is also advised and can result in establishment of multi-focused violence and suicide prevention programs with evaluation criteria and the ability to be replicated. These programs should include staff training in violence and suicide awareness and crisis intervention as well as group leadership instruction. The nurse can also join or establish support groups to decrease isolation and increase coping skills among patients that are at risk for depression and suicide (1990).             Collegiality and collaboration both emphasize the need for communication the area of mental health nursing. This could be discussed in relation to the general systems theory. General systems theory refers to a set of interdependent parts that are goal-oriented, require resources, and exist within an environment (1972). A basic assumption of systems theory is that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Concepts such as independence, interdependence, boundaries, organization, equilibrium, and goals are integral to systems theory. Communication also is an important dimension of general systems theory because all human systems are open insomuch as they admit information from and exchange information with the larger environment. Change in any one part affects all other parts of the system.             In relating systems theory to nursing,  (1989) defines nursing “as a process that functions to convert the knowledge and skills of the nurse, patient, and patient’s family into supportive and therapeutic interventions against illness, disability, and loss” (). This same nursing process can be applied in a nontraditional practice setting.             The action plan should also include how as a registered mental health nurse I was able to educate my patients and their families. First it is important that as a registered mental health nurse I am aware of nursing theories that are applicable to the mental health patient. One such theory that is important is the preventive theory. Preventive theory as developed by  (1964) has three dimensions: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary prevention emphasizes health promotion and prevention of disability or disease. Education is the principal vehicle for this kind of prevention. Early case detection and prompt treatment if disease occurs constitute secondary prevention. Tertiary prevention refers to minimizing the severity and residual effects of the disability or disease. Rehabilitation is the principal method for this kind of prevention.             Certain social, political, and economic actions on behalf of a patient’s mental health are inherently compatible with professional values, and should be considered by all mental health nurses. Nurses can be excellent participants and leaders on community action boards, bringing to them special healthcare system knowledge.             In the aspect of resource utilization, the registered mental health nurse must utilize organizational and community resources to formulate multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary plans of care for the mental health patient. Additionally, the mental health nurse must develop innovative solutions for the mental health care patient’s problems that would address effective utilization of resources and the maintenance of quality.             As a registered mental health nurse, the nurse must also act as a leader. The registered nurse provides leadership in the professional practice setting and the profession (2004). The nurse must provide direction to other colleagues to enhance the effectiveness of the health care team taking care of the mental health patient. The registered mental health nurse must additionally work to influence decision-making bodies to improve the quality of mental patient care, health services and policies for the mental health patient. Nursing roles appropriately include the development of reports to document needs, the preparation of grants to secure funding for selected aspects of service, leadership in grassroots community organizations, and networking to build action coalitions among various providers and service agencies. Individual clinical skills also can be utilized within existing provider organizations on a voluntary basis ( 1996).             There has been much less consideration, however, of the ways in which professional values are to be applied by individual nurses in acting to address broad social and health policy issues, such as that of adequate and appropriate mental health services for the patients and their families. A few visionary nurses have written about values and resultant action for the larger social good (1994; 1991), and there have been numerous calls for nurses to become more responsible for and involved in shaping health and social policy. Still, the translation of such conceptual mandates into clear strategies to be utilized by individual nurses in addressing specific health policy issues has been less common. It is Important to consider how professional nursing values can be used to derive and direct the actions required of individual nurses in acting to preserve and enhance mental health services for children and families (1996).                             Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Reflection upon my practice as an experienced student nurse undergoing the transition of registered mental health nurse

Reflection upon my practice as an experienced student nurse undergoing the transition of registered mental health nurse Self-reflect...

TERM PAPER ON SELF-REFLECTION

TERM PAPER   Self-Reflection               I have never expected to learn so many things about myself and my family and the things that encompass our daily existence. What touch me most deeply is on how families could preserve and maintain its values intact with emphasis on parent-children relationship. It is hard, for sure, to run a family and keep it functional for always. Likewise, it is also hard to be a mother and a father and also a child. What is even harder is run a family in a collective, united and ongoing manner, with perspectives aimed at to similar direction. Familial conflicts arise when one of the family members has a vision very different from the rest. Such a situation could lead to even more conflicts when respect to that family member is lacking. Trust is also a commonplace, but a virtue that is always overlooked in the family, especially between spouses.   As such, it is of my best belief that family reconstruction should be in the forefront of familial literature today. For me, this is one among the many concepts that directly targets what the modern families ‘are’ now and in ‘what sense’. Families of today are increasingly becoming fragmented – physically and emotionally – with child/children, whom are always left in the middle, confused, hurt and alone. Separation must not be a solution; it should be the last resort, and in this manner that family reconstruction must work best. It should be that highest priority that an avenue must be created not just for parent but also for children to reclaim their self-worth and belongingness.   I was also stricken by the fact that indeed families are very unique in every sense of the word because of the individuals that make up the whole family. These differences made me realised that there are certain things that will work for a family but would not work ever for other families. A family, as people would always say, must be able to create and sustain an environment wherein emotional, spiritual, social, psychological, physical well-being are developed. This idea is reflected in a saying authored by Letty Cottin Pogrebin, stating that: “If the family were a fruit, it would be an orange, a circle of sections, held together but separable – each segment distinct.” True enough, families should know how to nurture, support, encourage, protect, communicate, have fun and work together as a team despite the uniqueness of each member. We are in an era where familial boundaries and structures are scattered, but there remains that necessity to be functional.   A functional family does not necessarily mean having two parents, but for me, a functional family is where love, trust, respect, communication and necessary limitations prevail. It does not matter if you have a mother or a father or don’t have both. What is important is every member of the family has a way to stop unhappiness whenever it lurks inside the family. With that said, functionality is a responsibility of every family member and what will keep the family grounded. The sad part is not all of the people are aware of this fact. Even I did not know all about this prior to taking the course.               Cleaning up my act is just one of the many wonderful things that the course had taught me. I always thought that love is my original birthright whether people gives love back in return or not. I have realised that for me to experience the love that people would possibly, spreading love and happiness shall start with me. Self-centeredness and insecurities always haunt me, perhaps the reason why I am hesitant to show my appreciation, affection and gratitude to other people even to my family. I am changing as I learned that congruence and communication are important in keeping yourself and the family you belonged to functional. Now, I held the determination to show people who I am really, being direct and straightforward but without meanness and bitterness. Further, I also learned that it is not only me who is being affected by what is happening to the family, and that when bad things happen, it is not I who is most broken or damaged at all.   Although I do not want to dig deeper with what I and my family went through in the past, I learned now that acceptance is at the heart of everything. And, communicating how I feel can lessen the pain more than I imagined. Handling conflicts inside should not be done in an isolated manner and must not be treated as a single event. Instead, responding to crisis inside the family must go through a process by which everyone is involved. It is not healthy for a family that one is coping fast while other family members are lagging behind. The most matured thing that I think I have learnt is that it is not happy that you are the only one happy within your family while your mother or father or sister or brother are into a lonesomeness that is slowly eating their capacity to function well as a family member. A family is a place wherein when one cries, the other cries too, and then will try to laugh together after the storm.        Case Counseling                Considering the case of Miss A, family reconstruction should be integrated into. Family reconstruction, as described by Virginia Satir, is important for transformative possibilities which can integrate a person into the historical and psychological matrix of his or her family origin (Taylor, 2002). Just like the iceberg floating into the water, there is a huge mass of family problems for Miss A which remains below the surface. At the onset, what is ‘above the water line’ I can say that although their structure is unbroken the family is very dysfunctional as evidenced by the relationship of Miss A with her parents. The relationship problems are present primarily between Miss A and her mother, Miss A and her father, Miss A with her siblings and most probably Miss and herself. They are detached emotionally to each other and with suspicions that generally manifested in their actions especially that of the mother’s. There is a tension between the mother and the father with effects trickling down to the children.   What is currently happening to Miss A’s family is normal, however, the prolonged time for intervention lies in an abnormal state whereby she is now taking an unnatural role, trying to be the gatekeeper and at the same time the initiator and the solution-provider. Unstable relationships are inexistence with family members who do not know what to expect further, how to react and how to behave to the point that a family member (Miss A) is almost giving up. The critical issue here is the presence, or lack thereof, of the father because of work, disconnecting with the mother and the children. The family is now floating or in the midst of the unknown with shattered relationships, invalid expectations, ineffective reactions and impossible behaviours. Such condition triggers anxiousness and vulnerability specifically when support systems do not exist (Skinner and Cleese, n.d.).   Obviously, since the father is away, there is no one who will impose and implement family rules and the mother felt helpless and underpowered who should give value to family rules imposed. Left unaddressed, the children also felt toxicated specifically Miss A who realises the extent of the damage in the family relationships. They don’t necessarily enjoy being together because of the doubts that the mother has towards the father. Not to mention, the suspicions could be also impacting the children. There is the imbalance of the roles and actions. With this as a major problem, the family cannot cope with the expectations and dysfunctional pattern starts. So, there is the necessity to reframe their current thinking about their past so that they can address the problems of the present and then strive for changes in the future (Wegscheider-Cruse, Higby, Klontz and Rainey, 2007).   Miss A is in a position where she could only resort in a counseling especially that she did not know herself what to do. Not to mention, here problem is not easy to deal with because there are relationships that must be fixed, reconciled and settled first prior to dealing with own problems of Miss A. Notable, however, is that when the problems of Miss A’s parents are addressed, it would have a positive effect on Miss A. With this, I will say that families are made up of complex interpersonal relationships, and with varying personalities, needs and interactions, the reason which might explain the family problems of Miss A. A fact is that people can choose to deal with their respective families and the problems that those families encounter in either positive or negative way. For Miss A’s problems, a proactive approach is the most necessary. A family therapy and individual personal reflections are the two basic activities that Miss A’s family should undergo.     Transforming Miss A’s family is a necessity now, realising how they could benefit from the dilemmas that they are currently experiencing. Each family member should remember that everyone has a significant role to play and is valuable to one another, including the relationships that they have. Awareness of the new possibilities such as bonding moments and open interfacing with each other despite the physical distance must be realised by the family, and efforts should be given genuinely and spontaneously. Support is much more important as a family member could feel frustrated if it will not work. Members must be reassured and assisted in coping with the difficulties. The actions, dreams and hopes of each family member must be in accord and assimilated. If not, their family problems will and could resurface, leaving them helpless and angered this time.   Opening up with the possibility of improvement could materialise if confrontation of reality could be addressed also (Skinner and Cleese, n.d.). A thing noteworthy of mentioning is that Miss A is the only one who is eager to resolve the conflicts of the family, while also withdrawing at some point. Unwillingness to accept or the denial of what is really happening to the family is present at three parts. First is on Miss A’s notion of escaping the problem and leaving it as it is. Second is on her sibling who maybe are not that determined to play the role that Miss A’s accepted half-heartedly. Third is on the mother who is still in the state of denial and fear to confront her husband.               Miss A is like anyone of us, striving to have the ideal family but she must realised first that in order for her family to go back to the state of what it is before, dealing with her own problems first must be addressed. I already mentioned that when the problems of the problems are effectively dealt with, then follows that of the children including Miss A. What I mean when I said that dealing with the problems of Miss A is to process first her feelings, emotions, attitudes, perceptions and aspirations about what is currently happening. In here, I can try to use the positive affirmations so that Miss A can give herself back the confidence and trust that she can contribute in solving the problem while also reducing the guilt and unhappiness. She felt like she was caught in the middle, drowning with the depth of how troubled her family is.   As such, I shall confirm to Miss A how precious are family relationships are to her and what are the things that she is willing to give up just to put her family together again. How the relationship could be strengthened and the problems arising be better managed is a vision that must come from her since she deeply held the determination to bring her family back to right path. Bringing Miss A to a calm state of mind must be sought in order to try to solve the conflicts, therefore change the interaction for the better. What Miss A should learn is to communicate effectively her mind and also to negotiate the conflicts with other family member and help them to open the communication channel again. In this way, her depression could be managed and responded to as well in order that she and her siblings would not resort into self-destructive behaviours (Bowlby, 1979).   Family is one of the most common sources of stress and not all people are capable to cope with it. These are ‘at the water line’ that one minute we see and the other minute we don’t. Miss A’s siblings are affected both directly and indirectly and may have serious consequences when dealing with people outside their families (Skinner and Cleese, n.d.). So, after dealing with Miss A’s own problems, the necessary next step is to process the feelings and emotions of the siblings and with the presence of Miss A whom will guide them in the intervention.               Below the water line is the deepening emotional separation between the parents and among the children. Expectedly, both mother and father are confronted with feelings of sadness, guilt, anxiety, confusion and even giving up. These emotions are all playing at the back of their mind at the same time, mixed emotions that is. Same with the children, they are secretly blaming themselves for what had happened to the family, aside from assumingly withdrawing from reality and living in isolation. At this point, Miss A, the parents and the siblings could ponder among themselves and to think objectively about the real problems of the family. According to Nerin and Robertson (2000), this is a necessary step so that each member of the family could realise his/her strengths and weaknesses toward healing and wholeness.   The parents would be the hardest to convince to sit down and deal with the problems from a family perspective, particularly the father. As such, it would be Miss A’s job to negotiate with the father, if not the mother. What I can advice to each of them is to give themselves the benefit of any doubt and regard themselves with the best motives for their individual behaviour. In this way, they could understand what they think they are doing wrongly. A strategic withdrawal of those things that the family has done imperfectly will be my aim (Skinner and Cleese, n.d.).   Convincing them to do such would not be easy, and so the need to talk to them separately and then as a family. I figured that Miss A’s family is not a talker and that is what makes it difficult also (Skinner and Cleese, n.d.). There are things that are not instantly evident, or those that are people cannot see just like the bottom of the iceberg and so, Miss A’s family should disclose in order to effectively deal with them. After looking at their family in an objective manner, discussing it would be the succeeding step.   In becoming a healthy family, each family member should practice openly acknowledging their problems, discussing them openly and working toward changes cohesively (Skinner and Cleese, n.d.). They must believe also that change is acceptable and actively solicit workable solutions from other family members. In this way, everyone in the family of Miss A could discover each family member as people and connect with them as human beings. Appreciate and connect deeply with them and move beyond the survival pain.   In addition, the parents and the children could obtain access to their inner resources and become their own responsible choice-maker aside from updating the past and reducing its impact to the future and unblocking distorted or limited perceptions of each family member about each other and about the family as a whole and then deal with unmet expectations (Gomori, 2008).   References   Bowlby J. (1979). The Making and Breaking of Affectional Bonds London: Tavistock Publications.   Gomori, M. (2008). Family Reconstruction. Brochure. Winnipeg, MB.   Nerin, W. and Robertson, A. (2000). Family Reconstruction, a Way of Healing and Wholeness. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.   Skinner, R. and Cleese, J. (n.d.). Families and How to Survive Them. US: Methuen.   Taylor, G. (2002). Family Reconstruction. Contemporary Family Therapy, 24(1): 129-139.   Wegscheider-Cruse, S., Higby, K., Klontz, T. and Rainey, A. (2007). Family Reconstruction: The Living Theater Model. Palo Alto, CA, US: Science and Behavior Books, Inc. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

TERM PAPER ON SELF-REFLECTION

TERM PAPER Self-Reflection I have never expected to learn so many things about myself and my family and the things t...