Module #4 question 2

2. How does nursing data relate to decision support?

Nurses need to be certain that the data that they are using is from a reliable source. Patient care is dependent on this. As I had discussed in my previous blog, knowing how to look for valid research can be somewhat difficult and time consuming if you don't know how to go about getting it. Best practices improve patient care. There have been many practices in the past that were proven to not benefit the patient, and some have proved to be harmful.  By having quality data, nurses are able to know and understand why they are doing things. By doing this they can collaborate an individualized plan of care that works for the patient.

When there are questions about a type of treatment for a patient, there are now many resources available to nurses that should be taken advantage of. We do not just have to take the word of the doctor, we can look for research on a particular topic and find out what is best for the patient.

Module #4 question 1

1. How did the readings influence your perception of your own clinical decision-making? How do we reconcile the value of nursing experience with known heuristics and biases used in human decision making?

The readings really opened my eyes when concerning clinical decision-making in providing nursing care. I can think of a couple of nurses that I know who rely primarily on their own heuristics and biases when providing care. I would say that these nurses are very intelligent and are great resources to have on our unit, but after reading these articles I wonder how much they really do know. This is not to say that experience and instinct don't account for anything. I think that having both of those things are part of what makes a good nurse. I do however see the problems that can arise by depending on heuristics and biases only.

I feel like nurses in general probably need more experience and teaching when it comes to nursing research. There is a lot of information out there, and it can be overwhelming if you don't know what you are looking for. I know that I have felt that way before, and am finding my nursing research class very helpful. Having the time to do this another concern, and I can see how nurses may tend to stick to their instincts when time is of the essence.  I do think that by becoming a better researcher, nurses will be able to navigate quicker and may be able to do this more frequently. There definitely needs to be a balance between instincts and knowledge from evidence based research.

Module 3

1. What Strengths were highlighted in the results of your multiple intelligence test? How do you interpret these results? What technologies might you incorporate to augment your personal learning based on these results?

After completing the multiple intelligence test, it showed that my strongest areas were Musical, followed closely with Intrapersonal and then Logical-Mathematical. Though these were the three highest scores, it didn't appear that I was significantly high in one category compared to another. Everything was fairly balanced. I have always loved music and did play the trombone all through junior high and part of high school. I think that music is a great way to relax and can be a therapy in itself. As far as the Intrapersonal category, I have always been a planner and have always made personal goals for myself to follow. I feel like I am very aware of my own strengths and weaknesses, and am constantly trying to work on improving areas that are weak. Logical-Mathematical was the third highest category highlighted. I have always enjoyed math and science in school, though I could never imagine myself working in an area of finance or banking. 

My lowest categories were Bodily-Kinestetics and Linguistics. This doesn't surprise me too much. I wouldn't say that I am completely uncoordinated when it comes to sports, but it is definitely something that I didn't really excel in. As far as linguistics go, I am not horrible at writing, but I have always hated public speaking (this is one of the weaknesses that I am working on). Overall, I felt the test was fairly accurate in the balance of my intelligence types. 

Technologies that I might incorporate for my personal learning really could include a variety of things. I enjoy the lectures that we are able to do via poly com, and find readings and PowerPoint presentations helpful too.