Within two (2) pages, write a personal reflection about your clinical experiences during the DFC in this course.
Discuss the following:
Professional Competence
Discuss what went well during clinical this semester.
Identify what could be improved upon. Include explanations and a measurable plan for improvement.
Identify and describe at least one new technique you observed and/or learned during this semester’s DFC
experience.
Challenging Situations
Describe challenges within the DFCs. Include reason(s) for the challenge, potential underlying cause(s), and
develop a plan to prevent a similar situation from happening in future DFC experiences.
Personal and Professional Growth
Discuss how this semester’s patient care experience will influence your future professional practice.
This is a journal-type entry where writing mechanics will be evaluated.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Title: Reflection on Clinical Experiences during the DFC
Professional Competence
During this semester’s clinical experiences in the DFC (Direct Family Care) program, I had the opportunity to develop and refine my professional competence. Several aspects went well, contributing to a positive learning experience:
What Went Well:
Communication: I effectively communicated with patients, their families, and interdisciplinary healthcare teams, ensuring clear and concise information exchange.
Clinical Skills: I demonstrated proficiency in performing various clinical skills, such as physical assessments, medication administration, and documentation.
Clinical Judgment: I consistently applied critical thinking and clinical reasoning to make informed decisions regarding patient care.
Areas for Improvement:
Time Management: I occasionally struggled with time management, leading to moments of feeling overwhelmed or rushed during patient care. To address this, I plan to implement a measurable plan for improvement:Set realistic goals and prioritize tasks based on their urgency and importance.
Utilize time management tools, such as a daily planner or digital apps, to effectively schedule and track tasks.
Seek guidance from experienced mentors or colleagues for strategies to improve time management skills.
New Technique Learned:
One significant technique I observed and learned during this semester’s DFC experience was motivational interviewing. This client-centered approach allowed me to engage patients in meaningful conversations, explore their motivations for change, and foster a collaborative relationship. By using open-ended questions, reflective listening, and summarizing techniques, I witnessed how motivational interviewing can empower patients and enhance their commitment to positive health behaviors.
Challenging Situations
Throughout the DFC experiences, I encountered some challenging situations that provided valuable learning opportunities. One notable challenge was dealing with difficult patients who were resistant to receiving care or displayed confrontational behavior.
Reasons for the Challenge:
The underlying causes of such challenges could be attributed to factors like fear, anxiety, past negative healthcare experiences, or a lack of trust in healthcare professionals.
Plan for Prevention:
To prevent similar situations from occurring in future DFC experiences, I will implement the following plan:
Empathy and Active Listening: Maintain a compassionate and non-judgmental attitude while actively listening to patients’ concerns and fears.
Building Trust: Establish rapport by taking the time to develop a trusting relationship with patients. This can be achieved through consistent communication, respect for autonomy, and addressing their individual needs.
Patient Education: Provide comprehensive explanations about procedures, potential outcomes, and address any misconceptions or fears they may have.
De-escalation Techniques: Acquire training in de-escalation techniques to handle confrontational behavior calmly and professionally.
Personal and Professional Growth
This semester’s patient care experiences have significantly influenced my future professional practice. The following aspects exemplify the personal and professional growth I have attained:
Enhanced Empathy: Engaging with patients from diverse backgrounds has deepened my understanding of their unique struggles, fostering empathy and compassion in my interactions.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Collaborating with various healthcare professionals has emphasized the importance of teamwork, effective communication, and shared decision-making in delivering holistic patient care.
Personal Awareness: Reflecting on my strengths and areas for improvement has increased my self-awareness as a healthcare provider. This awareness will guide me in seeking further professional development opportunities and refining my skills.
Patient-Centered Care: Recognizing that every patient is an individual with unique needs has reinforced my commitment to providing patient-centered care. I will continue to prioritize their autonomy, preferences, and values in my future practice.
In conclusion, my clinical experiences during the DFC program have been transformative. The positive aspects of my professional competence were communication skills, clinical expertise, and clinical judgment. Areas for improvement included time management. I learned a new technique called motivational interviewing that empowered patients in their healthcare journey. Challenging situations involving difficult patients highlighted the importance of empathy, trust-building, patient education, and de-escalation techniques. Overall, these experiences have shaped my personal growth, emphasizing empathy, interdisciplinary collaboration, self-awareness, and patient-centered care as pillars of my future professional practice.
