Assignment 2: Practicum Journal and Time Log (Due Week 4)
A vital part of the reflective process is to plan for changes in your behavior.
Somerville & Keeling, 2004.
Being a reflective practitioner enables NPs to identify weaknesses and target professional development in order to address these weaknesses. In turn, this increases the NPs ability to provide the best care to patients and their families. Reflection also affords the NP time to consider communication and their efforts toward creating a culture of mutual support with colleagues, a characteristic that is essential to successful NP practice (Somerville & Keeling, 2004).
Each week you will complete a Journal Entry and Time Log that prompts you to reflect on your Practicum Experiences and how they relate to your Professional Goals and Self-Assessment of Clinical Skills. This week you will begin documenting your Practicum Experiences in your Practicum Journal.
Reference: Somerville, D., Keeling, J. (2004). A practical approach to promote reflective practice within nursing. Nursing Times, 100(12), 4245. Retrieved from http://www.nursingtimes.net/Journals/2012/11/30/v/l/x/040323A-practical-approach-to-promote-reflective-practice-within-nursing.pdf
To prepare
For this courses Practicum Experience, address the following in your Practicum Journal:
From your perspective, explain the role of nurse practitioners in clinical settings
Develop goals and objectives for the Practicum Experience in this course
Create a proposed timeline of practicum activities based on your practicum requirements.
The Practicum Journal and Time Log Assignment for Weeks 1 4 are due by Day 7 of Week 4.
Time Logs
You are required to keep a log of the time you spend related to your practicum experience and enter every patient you see each day. You can access your Time Log from the Welcome Page in your Meditrek account. You will track time individually for each patient you work with. Please make sure to continuously input your hours throughout the term. Logs are reviewed by your instructors in Weeks 4, 7 and 10.