As a nursing student, you'll be expected to connect what you learn in class to real-life patient care situations. This assignment gives you the chance to reflect on a beginner-level care scenario using what you've learned about nursing history, theory, ethics, cultural competence, caring, and your legal scope of practice.
Scenario:
You are beginning your clinical rotation at a long-term care facility. You’re assisting with the admission of Mr. Garcia, an elderly man who recently immigrated from Mexico. He speaks limited English, seems anxious, and expresses a strong desire to practice his spiritual traditions during care. You’re working under the supervision of a registered nurse (RN), who assigns you several tasks during the admission process.
Write a 750–1000 word reflection using the scenario above. Use your learning from Weeks 1–3 to answer the following:
Part 1: History, Theory, and Ethics
How does nursing history or a nursing theory (such as Watson, Orem, or Roy) help guide your care for Mr. Garcia?
Identify one ethical principle (such as autonomy, beneficence, or justice) and explain how you would apply it in this situation.
Part 2: Culture and Caring
What culturally responsive and respectful strategies would you use when caring for Mr. Garcia?
Describe specific caring behaviors (like empathy, presence, or listening) that you would use, and how they connect to a caring framework like Watson’s Caritas.
Part 3: Legal Scope and Professional Roles
What is your role and scope of practice as a student nurse in this setting? What should be done by the RN?
What legal responsibilities must you follow in this scenario (such as confidentiality or informed consent)?
Part 1: History, Theory, and Ethics
Caring for Mr. Garcia requires moving beyond merely performing assigned admission tasks, demanding a holistic, person-centered approach best articulated by a major nursing theorist. Jean Watson’s Philosophy and Science of Caring (Human Caring Theory) offers a particularly effective framework. Watson’s theory emphasizes that nursing’s primary purpose is the promotion of health, the prevention of illness, and the restoration of health through caring relationships and Caritas Processes. In Mr. Garcia’s case, his expressed anxiety and strong desire for spiritual practice are not mere details; they are central to his “soul-care,” which Watson identifies as a necessary element of the human-to-human transaction.
Watson’s theory guides my care by prompting me to create a "caring moment" rather than rushing through the task list. His anxiety and limited English require me to slow down the pace, speak in a soothing tone, and use non-verbal communication effectively, demonstrating respect for his human dignity and subjective experience. By prioritizing his emotional and spiritual comfort alongside the physical assessment, I am applying Watson’s transpersonal caring principles, which view the person as a holistic being—mind, body, and spirit. This approach recognizes that anxiety related to a new environment and language barrier can inhibit physical healing and adjustment.
In terms of ethical guidance, the principle of autonomy is paramount in this admission. Autonomy dictates that Mr. Garcia, as a patient, has the right to determine his own actions and make decisions regarding his health and care, even if he speaks limited English and is anxious. Applying autonomy means ensuring two things: first, that all information provided about the admission process, facility rules, and plan of care is fully understandable to him, which necessitates the use of a qualified medical interpreter. Second, it means actively incorporating his spiritual traditions into the care plan, respecting his desire to practice them. If he wants a specific religious item placed near his bed or requires time for prayer before a meal, supporting these choices upholds his right to self-determination. Neglecting to use an interpreter or dismissing his spiritual needs would be a direct violation of this principle.
Sample Answer
A Holistic Approach to Admission: Reflection on the Care of Mr. Garcia
The beginning of clinical rotations at a long-term care facility presents an invaluable opportunity to translate classroom knowledge into compassionate practice. The scenario involving the admission of Mr. Garcia—an anxious, elderly, Spanish-speaking immigrant with strong spiritual needs—immediately challenges a student nurse to synthesize concepts across nursing history, theory, ethics, cultural competence, and legal scope. This reflection explores how these foundational elements guide the initial care and establish a therapeutic relationship with Mr. Garcia during his vulnerable admission process.