Nursing Home Reflective Report

Over the course of the last ten weeks, I have been shadowing a variety of nursing roles within a nursing home nearby for my mentorship. During this time I have followed a variety of nurses and other closely related roles in the nursing home. While each experience was fulfilling and enjoyable, I found a sort of home in the dementia unit at the facility. It is questionable as to why I had chosen this section, but I have come to realize that it may be because of the behavior that is observed in this section. Due to their dementia, many of the residents have fallen back into the behavior of a toddler. This mostly is visible through their inability to care for themselves and their speech. This is not to say that they cannot hold a mature or quality conversation, but to simply state that their speech has been inhibited by their dementia. For example, during my conversations with them they may repeat a story. I have found when I am in one of these conversations that I simply alter my reaction to their stories. I ask different questions to add variety to what aspects they may tell me or to broach a topic they enjoy talking about. This has taught me that a nurse in this field must retain a …show more content…
From registered nurses to certified nursing assistants to social workers, every person I have observed has shown a devotion to the residents they care for. There is no gap between the way they treat their colleagues and the way they treat the residents. It has not only shown me how this career has maintained a passion for their patients and practice, but it has also shown me the bond one forms in this job. There is a respect and a trust that is formed between both parties, and even in the worst of situations they maintain that devotion. And this is a devotion to which I hope to possess as well when I enter the nursing