Self-Assessment of Reasoning
Running head: SELF-ASSESSMENT OF REASONING PAPER
Self-Assessment of Reasoning Paper
Angela M. Baird
Ferris State University
1
Self-Assessment of Reasoning
2
Self-Assessment of Reasoning Paper
Significant Content
Health promotion in healthcare for all ages is the significant topic from this course.
Thoughts and Feelings
I think that nurses need to educate all patients on the importance of eating healthy and
exercising to promote health and prevent disease. I also think that nurses cannot assume that
patients who have a disease process such as diabetes do not need additional education.
Point of View or Assumptions
When I am taking care of children I often assume that they don’t need to know that
eating at McDonald’s is bad for them and that playing video games is not the best form of
exercise. I also think that older patients have been around enough to know from their mistakes
made in the past to make healthy food choices and exercise. These are pretty strong assumptions.
From my point of view, all individuals get what they need to know from their family
physician or families on how to live a healthy, productive life and to prevent disease.
Analysis of Thinking
After reading the assigned readings, and analyzing my thoughts, feelings and
assumptions, it was apparent to me that I was making judgments of patients that were not true.
My assumptions were very biased and I was not taking into account that each individual has his
or her own social, cognitive, culture, and socio-economic status. Many individuals do not have
the proper resources or finances to choose healthy foods and may not have the support at home
to maintain a healthy way of living. Some of the elderly are the only family left and they may not
have a way to a family physician to get regular checkups to assist in health promotion.
My thinking that even patients that have had a disease process for a number of years
Self-Assessment of Reasoning
3
do not need additional education is totally off base. These patients may need additional education
on new treatment options that could help them maintain a productive and healthy lifestyle. They
may also need an opportunity to ask questions and get answers about health issues that may be
confusing to them. A good example is the guidelines for fasting and post meal sugar levels. I
would almost bet that many diabetics do not know what the normal levels are and if they do they
may not have been educated on the changes.
After reading about the theories and models in Health Promotion in Nursing Practice by
Pender, Murdaugh, and Parsons (2006) they have opened other approaches to health promotion
for me. I realize as a health care professional that there is a lot more to learn about health
promotion and prevention of disease. I also know some things now that I can use in my daily
practice to help individuals reach their goals of changing an unhealthy habit, and making their
life healthy and productive.
This paper also identifies my grade for critical thinking during the semester of my
nursing 310 course. My areas of strengths at thinking are: assumption, point of view and
information. Recognizing assumptions is providing my audience with my beliefs and behaviors
towards a subject, being able to give evidence for my ideas and actions, and not assuming there
is only one belief or behavior that is right. Point of view, is not just my own, but goes beyond
this and identifies other point of views that may be relevant to the subject being presented, and
information involves providing my reader with resources behind my information for the subject.
I look at all sides of the issue with taking considerations of points of view, assumptions, and
information. I do this with no bias, considerately, and thoughtful. Some examples of good critical
thinking are from post discussion messages. May 28, 2009,
Self-Assessment of Reasoning
4
Prior to reading chapter one my definition of health was a state of overall well being.
This included physically, mentally, and socially. This could be in the presence of illness
or without. With the presence of disease this causes challenges to this well being and with
the proper intervention and compliance from the individual they can continue to have an
overall state of well being. When the individual chooses not to be compliant will they
have an interruption in their sense of well being. After reading the chapter I totally see
that there are many different meanings to health and that it incorporates much more than
just physical, mental and social aspects. My meaning know would be a little different and
include being in a state of wellness within your community, religion, culture and family.
If anyone of these areas is interrupted it can lead to a feeling of not being well. Just for
example when there is a death in a family, a disaster in a community, or when someone’s
religion or culture is not respected this can have a resulting affect on an individual’s
sense of health.
June 3, 2009,
As I started my BSN courses I found out there are multiple nursing theories, and continue
to learn about new ones as my studies progress. I also noticed that I incorporate nursing
theory into my daily practice. As I was reading the chapters for this assignment I would
have to say that the Health Promotion Model I use the most. Currently I work in the ER
and feel there are plenty of opportunities for promoting health and preventing disease.
These have to be assessed quickly as a patient may spend little time in the ER. So it is
important that nurses pick up on any issues that need to be addressed prior to discharge. I
take into account what prior behavior they have and personal factors in order to give the
proper education to the individual in the way they can easily understand afford and
Self-Assessment of Reasoning
5
incorporate into their daily lives. I also believe another model that can be incorporated
with some of this patient is the relapse prevention model. I can use this model for
addictive behavior that I see in the ER. These are not limited to smoking, obesity, and
drug dependency. Let the patient know that a lapse in an addictive behavior is ok, but that
they need to continue to educate themselves on coping mechanisms to reduce the next
urge for a lapse. This can actually prevent a full relapse in the addiction.
My areas of weaknesses on thinking abilities are interpretation and consequences. I
continually show a need for improvement on these abilities, and think it is because these areas
are where I must think most about what I am thinking and make my thinking better. I have a hard
time at expanding on my thinking and build on my thinking. I find myself thinking about the
same thing over and over again, and do not consider other consequences of what I think about
the issue. At times I get a really good thought on an issue and then I do not know how to put it
into words that sounds intelligent, accurate, or clear. This is frustrating and I feel like I don’t
have any thinking skills at all. I hope with more practice I will improve my critical thinking.
In conclusion, I think that I have improved since the beginning of the course but still have
some room for improvement. For my grade on critical thinking I believe that I have showed
evidence to prove a grade of a “C”. This grade shows understanding of thinking at a medium
level. I have some skills, abilities, knowledge, and understanding of critical thinking and use
them appropriately, but show some inconsistency. According to the syllabus and the definition of
the grade “C”, I occasionally display good reasoning and problem-solving skills.
Self-Assessment of Reasoning
6
References
Pender, N., Murdaugh, C., & Parsons, M. (2006). Individual models to promote health behavior.
Health Promotion in Nursing Practice (5th Ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.