Running head: ESSENTIAL IX: BACCALAUREATE GENERALIST NURSING PRACTICE 1

E-Portfolio Essential IX: Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice

Hai-Duong Nguyen

Frostburg State University

ESSENTIAL IX: BACCALAUREATE GENERALIST NURSING PRACTICE 2

E-Portfolio Essential IX: Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice

The Essentials for Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (2008) created

by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing provides nine essentials as outcomes expected of

graduates of baccalaureate nursing programs (AACN, 2008, p. 3). The Essentials includes necessary

requirements and recommendations for the core knowledge required of all healthcare professionals

(AACN, 2008, p. 3). For this passage, we will focus on Essential IX: Baccalaureate

Generalist Nursing Practice. Upon meeting Essential IX, the baccalaureate graduate nurse will: 1)

practice with patients, including individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across

the lifespan and across the continuum of healthcare environments; and 2) understands and respects

the variations of care, the increased complexity, and the increased use of healthcare resources inherent

in caring for patients (AACN, 2008, p. 5). For this paper, I will discuss how my Comprehensive Health

Assessment meets the Essential IX: Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice.

Exemplar

The completion of my Comprehensive Health Assessment (Nguyen, 2016) required me to work

with individuals and family members within my community. I chose to present my Comprehensive

Health Assessment because it represents the work and knowledge I acquired throughout this course.

My Comprehensive Health Assessment (Nguyen, 2016) shows my application of knowledge and

communication acquisition, skill development and direct care as provided to the individual presented in

this case. I believe this piece of work is a thorough portrayal of my growth as a baccalaureate graduate

nurse and completes the requirements of Essentials IX.

Reflection

My Comprehensive Health Assessment demonstrated I am prepared to care for patients across

the lifespan who come from various demographics and practice in a multicultural environment- the

individual presented was a 73 year old African American who is chronically ill with diabetes mellitus,
ESSENTIAL IX: BACCALAUREATE GENERALIST NURSING PRACTICE 3

hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and neuropathy with a chief complaint of a wound of the right foot.

Within my Comprehensive Health Assessment (Nguyen, 2016), I implemented holistic patient-centered

care and provided culturally competent care by acquiring and completing the patient's spiritual and

cultural assessment.

I gained a complete understanding of his major/health beliefs and practices before engaging in

direct care. I was able to meet the Essentials IX by communicating effectively with all members of

the healthcare team, including the patient and the patients support network as evidenced through my

incorporation of the patient, his wife and daughter throughout his assessment and plan of care. I

provided a complete and thorough head to toe assessment, and my work meets the Essentials IX as I

was able to implement evidenced-based nursing interventions appropriate for management of his

condition.

Within my Comprehensive Health Assessment, I was able to formulate a nursing diagnosis of

Impaired skin integrity related to neuropathy causing decrease in sensation, high glucose levels

decreasing wound healing, and alterations in circulation as evidenced by right foot ulcer. My

understanding of pathophysiology and medical/nursing management allowed to me to implement these

nursing interventions: 1) teach and promote good hand hygiene by cleaning hands with soap and warm

water, scrubbing between fingers and under nails for 20 seconds, rinsing well under clean water, and

dry with a towel/air dry; 2) maintain aseptic technique during wound care dressing- provide hand

hygiene, wear gloves if possible, use saline to rinse area and pat dry with gauze, apply clean dressing

over site, change daily or as needed when drainage is present, and consult and maintain appointments

with wound care; and 3) take off shoes and socks and inspect feet daily noting any changes, check at tip

of toes and under foot and heels, wear shoes when walking to prevent additional trauma, maintain

glucose WNL as high glucose levels prevent healing process, and see doctor as appropriate for needs

for maintenance and management of diabetes. These are a few examples that show how the completion
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of my Comprehensive Health Assessments meets the Essentials IX: Baccalaureate

Generalist Nursing Practice.

My Comprehensive Health Assessment (Nguyen, 2016) demonstrated my ability to complete a

head to toe assessment and integration of pathophysiology, appropriate patient teaching, effective

communication to healthcare team, patient, and family members, and holistic, patient-centered care that

reflects safe, quality patient outcomes. My completion of the Comprehensive Health Assessment is

confirmation I am able to provide care to patients and families across the lifespan and continuum of

healthcare environments, and I show an understanding of change and respect for the variation and

complex care of all patients. This is how my Comprehensive Health Assessment meets the Essentials

IX: Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice.

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References

Essential VIII: Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice. (2008). In The Essentials of Baccalaureate

Education for Professional Nursing Practice. Washington, D.C.: American Association of

Colleges of Nursing.

Nguyen, H. (2016). Comprehensive Health Assessment. Unpublished manuscript. Frostburg State

University, Frostburg, MD