Identifying Skills And Developing An Action Plan For Occupational Therapy Nurse

Technical Skills

Identifying skills 

Technical skills

1. Demonstrated experience in the delivery of community based occupational therapy services for adults,  frail aged, and disabled persons

In the rural and remote health service extension program, I have experience of three years. I have been involved in offering management services for cancer patients in the rural and remote areas. Most of the patients were aged and disabled. I believe that I have acquired this skill, through this experience. 

1. Demonstrated understanding of, and sensitivity to, the support needs of older people, people with disability and their carers, including the needs of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

During my three years’ experience working with breast cancer patients in the western region of Australia, I have mostly worked with the aged people. I have also worked with the Aboriginal and Strait Islanders, most of whom cannot access medical center due to the remoteness of the areas where they stay.

Transferable skills

1. Strong computer skills including use of client databases, Microsoft suite of applications and other software programs

I have a strong computer skills base, having trained and completed the whole computer package training. I have also database management skills. I have experience in all the suites of Microsoft Office, and all the related software associated with content editing and design. Much of the computer literacy skills have been part of my training for my current profession.

1. Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to gain the cooperation of, and obtain information from, people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

I am an excellent orator and a charming team worker, having been a team leader for two years in the hospital of my first posting. Furthermore, I have worked and interacted with employees form many backgrounds and fro various cultures comfortably. My interpersonal skills have been greatly enhanced by the work experience that I have had working with people from various social and cultural backgrounds. I can confidently sat that I have the skills reqio9red for this job description.

Identify any gaps in your skills and experiences that mean you are not as competitive as you need to be to get this job.

Prepare an Action Plan 

My top skills	Job requirements	My current experiences	My gaps	New activities	Timing
Technical skills
	Demonstrated experience in the delivery of community based occupational therapy services for adults,  frail aged, and disabled persons	In the rural and remote health service extension program, I have experience of there years. I have been involved in offering management services for cancer patients in the rural and remote areas. Most of the patients were aged and disabled. I believe that I have acquired this skill, through this experience.	There is need for me to apply this theory to a wide scope of service, for example country wide, and not just on one particular region.  Most of the people that I have attended to are aged, I have attended few cases of disabled people.	3. I would join the Australian Government’s General Skilled Migration program, to gain skills of practicing beyond the borders (Humble & Cross 2010). 4. I would read the Australian Occupational Therapy Journal because it has practical tips and guidelines on how to 5. A volunteering opportunity (where in what capacity & why) 6. I would join Deakin Nursing and Midwifery Society.	I will start the Australian Government’s General Skilled Migration program immediately after finishing my undergraduate degree.
Non-technical skills
Communication skills.	I am a good orator, and have perfected my peer to peer communication.	I have a deep experience in communicating to clients and responding to each client as a person.	I have limited exposure in giving professional talks.	1. CNA803 (Advanced Clinical Nursing Practice). I would take this course to advance my nursing practice (Hodges, Keeley & Troyan 2008). 2. I could do perioperative care. Some of the units in this area of specialty include: Foundations of Perioperative Nursing Practice (CNA754) 3. I would join the International Council of Nurses. It is a global council of nurses that develops international standards for practice of nursing across the globe (Brunero, Lamont & Coates 2010). 4. I would read the Journal of Perioperative and Critical Intensive Care Nursing because I have an interest in specializing in perioperative care. 5. I would volunteer in the remote health program of Australia because I have always had a willing spirit to help the aged and the disabled. 6. I would join the Deakin Nursing and Midwifery Society.	I will complete the following units (Boomer,  & McCormack,  2010). HNN120 HBS107 HNN112

As from the results, I believe that I have all the qualifications of an occupational therapy nurse. My interest group is being a volunteer nurse, and especially to work with patients from rural and remote areas. My career values are to develop new skills and enhance my management skills.

I have learned that I am a resilient worker, and that I have leadership skills. This is evidenced by the fact that I have been identified once as a team leader during my practice. Furthermore, I have a strong passion to help the less fortunate in the society. In fact, most of my past experience has been helping the aged and the disabled in the remote health extension program, where I have been working for three years. My audit results are correct. Doing these audits has really helped me to define my areas of interests in my profession and also to develop my career values.

After my studies, I would like to practice as a remote health service practitioner. This will prepare me to join the Australian Government’s General Skilled Migration program. I would be happy to offer my service to the disabled and the aged on a voluntary basis.

My current profession as a nurse has been greatly influenced by my passion in offering help to the less fortunate in the society. This spirit was instilled in me by my God fearing parents during my childhood. Furthermore, I have grown up witnessing many people in my society suffering, and I have always wanted to help. In fact I did promise myself to do something in the future to help those who are decapitated somehow, especially the aged and the disabled. I believe this is the opportunity that I have got to fulfill my desires.

My career values have always given me an impetus to go forward in developing the best in me. Career values play a major role in defining who one becomes in their profession (Por et al 2011). For example having cultured my team work and leadership skills during my practice, I believe that I am well equipped to serve even beyond the borders.

Furthermore, the literary training that I have received in the university as a nurse has also helped me a lot. Nursing does not stand on professional knowledge alone. The Australian Association of Social Workers provides that nurses adhere to established standards of practice that govern social workers in their practice (Baldacchino 2011).  These standards contain principles that social workers will need to have inn order to practice effectively. The experience that I gained in the Australian Association of Social Workers has further boosted my professionalism in my career.

The requirement that all registered nurses be effectively developed professionally is not just limited to Australia, but it is a worldwide requirement (Levett et al 2009). Indeed, nursing is a global profession. The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has developed standards governing the nursing education that apply across the world (Stone et al 2014).  Acquainting myself with these standards will help me to serve across the borders, and not just limit myself to Australia.

I believe that the culture that I have developed from my early child hood up and the literary training that I have received in the professional training will help me become professional and dependable nurse. 

References

Baldacchino, D.R., 2011. Teaching on spiritual care: The perceived impact on qualified nurses. Nurse education in practice, 11(1), pp.47-53.

Boomer, C.A. and McCormack, B., 2010. Creating the conditions for growth: a collaborative practice development programme for clinical nurse leaders. Journal of Nursing Management, 18(6), pp.633-644.

Brunero, S., Lamont, S. and Coates, M., 2010. A review of empathy education in nursing. Nursing Inquiry, 17(1), pp.65-74.

Hodges, H.F., Keeley, A.C. and Troyan, P.J., 2008. Professional resilience in baccalaureate-prepared acute care nurses: First steps. Nursing Education Perspectives, 29(2), pp.80-89.

Humble, F. and Cross, W., 2010. Being different: A phenomenological exploration of a group of veteran psychiatric nurses. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 19(2), pp.128-136.

Levett?Jones, T., Lathlean, J., Higgins, I. and McMillan, M., 2009. Staff–student relationships and their impact on nursing students’ belongingness and learning. Journal of advanced nursing, 65(2), pp.316-324.

Por, J., Barriball, L., Fitzpatrick, J. and Roberts, J., 2011. Emotional intelligence: Its relationship to stress, coping, well-being and professional performance in nursing students. Nurse education today, 31(8), pp.855-860.

Stone, T.E., Francis, L., Van der Riet, P., Dedkhard, S., Junlapeeya, P. and Orwat, E., 2014. Awakening to the other: reflections on developing intercultural competence through an undergraduate study tour. Nursing & health sciences, 16(4), pp.521-527.