WHO AM I: My name is Agbeko Daniel Dei, I am an African from the West African Region. Ghana to be precise, I studied Development Communications at the African University College of Communication. I speak English fluently and now learning to speak Finnish. I am a second-year nursing student at Savonia University of Applied sciences. I did my Nursing Assessment and Intervention internship in a nursing home and also my medical nursing internship at the Harjula hospital.

What type of learner am I: I learn rapidly through practicals and simulations. I love to be taught practically and also given the opportunity to practice what I learn.  It is my expectation that my mentor helped me grow by giving me the opportunity to Practice what I am taught during my mental health and substance nursing.

LEARNING SKILLS

I read effectively and try to make notes that will help me understand better whatever I am taught in my own way. I develop my learning skills better if I receive instant feedback on weak areas. It helps me make the correction that sticks with me forever.

How to achieve goals: I will put into practice all learning methods to be able to learn new things that are vital to my development during this internship.

I will also pay critical attention to everything that I will be taught and obey every instruction that is given to me. I will obey all rules and regulations, instructions, and guidelines.

 ETHICAL COMPETENCE

I understand ethical principles and guidelines relevant to mental health and substance abuse nursing. I have also developed critical thinking skills to analyse ethical dilemmas and act ethically in all patient interactions and decision making process.

How to achieve goals:

I want to be able to learn and practice ethical guidelines and legislations related mentally challenged patients in the health facility. I am looking forward to learning the concept related mental health and addiction care. i would like to enhance my learning relating to multidisciplinary team work in the heath care. I will like to improve my learning on professional guidelines in nursing care and working group

CLINICAL SKILLS

Level of Competency: I have had some basic training at skill labs on how to measure blood pressure, blood sugar, and temperature etc. I know how to lay a patient’s bed, how to help patients who are bedridden with a bath, and how to help a patient feed. I was also taught how to give (im and sc) injections. In my last medical nursing internship, My mentor gave the opportunity to once again practice some of the nursing skill that i learnt from school. I learnt to infuse medication, practice the preparation of antibiotic, dosing of medication, wound dressing, and assisting clients with activities of daily living.

I have been taught how to work under aseptic conditions for the safety of the patients.

Patient safety was one of the things that were emphasised during our skill labs during our training at school and also emphacied during my medical nursing internship at harjula hospital. I have also been given some training with regards to proper ergonomic approach in helping patients to ensure their safety.

I have also had theory lessons in the ABCDE approach in examining patients and also emphasised during my last internship. however.

In this internship, my focus will be on mental health cases and the various therapeutic measures needed assist mentally ill patients and to provide calming impact to them.

How to achieve goals:  I need to learn to identify patient resources and make good use of them regarding the patient care. I would like to be able to access the impact and significance of patient’s conditions on their family members. I am willing to learn about the secure use of important nursing intervention in mental health and addiction care which involves pharmacotherapy as well as evaluation of the effectiveness of the interventions. I must learn to plan, implement and examine the nursing care methods in the unit. I wish to enhance my applicable skills for nurse-patient relationships and medical supervision by showing positive interest and trust. I want to learn more about occupational and patient safety by dutifully obey and work according to the safety rules and acknowledging their importance. I want to be able to speak with my nurse mentors and the complete team and have my questions answered to enhance my learning. I wish to be guided by informed mentor nurses who can speak English language and Finnish language together to achieve my stated goals.

TEACHING AND GUIDANCE

Level of Competency: I have had the experience of teaching in my home country. However, I know dealing with patients is quite different, therefore I would have a different approach to make them follow instructions by showing them respect and giving them the reason for specific instructions. I am now learning the Finnish language and that will pose a challenge to me when I start my internship.

How to achieve goals: I wish to learn as much as possible and gain more information from my mentors in order to be able to guide and teach according the facility protocols and i will also like to educated on flexible and suitable use of different guidance methods.

PATIENT SAFETY AND QUALITY OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH CARE SERVICE

Level of Competency: Patients’ safety and the quality of care have been emphasized many times during skill labs in school. Our teachers stressed reporting mistakes and other faults immediately as they occur.

I have been taught to be able to identify situations that may pose risks to the client by using the ISBAR reporting methods.

How to achieve goals: My goal during this and subsequent internship is to pay more attention to my work ethic and day-to-day activities.

I will work in accordance with the guidelines of my workplace with the utmost priority to maintain quality of service to the client and other staff. I will pay critical attention to patient safety and find ways to prevent accidents from happening.

WORKING COMMUNITY COMPETENCE

Level of competency: I am a team player, a good listener, and respect people’s opinions and values and i take full responsibilities for my actions. I have no problems with obeying laid down guidelines and I also show strong cooperation to work. This has helped me in relating well with people from all walks of life. This internship will offer me my another work experience with patients since I started studying nursing.

How to achieve goals: I want to learn the rules and regulation of the unit, so that i can work in line with it. I would like to participate in multi-professional teams and collaborate with different networks in my training unit. I would like to learn how patient clinical pathway and service systems work for good of the patient.

CULTURAL COMPETENCY

Level of competence: I had the opportunity to work with people from different cultures and taking care of patients from different backgrounds. I know how to appreciate patient’s variety and cultural believes and not compromising nursing concepts and legislation.

How to achieve goals: I will like to learn how nurses exhibit knowledge of multiculturalism in practice, recognising the importance of multiculturalism in taking care patients

Objective of Mental health and Substance Abuse Practice

• Analyse the ethical challenges related to mental health disorders, substance abuse and their care on the basis of relevant literature.
• Analyse personal views and attitudes as well.
• Analyse the significance of ethical instructions and legislation related to mental health and addiction care
• Apply culture-related information to mental health and addiction care
• Assess his or her own cultural attitudes
• Analyse the client’s and family’s resources
• Analyse mental health and sobriety promotion policies both nationally and internationally
• Utilise evidence of and researches on mental health and addiction care in decision-making and working.
• Describe the importance of the essential methods used in treatment, care relationship and care
• Community as well as the importance of clinical supervision
• Describe the importance of multi-professional team work and networking
• Describe the key features of mental health and addiction care services
• Perform the related drug calculations accurately
• Name the most common mental health disorders in children, adolescents and adults, and their examination and treatment methods..