LEARNING

Teaching and Learning

Teaching and Learning

Introduction

This paper describes the learning experience from reflection on the clinical practice of administrating intramuscular injections. In this learning experience, the value of effectual mentoring has also been explored. The reason for selecting this episode of learning is that when I began my training as nurse, I had fears regarding administering intramuscular injections. In my discussion with my mentor, I expressed my feelings about administrating intramuscular injections. He listened to my concerns and helped me in developing a plan in order to assist me for my future role as a registrant. Effective mentoring

My fears regarding the administration of intramuscular injection were managed in the therapeutic involvement of the mentor and by the development of an action plan. All of my anxieties were respected by my mentor and all complexities were considered as significant and real, as demonstrated by the willingness of mentor to take necessary measures and assised me in my concerns. This has been suggested in theories that all types of interventions can be subcategorised into facilitative and authoritative interventions. The later intervention includes directing the behavior of an individual, for instance, facilitative interventions and informative interventions assist the person to take responsibility for personal actions. The shared responsibility of developing an action plan and the provision of information about techniques of injection allowed the discovery of both types of intervention (Kunyk, 2001, pp.317).

Supportive intervention encouraged and validated me in some manner. Self-disclosure is a type of supportive intervention. The self-disclosure of the personal feeling of my mentor about administrating injections assisted to encourage and rationalise my personal fears. The non-judgemnetal attitude of the mentor and expression of understanding also helped me.

The non-judgemnetal attitude and expression of understanding of my mentor demonstrated that he accepted my personal feelings and understood the influence such feelings were having on my learning practice. I felt supported and much more capable to challenge my personal anxieties and fears (Jasper, 2003).

Discussing my feelings, I think that I was actively listened by my supervisor-this was showed by the mentor's utilisation of non-verbal and verbal cues, like smiling properly, eye contact and nodding. Verbal cues involved voice tones used by my mentor, which showed interest and attentiveness in what I was saying. In this episode of learning, I was supported by being provided with a chance to explain my fears in a practical manner, for instance, being provided with figures of injection sites. This opportunity and information to practice the skills was needed in order to increase my knowledge. At each learning phase, my mentor provided me feedback, which assisted me in improving my practice. The first conversation that I had with my supervisor provided me the chance to reflect on my personal concerns about fears of administrating intramuscular injections. Throughout the learning process, supervision for administrating the injection allowed me to learn from my personal experience and increased my confidence in this process. The learning process as a whole provided me an opportunity to improve my communication ...