Reflection on the Immersion Experience (Essay Sample)

Reflection on the Immersion Experience
Student Name
Institution Name
Reflection on the Immersion Experience
Immersion is a powerful strategy to enhance cultural competency in nursing. It is done to increase awareness of personal beliefs, values, behaviors, and learning from clients and medical professionals. I personally spent two days with a clinical pharmacist in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). To me, this was a new unit and new area to work with. During my clinical round which is an inter-professional round, I found that the clinical pharmacist played a key role in the management of patient care. I noticed that most of medical team in was fully dependent on him in relation to medication prescribing.
Before the immersion experience, I had a mere idea about the clinical pharmacist that he is only involved in rounds, giving suggestions and makes sure that medications are within normal dosage and time frame. I came to realize that in real life, the clinical pharmacist is not only involved in the above role but has more in-depth thought about which medication is more beneficial and how it will affect the whole status of the patient. I experienced a certain case that involved the pharmacist.
A patient was on two big guns antibiotics and the physician was not aware of the renal function of the patient. The clinical pharmacist started to rationalize the basics of molecular pharmacology on the option to eliminate one of them because it was worsening the kidney function and then replacing it with another one that was less nephron-toxic. In addition, all were evidence based.
I saw the pharmacist ensure that patients received the right drug at the right time and the right dose. He monitored the side effects and effectiveness of drug treatment in order to achieve the best outcomes. He was part of the ICU team that often took rounds and advised doctors on the best drug regimen. This pharmacist appeared to be an expert in his field no wonder he was always involved in ICU patients who often need great special care and attention. According to me, he was a good hearted person. He helped patients regardless of type of illness, race, gender, profession and even background. He really possessed those qualities of a well trained professional. Moreover, his arguments to his colleagues were of positive attitude. There was no quarrel between him with the nurses but slightly with some of the physicians. This happened to be the negative experience I had and critically it was the negligence of some physicians.
Some of the physicians lacked an understanding of the clinical pharmacist role. They could listen to what the pharmacist had to say but in practical, they could not do whatever they were supposed to do. They ignored what they were directed to do. Worse enough, they could not observe the hierarchy and chain of command. The clinical pharmacist could even try to tell them that he was the leader and that he was in command of the situation. Quite a number of physicians didn't agree with him, even after seeing that he had evidence based point of view. I can say that most physicians and doctors didn't really offer the support required to the clinical pharmacist. They appeared to neglect his advice at times something considered unprofessional.
On the side of administration, I saw no support that came to the clinical pharmacist. Normally, hospital administrators manage hospitals, outpatient clinics, hospices, and drug-abuse treatment centers. They make sure hospitals operate efficiently and provide adequate medical care to patients through the medical personnel present. Here, there was minimal administrative support. Doctors including physicians and nurses struggled to keep up the situation despite the less supply of drugs they were receiving. There was a situation that a patient died in the ICU due to lack of blood for transfusion. The hospital had no more in their blood banks and this was a problem that resulted to death of a patient.
Having seen and experienced many issues during my immersion time, I can say that the hospital administration needs to do quite a number of things to foster smooth flow of activities. Every department especially the ICU one needs great attention because I witnessed one of the patients lose her life only due to blood shortage. All drugs needed should be supplied at the right time as well as at the right places. The administration also n...