Overview
Now that you have reached the last week of this course, it is time to reflect on the work you have completed and what you have learned. Reflection will help to ensure you have a strong understanding of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes you have advanced in this course. It will also allow you to check how your perspectives may have changed on a topic. Examining specific assignments, or artifacts, you developed throughout this course will enable you to observe clear evidence of your learnings.
Depending on your professional practice, there will be various opportunities where it is valuable for you to share artifacts you have created. This might include explaining to a potential employer about work you completed as part of your educational pathway to better demonstrate what kinds of skills you have, along with their application. It might also include posting relevant artifacts on a professional website or social media platform, such as LinkedIn, so you can effectively network and communicate with other nursing professionals. Whenever the opportunity arises, it will be valuable to have examples ready to share. If you have already reflected on these artifacts, and how they demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and attitudes, then you will be better prepared to approach conversations with professional peers or employers. Any notes you keep regarding your reflections will also help serve as a reminder to yourself of the work you completed.
How you choose to save these artifacts is up to you. You may prefer to keep them in an easily accessible manner digitally (such as a folder on your computer), in hard copy, or posted online to a professional website such as LinkedIn. The goal is to have them in a consistent place for easy access when you need them or want to add to them. Throughout the MSN program there will be opportunities for you to gather artifacts and reflect on your learning.
Prompt
This journal is broken down into three sections. The first section is Artifacts. These are made up of your work, including activities and projects, that you have saved for future use or revision. Second is Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes (KSAs). This refers to the skills you have built upon or gained, the knowledge you advanced or learned, and how your behaviors have changed. And finally, the AACN Essentials. In the beginning of the course, you explored a section of sub-competencies from the AACN Essentials. Now review your initial thoughts and reflect on what has changed or remained the same.
To complete this journal, address the following rubric criteria:
Artifacts: Explain how each artifact best showcases your work and adds value to your career profile. Artifacts include any kind of content, such as assignments, that you could potentially share in a professional context. For this course, it is recommended that you consider the following as artifacts:
Project Two
Project Three
Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes: Discuss what knowledge, skills, or attitudes you have gained throughout this course. One of these areas was likely a stronger focus for you than the others. You can address one, two, or all three based on your perspective of your learning.
AACN Essentials: Reflect on how you advanced or changed your understanding of the sub-competencies from the AACN Essentials. Revisit Domain 9 of the AACN Essentials. Consider the sub-competencies you explored in Module One. How has your thinking evolved? Note that you may have made assumptions around which competencies you would learn, but you may or may not have learned what you expected to learn.
What to Submit
Submit your journal as a 1-page Word document using double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. Sources should be cited according to APA style.
