Reflection in Gynaecology Emergency Care Case Study

Reflection in Gynaecology Emergency Care - Case Study Example Reflection in nursing is within the context of practice (Burns and Bulman, 2000). Burton (2000) states reflective practice is designed to raise more questions as threads that may extend into future but on lived experiences (Burton, 2000). Cotton (2001) called it a process of dynamic evolution to examine appropriateness of action (Cotton, 2001). Johns (2007: 8) states reflection to be an intellectual effort on the part of the professionals that incorporates thinking, feeling, and action that essentially arise from practice (Johns, 2007: 8). Therefore exploration of self through reflection on experiences would develop self-awareness and ability to evaluate actions. McKenna (1999) stated that philosophical assumptions serve as contexts in reflection (McKenna, 1999). Teekman (2000) wrote reflection to be a system intended for actions based on philosophy in nursing (Teekman, 2000). Valuable learning can take place within clinical nursing practice, often using reflection as the key strategy. Reflection offers an opportunity for practitioners to enlighten the essential nature of the care (Fejes, 2008). This reflective account is about an incident on my placement in the gynaecology unit in an NHS Hospital. ... This reflective practice would also help me to identify my strength areas and weaknesses in competence, so I can understand better the importance of maintaining and developing professional competence. Description Molly is a 23-year-old married lady admitted to the Gynaecology ward from the Emergency Unit with the diagnosis of severe left sided lower abdominal pain, nausea, and weakness and fainting suspected to be left sided tubal ectopic pregnancy. Molly had a past history of pelvic inflammatory disease following an induced abortion 6 months ago. She had missed a period which is 2 weeks overdue, and two days back, she had just a slight spotting. Her problems of abdominal discomfort started yesterday which she terms as vague soreness on the left lower abdomen. Today this vague discomfort was replaced by sharp, colicky pain in the left lower abdomen accompanied by vaginal spotting. In the Emergency Room, a vital sign record revealed tachycardia and a low blood pressure. She had demonstrated some air hunger, and the emergency department physician detected cyanosis and started her on mask ventilation on 100% oxygen (Edwards, 1997). An intravenous fluid infusion was started, and a FBC drawn revea led severe anaemia in the range of 7 g percent (Adam and Osbourne, 2005). When the patient stabilized in the emergency room, an ultrasonography revealed an ectopic pregnancy in the left utero-ovarian tube with imminent rupture. She was immediately admitted to the inpatient Gynecology ward where emergency management was started and a considerable extent of care was delivered by me under guidance of my mentor. While the patient was decided to be prepared for an emergency surgery, I had to monitor her vital signs,