On my third day of my Preceptorship Clinical Experience for my Adult Health III Course, I was assigned an unexpected patient. I did not have much time to review this patient’s medical diagnosis and history, as it was only my third day on the floor and I was still getting acclimated to the daily schedule. I entered the room, and began to introduce myself. The patient did not respond, however she was smiling pleasantly. In my initial observation upon entering the room, I took notice of a few things that I had not had any experience with. The patient was lying in a dependent position. I realized she did not have much use of her muscles, and could not move voluntarily. She was non-verbal, although she had a calm, peaceful persona. Throughout my day of caring for this patient, I became her friend. I met her husband, who had so much love and patience for my client. I learned all about her diagnosis, and what she could and could not do. 

Thinking back on this experience, there were things I did well as a nurse, and many things I could have done better. For example, I should have learned more about this patient and been prepared for what I was walking into. That way, I could have made my client more comfortable and feel more confident. It was also difficult for me to learn how much this woman could understand, and how much she could participate in communication. There were many times I asked questions, before I realized that questions should be phrased to be answered with a nod yes or no. As I got to know more about this woman, I became more confident and better understood ways in which I could communicate effectively. I used other communication methods besides talking, such as eye contact, facial expressions, communication boards, and more. This is something that I felt I did well as a nursing student in this situation.

Before meeting this strong, resilient woman, I had always thought of quadriplegic individuals as trapped and dependent. I perceived this disease as a life-altering condition in which the person affected could not live up to their full potential. After this day, I realized that this is not the case at all. This patient had adapted to her condition in many ways. She was able to communicate, identify her sources of motivation in life, and enjoy activities that she loves, such as reading and listening to music. After speaking with her husband, I learned that their happy marriage of 56 years grew stronger instead of weaker after his wife was diagnosed with her illness. I now have such a different perception of people affected by paralyzation, and will remember this day and the nursing skills I acquired for the rest of my practice.