Assignment 2: Clinical Skills Self-Assessment

Before embarking on any professional or academic activity, it is important to understand the background, knowledge, and experience you bring to it. You might ask yourself, “What do I already know? What do I need to know? And what do I want to know?” This critical self-reflection is especially important for developing clinical skills such as those for advanced practice nursing.

The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Clinical Skills List and Clinical Skills Self-Assessment Form provided in the Learning Resources can be used to celebrate your progress throughout your practicum and identify skills gaps. The list covers all necessary skills you should demonstrate during your practicum experiences.

Just as you have in previous practicum courses, for this Assignment, you assess where you are now in your clinical skill development and make plans for this practicum. Specifically, you will identify strengths and opportunities for improvement regarding the required practicum skills. In this practicum experience, when developing your goals and objectives, be sure to keep assessment and diagnostic reasoning in mind.

Table of Contents

To Prepare

· Review the resources and clinical skills in the PMHNP Clinical Skills List document. It is recommended that you print out this document to serve as a guide throughout your practicum.

· Review the “Developing SMART Goals” resource on how to develop goals and objectives that follow the SMART framework.

· Review the resources on nursing competencies and nursing theory, and consider how these inform your practice.

· Download the Clinical Skills Self-Assessment Form to complete this Assignment.

The Assignment

Use the PMHNP Clinical Skills Self-Assessment Form to complete the following:

· Rate yourself according to your confidence level performing the skills identified on the Clinical Skills Self-Assessment Form.

· Based on your ratings, summarize your strengths and opportunities for improvement.

· Based on your self-assessment and theory of nursing practice, develop 3–4 measurable goals and objectives for this practicum experience. Include them on the designated area of the form.