Reflection Journal
Grand Canyon University: DNP-825
, What you have discovered about your professional practice
When looking at the nursing profession people will see as group of individuals who
arefocused on the promotion of health and the prevention of diseases. However, looking at
nursing today from a more modern perspective, nurses are a group of people who were once
resilient but are now faced with a pandemic that put their health risk. Due to ignorance of certain
government officials, it can be estimated that when this is over nurses will be suffering from
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a serious, lasting
anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying or emotionally stressful event
(Schwab, 2016.p.249). If measures are not taken urgently, nurses of all level will become a
scarce commodity. According to Schwab (2016), Anxiety, emotional exhaustion, fatigue,
irritability, sleeping issues, change in appetite, a feeling of being overwhelmed, and withdrawal
from family and friends are some of the emotions and reactions a PTSD victim can
experience (para. 6). Unfortunately, nursing leaders are identifying those symptoms in their staff
but are unable to give them vacation or medical leave due to the overwhelming demand for
nursing care.
According to new research, Nurses are part of society, too—the COVID-19 pandemic has
rapidly disrupted our everyday lives. We do not need to get sick to be rocked by a radical change
in reality. Uncertainty about the future, fear for ourselves and our loved ones, and stressful
difficulties, such as unemployment, unstable finances, feelings of isolation, and loss, are all
around us(Schutz &Shattell, 2020, p. 2). As frontline professionals, nurses are risking their lives
and lives their families in order to care for their patients. Nurses are further stressed by having to
work longer shifts in spite of physical and mental exhaustion. Nurses are an important part of the
healthcare system and are faced with the responsibility of handling crisis and developing
Grand Canyon University: DNP-825
, What you have discovered about your professional practice
When looking at the nursing profession people will see as group of individuals who
arefocused on the promotion of health and the prevention of diseases. However, looking at
nursing today from a more modern perspective, nurses are a group of people who were once
resilient but are now faced with a pandemic that put their health risk. Due to ignorance of certain
government officials, it can be estimated that when this is over nurses will be suffering from
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a serious, lasting
anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying or emotionally stressful event
(Schwab, 2016.p.249). If measures are not taken urgently, nurses of all level will become a
scarce commodity. According to Schwab (2016), Anxiety, emotional exhaustion, fatigue,
irritability, sleeping issues, change in appetite, a feeling of being overwhelmed, and withdrawal
from family and friends are some of the emotions and reactions a PTSD victim can
experience (para. 6). Unfortunately, nursing leaders are identifying those symptoms in their staff
but are unable to give them vacation or medical leave due to the overwhelming demand for
nursing care.
According to new research, Nurses are part of society, too—the COVID-19 pandemic has
rapidly disrupted our everyday lives. We do not need to get sick to be rocked by a radical change
in reality. Uncertainty about the future, fear for ourselves and our loved ones, and stressful
difficulties, such as unemployment, unstable finances, feelings of isolation, and loss, are all
around us(Schutz &Shattell, 2020, p. 2). As frontline professionals, nurses are risking their lives
and lives their families in order to care for their patients. Nurses are further stressed by having to
work longer shifts in spite of physical and mental exhaustion. Nurses are an important part of the
healthcare system and are faced with the responsibility of handling crisis and developing
