Uma jornada imperecível

: da auto-exploração ao conhecimento disciplinar

Abstract

"An everlasting journey: from self-exploration to disciplinary knowledge" is the title of the author’s hard work in the acquisition skills as a Nurse Specialist in Medical-Surgical Nursing. As the title indicates, this was a journey or path that will not end here, because with the new skills acquired, the challenges ahead will be renewed. This journey was developed through two internship modules: the first internship was in Hospital Infection Control and took place between 27/04/2011 and 09/06/2011 at the Centro Hospitalar do Porto; the second internship took place between 03/10/2011 and 25/11/2011 in the Emergency Service of Centro Hospitalar de S. João – Valongo Unit. This report and all the internships were guided by a project where the skills to be acquired were outlined. In both internship fields, all objectives were tuned and the activities were emerging in the context of needs detected, having covered the training, research and other areas of knowledge in Nursing. The capability of understanding the issues related to the area of expertise was widened, and the skills to integrate knowledge of the areas already mentioned above were expanded. The relational capacity was widely worked because, to be successful in the activities, total relationship with the various teams is necessary. The internship in Hospital Infection Control was an option and an investment on the part of the author due to the demand for articulation of knowledge and the relational capabilities developed. The activities were developed taking into account the specificity of the internship and its demands, as well as those of the various teams found in the different institutions. Special importance was given to the training area due to the needs revealed. Research was performed taking into account the existing data that had not yet been worked, which resulted in several works. The internship in the Emergency Service was a unique experience which increased skills in several areas of knowledge. There was a constant flexibility in order to perceive the needs of the various elements of the different teams. Therefore, priority was given to the training directed to the multi-professional team taking into account the existing gaps. A lot of time and concentration was invested on the intervention project in the service - non-clinical Risk Management. In addition, the area of provision of care was never neglected, and there was a constant concern in fostering it (for example, through clinical cases studies where the International Classification for Nursing Practice, Nursing Intervention Classification and Nursing Outcomes Classification language was further improved). Thus, the skills acquired were a sum of the activities and the experiences that greatly enriched the author. The difficulties faced were overcome and the skills in several areas such as the provision of care, research, management, etc. were acquired. The path of each Nurse is not a solitary journey, but a path full of doubt and the need to find answers, so this report will refer to the author’s long and arduous journey

Date of Award	2013
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Irene Oliveira (Supervisor)