Quality care throughout the healthcare continuum is critical in achieving optimal patient outcomes. Nurses contribute towards ensuring accessible and high-quality care (Coruh, Robertson-Wiley, Wright, & Kritek, 2015). In this regard, as a prospective APRN, my goal is to utilize my strengths and available opportunities to provide high-quality care. I also intend to solicit support to deal with my weakness and potential threats to attaining my goal of becoming a practicing APRN. My personal SWOT analysis is described below.
Strengths
Self-awareness
I consider myself an emotionally balanced person when caring for critically ill patients. I have learned to manage my emotions during stressful situations. In my future practice as an APRN, I will utilize this strength to offer optimal care without suffering compassion fatigue.
Determination and Stamina
I am determined to graduate and practice as an APRN. I believe that achieving this goal requires dedication and hard work.
Clinical Competence
Through my experience in handling complex cases, I have acquired clinical skills that I will use to provide high-quality patient care in my future practice as an APRN.
Analytical Abilities
I have honed my analytical skills in patient diagnosis and assessment through my BSN training to create effective nursing care plans and clinical decision-making as an APRN.
Self-motivation
I am a results-oriented person. I always strive to meet personal goals and achieve excellence by relying on evidence to reduce uncertainty in my practice. I will use this strength to act on opportunities that will contribute to high-quality care.
Weaknesses
Limited Social Awareness
Although I am an empathetic person, recognizing relevant emotional cues useful in understanding patient needs has always been challenging. As an APRN, I intend to overcome this weakness through active listening and sensitivity to others’ views.
Managing Conflict
I tend to avoid confronting conflicts or disagreements by changing the subject. Coruh et al. (2015) note that conflict management competency is achieved through open discussions on the clinical issue in contention. As an APRN, I will engage my colleagues in discussions to reach a win-win solution in uncertain situations.
Professional Networking
Currently, my formal networks are fewer. Professional networking is crucial in career development. I intend to widen my professional networks by joining nursing associations and alliances.
Opportunities
APRN Practice Diversity
According to Fitzgerald, Kantrowitz-Gordon, Katz, and Hirsch (2012), APRNs constitute an underused source of high-quality care in clinical settings. The growing interest in APRN practice opens new opportunities for me to improve my clinical competencies to qualify to work in research, academia, and clinical environments.
Interest in Quality Healthcare
There is a growing interest in healthcare quality improvement in the US. APRNs are considered a critical resource in satisfying the unmet health needs through innovative delivery models and quality interventions (Fitzgerald et al., 2012). The changing healthcare environment provides opportunities for prospective APRNs like me to spearhead quality improvement projects in various facilities to manage chronic illnesses.
Increasing Consumer Awareness
Patients are becoming increasingly aware of their role in the healthcare system. The growing consumer awareness opens opportunities for greater patient involvement in health decision-making by APRNs to improve clinical outcomes.
Threats
Burnout
I consider heavy workloads coupled with severe APRN shortages in hospitals a disincentive in pursuing APRN qualifications.
Lower Status of the Nursing Profession
Inadequate compensation and political decisions that tend to discredit APRN services are a threat to the growth of this profession.
Costly APRN Training
Inadequate funding for APRN education and expensive programs present a challenge to obtaining advanced qualifications.
References
Coruh, B., Robertson-Wiley, G., Wright, C. H., & Kritek, P. A. (2015). A collaborative critical care preceptorship for APRN students. AACN Advanced Critical Care, 26(1), 25-31. Web.
Fitzgerald, C., Kantrowitz-Gordon, I., Katz, J., & Hirsch, A. (2012). Advanced practice nursing education: Challenges and strategies. Nursing Research and Practice, 2012, 1-8. Web.