Swot in nursing

SWOT is an acronym for

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats

A SWOT analysis

• helps to improve personal and professional development -to understand yourself better
• to decide which areas you need to develop and set goals for. SWOT Analysis and Action plan Learning outcome 1

Illustrate the ability to develop and maintain a supportive relationship with the learner that promotes socialisation and integration in the workplace and develop plans for ongoing support.

Strengths

I have a pleasant nature and am able to maintain effective working relationships with other member of staffs. ?I have much professional experience

Peers comment that Iam a hard worker and have good professional knowledge.

Weaknesses

I do night shifts to arrange child care so I seldom get chance to work with students. ?I did my nursing in India so Iam unsure about the responsibilities of student nurses of each year. ?Lack of experience as being an associate mentor.

My accent/pronunciation make others difficult to understand me.

Opportunities

As to achieve my goal I take this opportunity to involve other member of staffs in the induction phase and throughout the placement to improve integration into the whole team. Update ward welcome pack with essential information for the students including terminologies used on the ward.

Threats

Busyness of the ward and shortage of staff gives less time to work and assess the learner. ?I need to make sure that off duty presents sufficient time and arrange shifts to work with students. Page 2 of 6

Criteria for success

Students fail to receive constant support by a designated mentor,staff illness and shift patterns can undermine consistent student support,so it is important to develop an adequate pool of mentors and plan off duty.(Bob Price 2005)

Students should supported by staff who are willing to take on the role of mentor,supervisor and assessor.Such staff should have an appropriate attitude,experience, qualifications and preparation for teaching,assessing,support and supervision roles.In addition they should also be able to demonstrate commitment to their own continued professional development.(Welsh,I & Swann,C 2002) *Communication is a big key in the mentor-mentee relationship.Characteristics of an effective mentoring environment include providing leadership,showing patience, demonstrating caring and maintaining loyality(Fawcett,D 2002) Good mentor is a nurturing teacher and a ‘knowledgeable friend’.(Bennett 2002)

Action plan

• Update ward welcome pack with recently introduced guidelines and terminologies used on the ward. ?Make child care arrangements to do day shifts.
• Make request regarding offduty to arrange shifts working with mentor and student. ?Identify other staffs who will support and contribute to the integration of the student. ?Discuss with colleagues and student regarding responsibilities of student nurses of particular year.
• Try to speak slowly and clearly so that other could understand .

Summary

• I have updated ward induction pack with essential infomations,guidelines and terminologies used on the ward.
• I have made child care arrangements to do dayshifts.
• I have successfully negotiated offduty.
• I have identified staffs who can support and assess this student in the absence of mentor.
• I have clarified my doubts regarding the responsibilities of student nurses.
• I have considered speaking slowly and clearly.

Making changes

Ward welcome pack needs updating regularly.

Priortise learner support and advocacy by exercising appropriate judgement in the planning and priortising of workloads;through collaborating with other professionals,patients,clients and carers;acting as a resource for others and promoting feedback on the quality of the practice and learning and assessment.

SWOT analysis

Strengths

Iam organised at work and good at priortising my workloads. ?I maintain a good profeesional relationship with multidisciplinary team and patients. ?Iam easygoing and friendly in nature.
Peers comment that Iam approachable.

Weaknesses

Although Iam optimistic,some comments make me upset and it takes awhile to overcome it.

When I work as nurse-in-charge with non-surgical experienced bank nurses in a busy situation I feel stressed.

Sometimes I leave my jobs till end of the shift and run around to finish on time.

As I did night shifts for long time I need to get know the members of multidisciplinary team. Opportunities

Attending multidisciplinary team meetings to meet the members.Hereby I take the opportunity to arrange spoke placements for the student. Plan and make a feedback form for the students to fill in at the end of their practice placement experience. Update all resource files on the ward.

Threats

Shortnotice of offsickness and shortage of staff makes unsafe working environment where it is difficult to create a learning environment.

Unexpected events such as post op complications,confusion and cardiac arrest leave student nurses to learn more but with very little assistance and assessment. ?Less support from colleagues to create a learning environment.

Criteria for success

One of the essential requirements for learning to take place is motivation.Within the care we are seeking to provide not only a positive environment but also the motivation to learn(Welsh,I & Swann,C 2002). *Important characteristics as prerequisites of a ‘good’ mentor include approachability, effective interpersonal skills, adopting a positive teaching role,paying appropriate attention to learning,providing supervisory support, and professional development ability.

Good mentors spend quality time with the students value their contribution to patient care,and are good role
models(Journal of advanced nursing 2000) *Work should be organised to include continuous periods of observation where assessors are able to work alongside a student,to enable a more valid assessment of situated knowledge.(Phillips et al 2000)

Action plan

• Make requests regarding off duty to facilitate time working with students.
• Try to avoid irrelevant comments that can cause upset.
• Arrange spoke placements contacting members of multidisciplinary team.
• Be a good mentor and a role model.
  Don’t leave any job till end of the shift.Try to do it when time falls in.
• Update all resource files with new guidelines and protocols.
• Try to arrange surgical experienced staff if possible at the time of shortage of staff.
• Discuss support from other team members.
• When reflection has taken place,learning occurs whether it is before,during of after an event(Schon 1987).So get feedback from students each time.
• Make a feedback form for the students.Provide them to fill in at end of their placement.

Summary

• I take deep breaths to overcome irrelevant comments which helps me. ?Delegated duties appropriately and jobs done in time.
• Made a feedback form for the students and awaiting to evaluate it in the end of their placement.
• Updated resource files on the ward.

References

• http://www.personal-development-for-nurses.com/how-to-do-a-SWOT-analysis.html
• Hand,H(2006)Assessment of learning in clinical practice
• Nursing standard 21(4) P 48-56
• RCN(2006)Helping students get the best from their practice placements A Royal College of Nursing toolkit P 1-9
• Welsh,I & Swann,C (2002)An effective placement:creating a learning environment Partners in learning.P 155-123,Radcliffe Medical press,London.
• Bennett,C(2002)Making the most of mentorship
• Nursing standard 17(3) P 29
• Fawcett,D(2002)Mentoring-what it is and How to Make it work
• Aorn J 75(5) P 950-954
• http://0-gateway.uk.ovid.com.wam.leeds.ac.uk/gw2/ovidweb.cgi
• Andrews,M(1999)Mentorship in nursing
• Journal of Advanced nursing 29(1) P 201-207
• Bob,P(2005)Listening to learner’s concerns and complaints. Nursing standard 20 P 72
• Charters,A(2000)Clinical role modelling
• Emergency nurse 7(10) P 25-29