NURS 6003: Strategies for Academic Portfolios

NURS 6003: Strategies for Academic Portfolios

Sample Answer for NURS 6003: Strategies for Academic Portfolios  Included After Question

In the realm of marketing, a successful branding strategy is one of the most important contributors to organizational success. A solid branding strategy can help add visibility and credibility to a company’s products. 

Similarly, nurse-scholars can build a personal brand to add visibility and credibility to their work. You can begin building your brand by developing and maintaining an academic portfolio. Such an activity can help share the results of your efforts and contribute to your success. This Module’s Discussion asks you to consider and share strategies for building your portfolio. 

Note: Unless otherwise noted, initial postings to Discussions are due on or before Day 3, and response postings are due on or before Day 6. You are required to participate in the Discussion on at least three different days (a different day for main post and each response). It is important to adhere to the weekly time frame to allow others ample time to respond to your posting. In addition, you are expected to respond to questions directed toward your own initial posting in a timely manner. 

Strategies for Academic Portfolios 
NURS 6003: Strategies for Academic Portfolios

 

To Prepare: 

  • Reflect on strategies that you can pursue in developing portfolios or portfolio elements that focus on academic achievements. 
  • Review one or more samples from your own research of resources focused on portfolio development. 

By Day 3 of Week 8 

Post an explanation of at least two strategies for including academic activities and accomplishments into your professional development goals. Then, explain how those goals may align with the University’s emphasis on social change. Be specific and provide examples. 

By Day 6 of Week 8 

Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ posts by offering additional ideas regarding academic achievements to include or offering alternative ways of presenting the current achievements. 

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message. 

A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NURS 6003: Strategies for Academic Portfolios

Title: NURS 6003: Strategies for Academic Portfolios

There are many strategies for incorporating academic activity and accomplishments into my professional development goals. First, it is essential to adopt a goal evolution mindset. As we grow and learn, our goals will evolve. Academic activities and accomplishments should constantly contribute to professional development goals. It is essential to determine what steps must be taken to achieve professional development goals (Walden University, LLC, 2018). Modern-day advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) must develop a portfolio of evidence of professional development activities and achievements and how they contribute to professional practice as a visual representation of their experience, strengths, abilities, and skills (Casey & Egan, 2013). The benefits of portfolios include skill development, promoting active learning, improved clinical competency, and improved academic assessment and achievement (Dehkordi & Ghiasvandian, 2019). The portfolio will represent who I am, what I am passionate about, and the strengths I have obtained during my education at Walden University.  

A strategy I could use to include academic activities and accomplishments in my professional development is to join professional nursing organizations. It is crucial to serve the community and profession (Walden University, LLC, 2018). I could connect with various professional organizations to participate in activities aligned with my career goals (Hannans & Olivo, 2017). Professional organization bring nurses together and empowers nurses to have a voice (Walden University, LLC, 2018). Nurses can also become certified in areas that may contribute to their professional development goals. The American Nurses Credentialing Center outlines steps for APRNs to expand their focus to meet expanded practice roles (Melander et al., 2020).  

Another strategy is to record specific moments where I used my education and research to change a patient’s life. Casey and Egan (2013) suggested regularly accounting for incidents that have occurred in practice and using these instances in a portfolio, showcasing the application of knowledge learned. Collecting patient accounts evidencing competence in advanced practice will highlight academic activities contributing to professional development goals. Portions of my portfolio will highlight educational activities and accomplishments contributing to my professional development goals (Casey & Egan, 2013). I could specifically select evidence highlighting a skill I have obtained throughout my education. Nurses can also attend seminars and apply the knowledge learned in practice (Casey & Egan, 2013). I will attend conferences specific to my areas of interest, including aesthetic nursing, healthcare access in underprivileged communities, and healthcare policy. Clear ideas of education and certification must help you meet your professional development goals (Walden University, LLC, 2018).  

Walden University is committed to social change by empowering change-makers, building communities, and maximizing social change outcomes (Walden University, 2022). Serving the community will align the University’s social change goals with my own. I want to affect positive change by improving access to care, especially in underserved and underprivileged communities, minimizing the healthcare disparity gap. I also want to promote social change through healthcare policy. By joining professional organizations that promote my development in these areas, I will develop from a student to a change-maker. The knowledge I gain throughout the Walden University program will assist me in making that possible.  

References 

Casey, D. & Egan, D. (2013). The use of professional portfolios for career enhancement. British Journal of Nursing, 15(11), 547-552. 

Dehkordi, L. M., Ghiasvandian, S. (2019). Application of Portfolio in Nursing Education and Assessment of Learning. Journal of Medical Education and Development, 14(2), 136–143. 

Hannans, J. & Olivo, Y. (2017). Craft a positive nursing digital identity with an ePortfolio. American Nurse Today, 12(11), 48-49. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://www.americannursetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/ant11-Digital-Identity-1017a-1.pdf 

Melander, S., Hardin-Pierce, M., & Howard, P. B. (2020). Meeting the challenges of expanded practice through postgraduate APRN certification. Nurse Practitioner, 45(6), 8–10. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NPR.0000666212.83911.d3 

Walden University. (2022). Social Change. Walden University. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://www.waldenu.edu/why-walden/social-change  

Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2018). The Walden Journey to a Masters in Nursing: Your Professional Development Plan [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author. 

  

A Sample Answer 2 For the Assignment: NURS 6003: Strategies for Academic Portfolios

Title: NURS 6003: Strategies for Academic Portfolios

I really enjoyed your post! I found to be well put together and it offered a lot of useless points related to this weeks topic.  I agree that the development of an eportforlio is essential to an advanced providers career developed.  Hannans and Olivo (2017) discuss that traditional resumes may become a thing of the past and they predict eportfolios as being a requirement for job candidates in the future.   Hannans and Olivo (2017) also discuss that prospective employers may attempt to research a canidate online before hire and it could look ill part on the candidate to not have an online portfolio established on some time of social media platform.  I never thought of this myself until reading that article.   

I too think that it is really important for future and current advanced practitioners to become a member of an organization related to their field/speciality.  My background as a nurse is Emergency room and I myself have been a member of the ENA for several years.  I enjoy being a member because they send routine emails about conference, training, and continuing education oppurtunies in my speciality.  This will be extremely important for us as advanced practice nurses in order to stay up to date with current research and data.  According to Crumley (2020) “Professional nursing organizations (PNOs) play a critical role in maximizing the influence of our nursing profession on health systems and policy, through support of patient safety, the socioeconomic welfare of nurses, and professional practice” (p.1).   

References 

Hannans, J. & Olivo, Y. (2017). Craft a positive nursing digital identity with an ePortfolio. American Nurse Today, 12(11), 48-49. Retrieved October  17, 2022, from https://www.americannursetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/ant11-Digital-Identity-1017a-1.pdf 

Crumley, C. (2020). The Benefits of Active Engagement in Nursing Professional Organizations: A View From Here. Journal of Wound, Ostomy &    Continence Nursing, 47(6), 547. https://doi.org/10.1097/WON.0000000000000700 

 

A Sample Answer 3 For the Assignment: NURS 6003: Strategies for Academic Portfolios

Title: NURS 6003: Strategies for Academic Portfolios

When making a professional portfolio for nursing, it is best to provide the most updated skills and achievements accomplished (Burns, 2018). In the new age of electronic signatures, recruiters are more likely to view a candidates ePortfolio. This will set the candidate apart from the group of potential employees and increase the likelihood of obtaining a career in the field they elect (Leahy & Filiatrault, 2017). An ePortfolio can provide easier access to progress in career and learning. For example, it decreases bias during face to face interactions and increases feedback, especially when a feedback template is used (DeSwardt et al., 2019). These ePortfolios can also provide student competency with their studies and future nursing career. This provides a less bulky, wasteful option to the often used paper portfolios (Madden et al., 2019).

One strategy to develop a portfolio is to focus on a specific academic paper that highlights your achievement in college. This may include any works that you find provide exemplary research or writing. This work can serve as a method to assess the educational component of one’s schooling (Chae & Lee, 2021). Nurses should continue to achieve advance education to meet patient’s diverse needs. The second strategy is to network with like-minded professionals (Hannans & Olivo, 2017). This may be to belong to professional organizations and start to attend their meetings. Allowing students to build their portfolio independently increases the originality of the work and personal growth.

This aligns with Walden University’s college of nursing by providing ongoing integrity and autonomy commitment. By building my ePortfolio with accomplishments this will continue to produce continuing professional development to diverse populations. Finally, I will be able to practice using technology to increase access to specialized nursing care through written information (Walden University, n.d.).