Professional Nursing

Portfolio
Destiny James, MSN, RN

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 Table of Contents
Professional Nursing Portfolio ......................................................................................................... 1
Professional Goal Statement............................................................................................................. 1
Resume ............................................................................................................................................. 2
Personal Reference Letters ............................................................................................................... 7
Boyer’s Model for Scholarship ...................................................................................................... 11
NLN Nurse Educator Competencies .............................................................................................. 13
Reference ………………………………………………………………………...................……16

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 Professional Nursing Portfolio

Professional Goal Statement

My role as an educator thus far has been in a hospital and academic setting. I have been a
preceptor to student nurses, newly hired nurses, and also educated nurses on the floor
regarding various topics. I have been a clinical and learning lab instructor as well. For all
that I’ve educated and for my future students, my goal is to provide a learning
environment where they feel supported, feel free to ask questions, and can gain evidence-
based practice knowledge to deliver safe, quality, and effective nursing care. I aim to
challenge my students to think critically, creatively, build on prior knowledge, remain
flexible, and have the ability to take care of the patient as a whole. I want to build their
self-esteem and be an encouraging example to them.

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 Destiny James, MSN, RN Résumé
67 Palm Grove Drive

Manvel, Texas 77578

Cell: 713-325-1177

Objective To obtain a Nurse Educator position to further my professional

development
To prepare student nurses to become safe, effective nurses that can
provide high-quality care to their patient population
To utilize multiple teaching strategies to meet the needs of the
visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learner

Experience
Western Governors University Katy, Texas June, 2019 to Present

High fidelity learning lab instructor

Alvin Community College Alvin, Texas January, 2019 to Present

Adjunct Clinical Instructor for Associate’s Degree Nursing students in their second
semester of nursing school in the hospital setting

Texas Children’s Hospital Houston, Texas June, 2015 to

Present

Staff Nurse on Inpatient Neurology/Neurosurgery/Epilepsy Monitoring Unit

Charge Nurse

Preceptor for new nurses

Chair of the Patient/Family/Staff Satisfaction Committee

Nurse Educator Practicum Houston, Texas May, 2018 to September, 2018

Practicum experience of 150 hours at Texas Children’s Hospital to orient and on-board
nursing students prior to beginning their clinical rotation, on-board new nurses hired,

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assist in teaching training courses to further develop the staff nurses and nursing
assistants in various courses.

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Houston, Texas September, 2013 to May, 2015

Clinical Nurse on Inpatient Lymphoma/Myeloma floor

Pressure Ulcer Prevention Champion

Education
Master’s in Nursing Emphasis in Education, Grand Canyon University, September
, 2018

Cumulative GPA: 3.93/4.0

Total: 36 Credits

Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, McNeese State University, May, 2013

Cumulative GPA: 3.06/4.0

Total: 120 Credits

Licensure & Certification

Texas RN license

Expires 06/2021

Basic Life Support/CPR for Healthcare Providers

Expires 07/2020

Pediatric Advanced Life Support

Expires 03/2021

Professional Organizations
National League for Nursing- Member

References
Elizabeth Davis, BSN, RN, CPN

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 Texas Children’s Hospital- Houston, Texas

Patient Care Manager, Neurology/EMU

Inpatient Neurology/Neurosurgery/Epilepsy Monitoring Unit

[email protected]

Office: 832-733-3064

Juanna Wooten-Armstrong, BSN, RN, CPN

Patient Care Manager, Neurology/EMU

Texas Children’s Hospital- Houston, Texas

[email protected]

Office: 832-826-1070

Mary Aguilar, RN, BSN, BSW- Personal Reference

Inpatient Neurology/Neurosurgery/Epilepsy Monitoring Unit

Texas Children’s Hospital- Houston, Texas

Staff Nurse

[email protected]

Cell: 281-935-6491

Sharon Wright-Speice, MSN, RN-BC, CPEN- Academic Reference

Office of Student Affiliations

Nursing Professional Development

Texas Children’s Hospital- Houston, Texas

Office: 832-824-2686

[email protected]

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 Letter of Reference

July 24, 2018

To Whom It May Concern

I am thrilled to recommend Destiny James, an experienced Pediatric nurse.

Destiny is a hard working nurse who is compassionate and knowledgeable. She
came to Texas Children’s Hospital in June of 2015 to the Neurosciences
specialty floor where I have been her direct supervisor.

Since I have known her, I have witnessed her patience and good judgment with
our patients, their families, and her peers. She adapts easily to change, readily
seeks out knowledge, and provides excellent feedback for improvement to help
ensure the best possible patient outcomes. She serves as an informal leader and
resource to her peers, and is active in several roles on the unit as an Epilepsy
Monitoring Nurse – assisting with the capturing and characterization of seizures,
charge nurse, and a preceptor. She is also the active chair of the Staff
Operations Committee, through which she has initiated practices to improve the
performance and satisfaction of staff and the overall patient experience.

With that said, I am highly confident in my recommendation of Destiny. If you

would like to speak further about my experience working with her, I would be
pleased to answer any additional questions that you may have.

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Page 8 of 16
 Letter of Reference

Letter of Recommendation

I have worked with Destiny James for the past 3.5 years. I am her Manager at Texas
Children’s Hospital in Houston. Destiny works here as a registered nurse, preceptor and
a charge nurse on the Neurology unit.
Destiny is a very hard worker and she goes the extra mile to ensure that our unit is
providing the best possible care to our patients. Destiny is eager to learn new things and
teach others what she has learned. Destiny is reliable and willing to work extra when
needed. Destiny is not afraid to take on challenging situations.
Destiny’s work habits are excellent. She is dependable, loyal and responsible, and she
follows through on job tasks. Destiny is approachable and easy to talk with concerning
issues on the job. Destiny volunteered to lead our unit’s Family and Patient Satisfaction
Committee as the chair person. Destiny has used her teambuilding skills to make this
committee a success. Since Destiny became the committee’s chair, our satisfactions
scores have increased and we have met our unit goal over the past year.
As a charge nurse Destiny is able to manage a 35 bed Neurology unit. Destiny does a
great job of delegating tasks to other staff without hesitation. Destiny is able to prioritize
tasks, make decisions and communicate those decisions to staff. Destiny has excellent
problem solving skills which allows her to manage any situation that she encounters. As a
charge nurse Destiny is able to remain focused and calm in stressful situations.
Destiny is a valuable asset to our unit and we are lucky to have her as part of our team. I
have watched Destiny develop into an excellent nurse over the past 3.5 years. I feel that
Destiny will be a valuable asset to your team as well.

Juanna Wooten-Armstrong, BSN, RN, CPN

Juanna Wooten- Armstrong, BSN, RN, CPN
Patient Care Manager, Neurology/EMU

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Texas Children’s Hospital
Email: [email protected]
Office: 832-826-1070

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 Boyer’s Model for Scholarship
Boyer’s four areas of scholarship include discovery, teaching, practice, and

integration (Kern, Mettetal, Dixson, & Morgan, 2015). The scholarship of discovery

describes being persistent with educational endeavors. The scholarship of teaching is

explained as educating others. The scholarship of practice encompasses the clinical

aspect of nursing. The scholarship of integration involves building on prior knowledge in

order to obtain new knowledge (AACN, 2018).

In my career so far, I’ve incorporated a part of each scholarship. For the

scholarship of discovery, I am persistent in using discovery to seek out new information.

Within my master’s degree program, I worked on an evidence based-practice project to

improve the on-boarding orientation process for student nurses that have their clinical

experience at Texas Children’s Hospital. I’m also persistent in my educational endeavors

with my continuing education. To meet this, I am currently preparing for my Certified

Nurse Educator examination to enhance my professional growth.

As a unit committee chair person, I hold educational meetings on a monthly and

as needed basis to utilize the scholarship of teaching. My committee strives to improve

patient and staff satisfaction on our unit. I look into evidence-based practice methods for

ideas on how to improve our satisfaction ratings. When I find proven research, I educate

the staff about it. In my practicum experience, I have also had a few opportunities to

teach staff nurses within a required hiring course about caring for patients with central

lines and a course about the Tuberculin Skin Test.

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 For the scholarship of practice, I aim to remain current with my nursing skills. I

can achieve this by continuing to work part-time or on an as needed basis in conjunction

with working as a nurse educator. I feel it is important for me to stay current in my

practice so I can be a reliable resource to my learners.

With the scholarship of integration, it is important to be a lifelong learner by

building on prior experiences to seek out new information. Evidence-based practice

initiatives are frequently coming about to improve patient outcomes. It is in not only the

best interest for myself, but my future learners as well to integrate prior knowledge and

the new knowledge gained from evidence-based practice. From the knowledge I have

gained in the classroom setting, along with clinical experiences, I can truly tie all of this

information together in order to use this to assist my future learners.

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 NLN Nurse Educator Competencies

Competency 1: Facilitate Learning

The facilitation of learning is an important role for the nurse educator. “Nurse
educators are responsible for creating an environment in classroom, laboratory, and
clinical settings that facilitates student learning and the achievement of desired cognitive,
affective, and psychomotor outcomes” NLN, 2018). Throughout my practicum
experience, I have facilitated learning within a simulation lab for hands-on skills and with
verbal instruction in a classroom setting. With my bedside experience, I have facilitated
learning in a clinical standpoint by precepting nursing students and newly hired nurses. In
these examples, I have facilitated the learning for all of the domains of learning
outcomes. I think this is vital in my future teaching career to remember that not all
learners learn the same way. A variety is needed in the presentation to reach everyone.

Competency 2: Facilitate Learner Development and Socialization

I have met the second competency of the nurse educator to "facilitate learner
development and socialization” in my practicum experience by providing a variety of
learning methods to meet the learning needs of the students (Halstead, 2007, p. 52). In
my presentations I’ve given, I strive to ensure my teaching style offers a variety to help
facilitate the learning. I also facilitate learner development and socialization by "teaching
diverse learners" (Halstead, 2007, p. 57). Examples of diverse learners can include
"learners who are international, multicultural, adult, nontraditional, educationally
disadvantaged, at-risk, physically challenged, or seeking a second degree" (Halstead,
2007, p. 57). I feel that offering academic support, encouragement of socialization,
"supporting inclusion," and being accepting of all backgrounds for my students will be
beneficial (Shpigelman, Zlotnick, & Brand, 2016).

Competency 3: Use Assessment and Evaluation Strategies

I have met this competency by assessing learning needs and identifying gaps
(Halstead, 2007). In my practicum experience, I have needed to create multiple surveys to
evaluate a current online learning tool for nursing students to complete prior to beginning
their clinical rotation at the hospital. I created surveys to conduct a needs assessment to
see the current online modules were working properly, meeting their learning needs, and
placed a comment section for other feedback (Klein, Staples, Pittman, & Stepanko,
2012). In my future career, it is important for me to use minimizing the “subjectivity and
maximizing the validity of the evaluation” with using “multiple evaluation methods”
(Halstead, 2007, p. 81). Not every evaluation can be done with a survey or a test. Some
have to be hands on, return demonstration, etc. It is important for me to remember to
keep thinking outside of the box and apply the necessary evaluation method to meet the
need of what I’m trying to evaluate.

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Competency 4: Participate in Curriculum Design and Evaluation of Program Outcomes
I have used this competency within my practicum experience at a hospital’s
Nursing Professional Development department for student affiliations by revamping the
current on-boarding orientation process for student nurses. I have evaluated the actual
modules the students were viewing to see which specific modules were outdated and in
need of revision. Some modules were created by the Human Resource Department and
some were created by EPIC (the electronic health system). I contacted representatives
from those departments to have them update their modules. One module was created by
the Nursing Professional Development department. With permission from the educational
director, I assisted in revising the module to update their current curriculum for student
nurses. It is ensuring “that the curriculum reflects institutional philosophy and
mission….and community and societal needs” while also revising the curriculum based
on learner needs” for the target group (Halstead, 2007, p. 100).

Competency 5: Function as a Change Agent and Leader

I have met this competency in my practicum experience by revising the
educational materials to ensure the orientation process for nursing students is appropriate
and up-to-date, along with ensuring nurses are up-to-date on educational training required
at the hospital (Halstead, 2007, p. 116). I specifically utilized “interdisciplinary efforts to
address health care and educational needs” for the hospital and “regionally” for the
nursing students of the surrounding area colleges, while also evaluating “organizational
effectiveness in nursing education” (Halstead, 2007, p. 116). This revision process has
been an organizational change for Texas Children’s Hospital.

Competency 6: Pursue Continuous Quality Improvement in the Nurse Educator Role

I have addressed this by demonstrating my "commitment to lifelong learning,"
participating in "professional development opportunities that increase one's effectiveness
in the role" (Halstead, 2007, p. 126). While working on my degree and within my
practicum experience, I've attended workshops with my preceptor to develop
professionally as an educator with curriculum design workshops. To continue meeting
this competency, I need to "use feedback gained...to improve role effectiveness" with
getting insight from my preceptor on my teaching style for future courses I will be
teaching (Halstead, 2007, p. 126). I strive to continue furthering my education by
becoming a Certified Nurse Educator and by working on my doctoral degree in the
future.

Competency 7: Engage in Scholarship

I have met this competency in my practicum experience in conjunction with my
Evidence-Based Practice project by drawing "on extant literature to design evidence-
based teaching and evaluation practices" by revising the on-boarding orientation process
for student nurses (Halstead, 2007, p. 144). I've conducted evidence appraisals to get the
most up to date information regarding the support of a revised process for the students
instead of an outdated orientation with information used from 5-10 years ago. I will

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continue to engage in scholarship remaining current on information and evidence-based
practice to be best equip to educate my future learners. Remaining current on EBP,
becoming a Certified Nurse Educator, and working on my doctoral degree will help me to
truly be a "lifelong learner" (Halstead, 2007, p. 145).

Competency 8: Function within the Educational Environment

To function within the educational environment, it is vital that I am
“knowledgeable about the educational environment within which (I) practice and
recognize how political, institutional, social, and economic forces (impacts my) role”
(NLN, 2018). For my evidence-based practice project, I have seen how the institutional
(Texas Children’s Hospital), social (external stakeholders), and economic forces (budget
constrains), plays important factors for this organizational change. I feel that in my future
role in the educational environment, if I’m mindful of the internal and external
stakeholders, I can ensure that I’m in compliance with the requirements and work with
them on changes if necessary.

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 Reference

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2018). Defining scholarship for academic

nursing task force consensus position statement. Retrieved from

https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/News/Position-Statements/Defining-

Scholarship.pdf

Halstead, J. A. (2007). Nurse educator competencies: Creating an evidence-based

practice for nurse educators. New York, NY: National League of Nursing.

Kern, B., Mettetal, G., Dixson, M., & Morgan, R. K. (2015). The role of SOTL in the

academy: Upon the 25th anniversary of Boyer’s Scholarship Reconsidered.

Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 1-14.

Klein, D., Staples, J., Pittman, C., & Stepanko, C. (2012). Using electronic clinical

practice audits as needs assessment to produce effective continuing medical

education programming. Medical Teacher, 34(2), 151-154.

doi:10.3109/0142159X.2012.644826

National League for Nurses (NLN). (2018). Nurse educator core competencies. Retrieved

from http://www.nln.org/professional-development-programs/competencies-for-

nursing-education/nurse-educator-core-competency

Shpigelman, C. N., Zlotnick, C., & Brand, R. (2016). Attitudes toward nursing students

with disabilities: Promoting social inclusion. Journal of Nursing Education, 55(8),

441-449.

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