Signature Assignment:

Your Signature Assignment in Module 8 will be a multi-part project. The document you are creating will have two exhibits attached. One of the exhibits will be your resume (Exhibit A), and the second exhibit will be a cover letter (Exhibit B). Before writing these two exhibits you will conduct an inventory of your experiences, to include:

• Prior employment
• Education, and
• Any professional organizations to which you belong.

STEP 1: You will implement the writing process from Section 9 to work your way through the finished project. The main body of the document will provide explanations of the information included in your resume and cover letter.

The documents must follow the APA format. It will include a cover page, introduction paragraph (min 5-7 sentences), followed by the body of the document (see below), a conclusion paragraph (min 5-7 sentences), reference page (Identify the position), accompanied by the two exhibits. The body and the two exhibits of the signature assignment will be submitted as one document in the drop box.

The body of the document will explain the various things that you include in your resume. Use powerful action words listed in the text on page 243. You may also look at them as talking points for the interview. Each one of them should be in paragraph form with a minimum of 5 sentences. Things to consider when you are developing this part would be:

• Employment listing:
  • What did you do there?
  • Give examples?
  • Skills used?
  • Skills learned. Identify challenges and accomplishments.
    • Each skill
    • Give examples of how you used them.
    • How may they be beneficial in the position are applying for?
• Education listing:
  • Schools, training, certifications, etc…
    • Describe benefits and learning that will support position being considered.
• Professional organization listing:
  • Identify the organization
    • How the organization benefits the industry
    • How it adds value to you as the candidate

STEP 2: Create a professional resume based on the information in STEP 1

STEP 3: Create a cover letter, using

• The information from STEP 1
• A current job opening (found on the internet)

Submit all items in one Microsoft Word or Open Office Write document.

Be sure to use the nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs learned in this course. Follow the recommendations for sentences and paragraphs while making sure everything is spelled correctly with excellent grammar you have learned.

Assignment Expectations

Length: 8 – 10 pages (body – 6 – 8 pages, resume – 1 page, and cover letter – 1 page); answers must thoroughly address the questions in a clear, concise manner

Structure: Include a title page and reference page in APA style. These do not count towards the minimal word amount for this assignment.

Format: Save your signature assignment as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx). 

File name: Name your saved file according to your first initial, last name, and the assignment number (for example, “RHall Assignment 1letter.docx” or “RHall Signature Assignment 1memo.docx”)

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SAMPLE ASSIGNMENT

Signature Assignment

Resumes and cover letters are vital, especially when one is applying for a new job. Individual needs to combine their work history, education, training, and certifications in a two-page document when applying for a job (Thomson & Sternberg, 2019). The information in the resume and cover letters should convince potential employers to consider the individual for the job. Proper language and grammar should be used to develop resumes and cover letters (Thomson & Sternberg, 2019). In this assignment, I conducted an inventory of my work and educational history and used the information to develop a resume and cover letter.

Prior Employment

I have worked in the nursing profession for many years. I have twenty-one years of experience in Wound Care. I worked at Nyack Hospital, Nyack New York as a patient care associate from 1996-2001. My roles included helping patients with hygiene such as bathing, dressing, using the bathroom, and brushing their teeth, helping patients with meals by feeding them and monitoring their vital signs and general health, and reporting to my registered nurse. For instance, I looked after patients in the ICU and helped them with feeding and hygiene. The skills I used include communication skills, a great work ethic, and empathy. These skills helped me provide the best care to my patients. I also learned a lot while working as a patient care associate. The skills I learned from the position include the ability to adapt, strong attention to detail, and compassion.

I used strong attention to detail to observe my patients and identify any small change that can lead to a health complication. I used compassion to comfort patients with pain or family members who have lost their loved ones. The ability to adapt helped me work with every patient. These skills will make me a great leader and excel in the nurse leadership position I am applying for. For instance, the ability to adapt will help me work with every person. I encountered some challenges in my role as a patient care associate. At first, I had problems communicating with patients. I also had a challenge caring for patients of diverse cultures. By the end of my career at the hospital, I had improved my skills in the provision of culturally-based care and improved my communication skills.  

I worked at Doctor Pierre Gaston MD’s office, in Miami Florida as a medical assistant for about five months from June 1999-October 1999. My roles included taking medical histories, collecting and preparing laboratory specimens, preparing patients for tests and examinations, explaining treatment procedures to patients, and performing laboratory tests. The skills I used include effective communication, computer medical technology skills, attention to detail, and organization skills. The most important skill I learned as a medical assistant is administrative skills. I used administrative skills to show leadership when explaining treatment protocols to patients. This skill will help me show leadership in the position I am applying for. This skill will help me run the nursing unit smoothly. Another skill I learned in this job is compassion. Compassion will help me work well with patients and show humanity. I did not experience any significant challenges while working at Doctor Pierre Gaston’s MD office because I worked here for only five months. However, I was privileged to effectively work with physicians and other specialists and this improved my inter-professional collaboration skills.

I worked as a case manager at Loving Arms Care Management, Miami Florida from 2001 to 2006. My responsibilities included helping patients achieve autonomy and wellness, handling case assignments, determining case closure, reviewing case progress, and draft service plans, and providing and coordinating care that is timely, safe, efficient, effective, client-centered, and equitable. The skills I used include effective communication, previous experience in mental health aspects of care, teamwork, compassion, time management, and excellent organizational skills. As a case manager, I faced ineffective collaboration and time management challenges. Some of the professionals in the unit did not want to collaborate with me. However, I improved my collaboration with them through effective communication. I overcome the time management challenge by creating a schedule I followed every day. I learned case management principles, reimbursement, and healthcare management which might be beneficial in the nurse manager position I am applying for. For instance, I will use reimbursement knowledge to resolve any payment problems experienced by patients. I will also use case management principles to assess various cases and provide solutions that align with patient outcomes. 

I worked at Sister Emmanuel Hospital located inside Mercy Hospital, Miami, Florida as a wound care nurse specialist from 2006 – 2019. My roles included cleaning and bandaging wounds, monitoring and assessing wounds, working with other patient care teams to provide care to a patient with wounds, educating patients on wound care, pressure ulcer, and injury prevention, and writing treatment regimens to expedite wound healing and avoid skin problems. The skills I used in this role included effective communication, compassion, empathy, teamwork, and patient education. The skill I learned in this role that can help me in the new position is inter-professional collaboration. The inter-professional collaboration will help me work with other healthcare professionals to provide patient care. As a nurse manager, I will be required to ensure that nurses and other healthcare professionals within the unit work together to improve patient care. The teamwork and inter-professional collaboration skills I learned in this position will help me in the new role I am considering. 

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I have been working as a wound care nurse in the critical care unit at North Shore Medical Center, Miami, Florida from 2019 to the present. My roles have included preventive care and initial documentation, conducting nursing orientation, educating nursing and team members, as well as patients and families, about wound care, ostomy care, and PICC line management, monitoring and reporting wound care and line infection status to hospital’s Medical Executive Committee (MEC). I also actively participated in weekly rounds to ensure Severity of Illness (SI) and Intensity of Services (IS) documentation requirements were met for the initial and continued stay of patients. I am an Active member of the Interdisciplinary Long Term Acute Care Hospital team focused on the delivery of acute care services over an extended period.

The same skills I used when providing care in my previous role are also useful in this role. Additional skills that have helped in this role include empathy, the ability to adapt, and collaboration. In total, I have worked in the healthcare system for the last 27 years and have gained a lot of experience which can help me become a better leader. In 2020, we were faced with covid-19 pandemic which negatively impacted care delivery. The challenge and many more that I have faced over the years have shaped me and made me a better nurse and healthcare provider. Working as a wound care nurse since 2006 has allowed me to work closely with Wound Care physicians, surgeons, and Plastic surgeons, and has gained immense knowledge and experience which will be beneficial in my new post.  

Education

My first certification was Certified Nurse Assistant Certification in 1995 October to December. This program allowed me to work as a CNA at Nyack Hospital from 1996 to 2001. Some of the skills I gained in this program that will help me in the position I am applying for include empathy, effective communication, attention to detail, and problem-solving. I also learned about basic and personal care, patient rights, nursing ethics, personal protective equipment use, and community and mental health. The knowledge can help me effectively discharge nursing roles in the new position I am considering. The second certification was the National Certified Medical Assistant certification in 1998. The certification improved my skills in becoming a medical assistant. Some of the skills I learned in this certification that will help me in the job am considering include the ability to multitask, technical skills, great communication, and attention to detail.

I enrolled for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Miami, Miami, Florida in January 1997 and finished in December 2000. The degree improved my knowledge of nursing and healthcare. I gained knowledge in sociology, psychology, biology, ethics, statistics, ad nutrition which improved my experience in nursing. One of the things I learned in this course that prepared me for the job I am considering is leadership. The leadership skills I learned in the degree program will greatly support me in the new position of nurse manager. I also learned about nursing management in the degree course and this will help me discharge my duties in my new position as a nurse manager. I was taught how to manage nurses and act as a leader. The clinical experience I gained in the program helped me learn about different cultures. As a nurse leader, I will meet people from various backgrounds, and thus the knowledge from nursing school will help me deal with diverse people. 

I gained certification in skin and wound care in 2005. The course took four months and then, I took the wound care certification exam which lasted a couple of hours. The certification improved my value in the job market. Employers needed nurses with extra skills apart from the skills they gained in their nursing programs. I got an Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Crisis on the Medical-Surgical Unit, Chemotherapy Management, Peripheral IV Placement, and Infection Control certifications. These certifications improved my knowledge of healthcare and nursing practice. A nurse manager should know about various health topics and this was supported by various certifications I undertook. 

I am currently undertaking a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialization in Nursing Administration and Management. Every course in this master’s program has made me more informed and developed my position as a collaborator and a leader. The program has equipped me with practical knowledge of ethical, cultural, and legal issues in healthcare, contemporary management models and application, and a focus on accounting, hospital management, and other economic topics. The program is also preparing me to work in both clinical and administrative settings. This program has made me a better candidate for the job being considered. It has improved my skills in nursing leadership which will help me the best nurse manager employed.

Professional Organizations

I am a member of many professional organizations. First, I am a member of the American Nurses Association (ANA). The ANA is an organization that represents the interests of the country’s four million registered nurses (ANA, n.d). The ANA has benefited the nursing industry in many ways. It has advocated for many policies which have improved nursing practice. It has fostered high nursing practice standards, promoted an ethical and safe working environment, bolstered the wellness and health of nurses, and advocated for healthcare issues that impact both the public and nurses. The ANA has also been involved in many other advocacy programs (ANA, n.d). For instance, the ANA is one of the healthcare organizations which strongly advocated for the Affordable Care Act by urging the legislature and the president to pass it.

It has also played a vital role in ensuring that the ACA has not been repealed by politicians. For instance, at the end of 2016, politicians tried to repeal the ACA by coming up with new proposals. The ANA analyzed the proposed reforms in detail and compared them with its four core principles and decided to work in stopping the reforms from undermining the current healthcare delivery system and impacting patients and nurses (ANA, n.d). The organization also benefits the industry by providing its members with information about current and most effective nursing practices. The ANA also provides a lot of training programs that improve the knowledge of its members on healthcare delivery. It also provides monthly newsletters about healthcare technology that can be used to improve the quality of care.

I am also a member of the American Professional Wound Care Association (APWCA). The APWCA is a non-profit health association that brings together all healthcare providers involved in the treatment and prevention of difficult wounds (APWCA, n.d). The organization has been beneficial to the industry by providing its members with educational and informational forums for healthcare professionals while promoting excellence in patient advocacy and wound healing. The organization has held many wound care conferences where wound care professionals can meet and exchange ideas on how to improve wound care practices (APWCA, n.d). The organization has also provided leadership training which can help me in the new position I am considering.  

Conclusion

My experience in the nursing practice has prepared by for the position of nurse manager I am considering taking. I started as a patient care assistant and have developed my career into a wound care nurse specialist. I developed my career through education and work experience. I started by getting certification as a nurse assistant, enrolled in a degree program in nursing, and currently doing my master’s program. I have also joined professional organizations which have helped me develop career-wise in terms of knowledge. Overall, I am a better person for the job considering my 27 years of experience and knowledge in nursing practice. 

References

American Nurses Association. (n.d). About ANA. https://www.nursingworld.org/ana/about-ana/

American Professional Wound Care Association. (n.d). About APWCA. https://www.apwca.org/mission

Thomson, T. J., & Sternberg, J. (2019). What does it take to get hired in a modern digital newsroom? Insights from applicant resumes and cover letters. In Journalism Education and Research Association of Australia Conference (p. 41). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/231853/