C351.Paper.WindyWester.docx Professional Presence and Influence Western Governors Univ

C351.Paper.WindyWester.docx    Professional Presence and Influence  Western Governors University  Professional Presence  Introduction   As a nurse taking on the next role as an educator, it is important that I see myself as a leader. To be a good leader, I must also identify what challenges I might face, things that might cause me to be biased.  There are things in healthcare that I am likely to be close-minded to due to my own experiences.  I recognize that practices I am unfamiliar with will naturally make me uncomfortable and hesitant to trust in them.  I need to take a close look at what has formed me into the nurse I am today.  I need to challenge myself to be open minded to things I am unfamiliar with.   It is important to look at other healthcare practices and different influences on nursing practice.  I need to analyze my own personality traits, look at challenges or barriers I might face, and look at what goals I have as a professional nurse educator. I must decipher how I intend to achieve these goals.  In this paper, I will look at each of these areas and facets. It is my anticipation that in doing so, I will be better prepared to help other nurses in their educational processes to achieve their goals in life.   Models of Health and Healing  Lets begin by examining two major health models and looking at their differences. Western Medicine is the system with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.  They see patients and treat their symptoms with the use of medications, surgical p