My very first time in a patient care setting was through the intensive Clinical Care Extender (CCE) program at Hoag Hospital where I spent my shifts side-by-side learning from, and eventually assisting nurses. There, I experienced a day in the life of the tireless nurse on the Gynecology/Urology floor. Although I originally thought of becoming a physician, I spent nearly all of my hours alongside Registered Nurses (RN) and Patient Care Assistants and grew a deep fondness and appreciation for the individual care nurses provided to their patients. When I did see a physician, I found out how critical nurses were to communicating updates to the physicians as well as other members of the health care team.
I am truly grateful for the incomparable opportunity of volunteering as a CCE, where I played a hands-on role and took care of patients in the Labor & Delivery, Mother & Baby, and Surgical Departments. Especially captivating to me was my Emergency Room rotation, where patients with various illnesses and injuries sought immediate help. Amazingly, the RN managed to triage patients, record vitals, carry out the treatment plan, and keep the patient at ease, all in a composed manner. Without my experience on Hoag Hospital floors, I would not have known how critical the role of a nurse is to the entire health care team.
Now that I am a nursing student at Boston College, I am learning nursing theory and how to use critical thinking to make decisions that will positively influence a patient’s experience and result in the best outcome. I truly am grateful for the opportunity the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation gave me as an individual who is starting a new career in nursing. The education I receive will make me a great nurse to patients as well as future nurses. I can see myself mentoring and providing opportunities for younger students to gain hands-on experience like I had. After being informed of the growing shortage of nurse educators, I believe I could contribute by cultivating and motivating new nurses. Growing up in a rural town, I did not realize what nursing or medicine was like on a comprehensive level. My CCE experience in college eventually inspired me to become a nurse and I would like to provide opportunities to students from underserved areas and open their eyes to a fulfilling career.
