College of Nursing: The Greatest Challenge

Posted on by Lydia Ortman

https://www.alamy.com/determination-word-cloud-image343657461.html

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” – Pele

This definition of success resonates with me because without working hard, persevering, and making sacrifices I would not be where I am today.

Prioritizing Education 

Taking my education seriously is something I have been doing since elementary school where I strived to get the best grades I could and achieved A’s in every class. I carried this work ethic with me through high school where I was at the top of my class.

Scheduling as many honors and science classes as I could made my workload heavier than many of my peers and resulted in me spending much of my time studying and completing assignments.

My hard work paid off when I discovered the early college enrollment program offered by Penn State which I fulfilled all the criteria to apply for during my junior year of high school.

Continuing Education 

Applying for and being accepted into college a year early had many challenges of its own. I had to prove I fulfilled the requirements, get recommendations from my guidance counselor and principal, get permission from the head of the school district, and have an extensive interview with the director of admissions at Penn State.

But I soon learned that getting accepted into the College of Nursing was not the hard part.

I experienced all the challenges that freshman face such as moving away, living with strangers in a dorm room, and learning that they must be responsible for themselves while also getting a taste of what nursing was really like.

I have 5 hour classes, 9 hour clinicals, and more exams than almost any other major while still being required to take the same gen eds and credits as all other students.

Students are expected to spend hours of studying everyday and are responsible for taking care of others in clinical settings who they have never met before.

The biggest challenge that most nursing students face is the dedication it takes to pass. During my sophomore year, over half of the students failed out of the program due to stress which is further described here.

While there are seemingly endless challenges I face in order to obtain my nursing degree, I recognize that sacrifice, commitment, and hard work are the only ways that I am going to achieve my goal and be successful.

 

Nurses are Everywhere

Posted on by Lydia Ortman

https://www.wcnursing.org/be-a-nurse/career-paths-nursing-specialties/

  • My Work Experience
  • Medical Progressive Care Unit
  • Operating Room 

The variety of specialties and settings that nurses can choose to work in seem endless. From large hospitals to elementary schools to cruise ships, nurses are everywhere and the variety of skills they use are just as extensive. Click here to read about even more nursing specialties.

My Work Experience

In my own life, I see the differences in nursing specialties and settings that exist through my jobs.

Working on the medical progressive care unit in a large hospital as well as in the operating room at a small, rural hospital has shown me what patients experience at different times during their healthcare experience.

Medical Progressive Patient Care 

On the medical progressive care unit I take care of patients from the ICU and emergency department. To perform this job well, I had to learn certain skills and techniques that are specific to providing care to this population.

With my patients in critical condition I have to be aware of their diagnoses and pay attention to details so I can quickly identify a change in their condition. Assessment skills and knowledge of the body systems are crucial in preventing injuries and death in this setting.

Equally important is my ability to communicate with each patient to make them feel understood and respected while allowing me to provide them with the best individualized care possible.

Life in the Operating Room 

In the operating room my role is very different.

Each case focuses on 1 patient and occurs when they are in varying levels of sedation. I do not talk to the patient during the procedure, however communication is just as important but occurs among the members of the healthcare team.

https://www.wcnursing.org/be-a-nurse/career-paths-nursing-specialties/

While I do not build relationships with my patients in the OR, I treat them the same as my patients who are awake. Maintaining someone’s decency and showing them respect is just as important when they are sedated as when they are awake and is central to nursing as a whole.

Every nursing specialty is unique and requires nurses to have a specific skillset to provide high quality care. But whether nurses work in the NICU or oncology, they all share central ideas that put the patient and their care first.

My Nursing Journey

Posted on by Lydia Ortman

https://quizlet.com/310886315/yoost-chapter-1-nursing-theory-and-professional-practice-flash-cards/

My Beginnings

My interest in nursing began at a young age when I frequently visited my grandparents in different hospitals. Being surrounded by beeping machines and watching people in scrubs scurry around fascinated me.

As I grew older, I enjoyed my science classes in school and took as many biology classes as I could. Learning the types of living organisms and performing dissections in class deepened my understanding of how bodies function.

The more I learned, the more certain I was that I wanted to work in the medical field.

Finding My Passion

During my junior year of high school I had the opportunity to watch open heart surgery at Allegheny General Hospital which was when I knew nursing was my calling. The procedure amazed me but something the educator said has stuck with me.

She was explaining the role of each person in the operating room and when she got to the nurse she described her as the “patient’s advocate.” This statement made me realize what an important role nurses play and how much they do for their patients.

Seeing the patient under general anesthesia on the operating room table was eye opening as it showed how vulnerable patients are when they are in the hospital. In this case, the nurse was the patient’s voice when he was unable to speak for himself.

This experience assured me that I wanted to pursue nursing.

My Inspiration 

After starting my nursing classes, clinicals, and working in hospitals, I have seen the many responsibilities that nurses have and the endless roles they play that most people do not realize.

Nurses act as teachers, comfort patients and families, listen to concerns, advocate for patients, communicate with members of the healthcare team, and push patients to be their best through encouragement and support. Click here for more information on what roles nurses play.

Through my hospital experience I have witnessed nurses touching lives from the moment a baby takes its first breath to holding a patient’s hand as they take their last.

These experiences have shown me how unique and important nurses are and encourage me to continue to pursue my career in nursing.