My Grandmother's Post-Op Nursing

During the first twelve years of my life, my live-in grandmother had fifty seven surgeries- spanning from two spinal fusions to a leg amputation. Saying I grew up in a hospital is an understatement. As a child, I was very reserved; and opted to observe rather than interact. I have vivid memories of sitting in my grandmother’s recovery suite watching the nurses flutter about the room. Carefully, I would monitor their movements while they interacted with my grandmother: cleaning her incisions, taking her blood pressure, administering intravenous medication, even replacing her catheter. Rather than looking away or being sickened, I was captivated, not only because of their procedures, but also by the way the nurses cared for their patients. I

movie she was watching, how her dogs were doing. I could not believe that no matter how busy they were, her nurses would take the time to sit down and talk to her- they reminded her that she was more than her symptoms and operations, she was a person. I was fascinated that the things the nurses did not only kept my grandmother comfortable, they kept her alive. My fascination did not cease when she returned home, my grandmother was also a nurse and would let me take care of her post-operation. She told me what to do, how to do it correctly, and how everything I did was helping her. She allowed me to take her blood pressure, clean her wounds, administer IV medications, and even give her basic physicals. I owe her the world for sparking my love for

The main parts of my job are animal care and customer service. On a daily basis I am able to interact with people from all walks of life, and can find them the newest, furry family member. Under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian, I am given the opportunity to administer medical care to sick and injured animals, which is, in my opinion, the best part of my job. I have learned how to give sutures, intravenous fluids and medication, and clean wounds- skills I consider valuable going into nursing school. I have also found value in my bilingual, nearly trilingual, abilities while volunteering. I have taken Spanish classes for over seven years, and am currently learning American Sign Language. With these languages under my belt, I am better able to communicate with nearly every customer that comes through our door. In the recent months I have noticed, especially with deaf and hard of hearing customers, when I am able to speak someone else’s first language and communicate easily with them, they feel so much more comfortable conversing with me; and, in turn, I feel proud that I am able to use my language skills outside of a classroom