Personal Narrative: A Nurse Internship

It’s funny how life can change in the blink of an eye; one day you are a normal teenager and the next you become the sole caregiver to your mother who has terminal cancer. For most, other family members are there to help, but in my case, I was alone. The summer consisted of a daily routine; we woke up, made breakfast, got dressed, and drove to doctor’s appointments. I remember waking up late one morning and not only did my routine for the day change, but also my life. That morning I ran downstairs to see if my mother was ready to go and I stumbled upon her silently muttering to herself in the mirror. I could tell she was frustrated, but I was unsure of the reason, and quite honestly afraid to hear her answer. When she turned to me to ask if

For six weeks I observed and assisted a physical therapist with his clinical duties and the opportunity to administer strength exercises to patients who ranged in ability; from those found in the intensive care unit to those who just had a joint replacement. It was while assisting patients in the intensive care unit that I began to notice that my level of attentiveness was just as sharp with someone I barely knew as it was for someone I was very close with. I distinctly remember paying close attention to the facial expressions of patients during their exercises, continuously inquiring about their pain, and if I could aid them with anything else. After this internship, I wanted even more hands on experience and landed upon a unique opportunity. The position allowed me to provide in home-care for a person affected by cancer. His symptoms resembled those of a stroke patient; he is hemiparetic and additionally suffers from some vision and cognitive loss. In this position as a caregiver, I gained some skills and insight I wish I had when going through a similar situation with my mother. Over the last few years, I have evolved to realize that being an occupational therapist would not satisfy my career goals, but rather nursing