Being a twin sister to more or less an average sister (with all the usual arguing, competing, the typical sibling rivalry stuff), I've learned a lot about the meaning of the term "it takes a village". My sister was born with Pulmonary Atresia (a closed heart valve). Though no one but herself could truly appreciate the endurance and pain of what she had to go through, I too developed a sense of immense appreciation on how many different medical specialists, physical therapists, social workers and other multiple specialists are involved in helping patients like my sister; not just survive but thrive! Volunteering at a Pediatric Medical office over the last three years has made me realize how great things happen when multiple fields come together.
That's one of the many reasons why UGA has been on top of my list for colleges; realizing its strong background in cultural diversity and community involvement has tremendous appeal to me. Seeing my twin jump on my bed and steal the book I was reading, yes very frustrating but at the same time a spontaneous smile generator. All this due to a team of professionals working together exemplifies my desire to be and grow at an institute that excels in team/community work along with a strong sense of accepting diversity in each of us. I'm confident UGA will help enhance my desire and direction towards helping others. Ultimately one can learn a lot in the confinement of closed walls of a lecture hall but the value of education, in my opinion, comes when that learning and information acquired is directed towards the good of the 'village' where everyone is special and has something to offer.
We tried sending her packages but they never reached her. In order to provide basic educational supplies, I needed to pack my bags and go there. During this trip I contracted a parasite, which lead me to experiences as a patient in the hospital for a couple weeks. Until this point in my life had never felt completely helpless, powerless and disabled. Teams of health care workers came to my rescue. The ensuing illness and recovery left me with indelible memories of the compassion, empathy, and hard work of the numerous kind faced providers. I was left feeling that my care and recovery was enhanced by the team centered approach and this experience, combined with my academic interests, and passion for community service set me firmly on the path of pursuing a career in health care.
I will contribute to the mission of the Nurse Corps Scholarship program by continuing to provide care to individuals in underserved communities. Medically underserved communities involve racial minorities, offenders and ex-offenders, crime or abuse victims, LGBTQ citizens, people with AIDS, and those that are economically disadvantaged. I was born in the small town of Monroeville, AL. It is a great town but it does not have the best resources when it comes to health care. Most members of this town, including my family, would bypass the hospital there and go to the one in the next town simply because they feel
Many people rush through their daily life without contemplating their actions, thereby missing vast opportunities for achievement. They waste valuable time engaging in frivolous matters instead of putting their energies towards more productive and meaningful purposes. In the words of the Dalai Lama: “Life is not about acquiring money and other facilities; it is about dedicating your life to helping others as much as you can.” The immeasurable value of helping others has been engrained in me since childhood. As a result of my own difficult family circumstances, I have become more sensitive, kind and mindful towards others and their own situations. I have developed a passion for helping others, which, in combination with a proclivity towards medicine has lead to my descion to become a Physician Assistant. I want to live a life where I can provide healthcare and aid to anyone who needs.
Chronic bronchitis is a disorder that causes inflammation to the airway, mainly the bronchial tubules. It produces a chronic cough that lasts three consecutive months for more than two successive years (Vijayan,2013). Chronic Bronchitis is a member of the COPD family and is prominently seen in cigarette smokers. Other factors such as air pollutants, Asbestos, and working in coal mines contributes to inflammation. Once the irritant comes in contact with the mucosa of the bronchi it alters the composition causing hyperplasia of the glands and producing excessive sputum (Viayan,2013). Goblet cells also enlarge to contribute to the excessive secretion of sputum. This effects the cilia that carry out the mechanism of trapping foreign bodies to allow it to be expelled in the sputum, which are now damaged by the irritant making it impossible for the person to clear their airway. Since the mechanism of airway clearance is ineffective, the secretion builds up a thickened wall of the bronchioles causing constriction and increasing the work of breathing. The excessive build up of mucous could set up pneumonia. The alveoli are also damaged enabling the macrophages to eliminate bacteria putting the patient at risk for acquiring an infection.
I found a job as CNA for the patient who had disabilities. One patient in particular changed the direction of my life and started me thinking about working in medicine. I took care of an older woman who was unable to ambulate due to her diagnosis of stroke. She experienced chronic weakness of bilateral lower extremity so I supported her with my arms to steady her. When I looked into her eyes, I could feel her saying, “you truly care about me, understand me, and thank you for taking the time to sense my expression and desire.” That’s the care all of us have deep inside, where our motives no longer become self-seeking but other-seeking. This care has the power to exponentially change that person’s life and the lives of others. It is true that other patients helped me decide to go into medicine, but Stacy had the biggest impact in my
Watching my brother struggle and then being able to overcome these difficulties, as well as seeing other children around him who were not as fortunate, really pushed me, even at a young age, to make a difference. My family, both immediate and extended, were very supportive, and I felt a real positive push towards working hard to achieve that goal of working in health care. In high school, I was fortunate enough to do a cooperative placement at the Peterborough Regional Health Center’s Intensive Care Unit.
I remember the exact moment when I decided that becoming a pediatric nurse might be what I wanted to do with my life. My family and I were down the shore for a family vacation, which we do every summer. One rainy night we decided to stay in the hotel and watch a movie as a family but it did not go as intended. All of a sudden my sister started to complain of agonising pains in her kidney so we rushed her to Atlantic City Medical Center where she was diagnosed with kidney stones at age 6. This hospital then transferred her to St.Peters Childrens Hospital where I met the most kind hearted nurse. This woman cared for my sister with so much love, not only as a nurse but as a person. Once she entered the room my sister had a smile on her face even though she was in pain at times. As I
“As one person I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person.” I relate to this quote by Paul Shane Spear because it mirrors how I feel about pursuing a career in nursing. I want to be able to help others as much as I can. Arriving to this career choice was not a simple decision for me. What influenced me most in wanting to be a nurse was helping my grandfather during the past several years, and helping him through different illnesses and surgeries. My grandfather, who I call Papa, lives with me and my immediate family. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to help him because he and I are very close and he is my best friend. Through my involvement in helping him heal from his medical challenges, I was able to come
From a young age, I was drawn to the healthcare field, not because of the amount of money doctors, nurses and other health professionals made, but because of the dedication and contentment I saw on their faces helping someone in need. Growing up everyone wanted to become a doctor or a nurse and as a little child being a doctor or a nurse was a profession many parents wanted their child to pursue as a career. Needless to say, I fell into that category because I wanted too. However, that dream came to a halt.
Stroke-induced paresis of the muscles of respiration can impair respiratory muscle strength and respiratory function (16). Research has shown that these impairments can lead to quantifiable changes in a stroke patient’s lung volumes and lung capacities, including having a higher residual volume (RV), decreased lung capacity (18), decreased peak expiratory cough flow rate (PECF) (4, 19), and decreased maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP and MEP, respectively) (20). Stroke patients can also have decreased forced vital capacities (FVC), forced expiratory volumes in one second (FEV1), and tidal volumes (TV) (16).
As it was shown in the film Lone Star Nurse, nurses are there to not only treat the illness, but to treat the whole person. In Saint Fabiola’s time, matrons would go house to house treating the sick (Cherry and Jacob, pg. 6). Now we have a much more developed healthcare system with primary care physicians, mental health facilities, and all other types of specialties to treat the whole person. Nurses like Nicole Schroeder working in the Nurse-Family Partnership not only help these first-time mothers with their newborns’ health, but also act as a positive role model and friend (Lone Star Nurse). Nurses today can also go into specialized fields for which they are passionate about. These specialized fields may require extra training like seen in the video Nursing and the Older
Living in poverty my whole life with a single mom and twin brother and three younger siblings, constantly having to fight off situations that were trying to distract me from obtaining an education, being born three months premature and being diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, a physical disability which I am striving successively to overcome. This past March I had the privilege to volunteer at Children’s Hospital Cerebral Palsy Adult Transition Longitudinal Study (CPAT) and they said my results were the best they had seen so far out of all the other participants because I worked hard and took on activities that I was not supposed to be able to do and loved it. The lens with which I view the world with is very different than others. I can contribute to educating others and others can educate me. Together we’ll grow in ideas, thoughts, and practices to create a more inclusive environment for our patients to thrive. As nurses, it is critical to be diverse learners so we can help a diverse population upon
I was visiting my brother in Massachusetts when I got sick on the airplane. I went to the emergency room and I was immediately admitted into the hospital. The doctor recognized my symptoms and immediately took action to medically treat my condition. I enjoyed my week stay in the hospital because the nurses and I became so close and the nurses were there for me when I needed them. The nurses kept me inform, comfort me by making me feel everything was going to be alright. The nurses that took care of me genuinely cared and guided me each step to recovery. This life changing experience gave me inspiration to continue my dream of becoming a
I have volunteered at Altru hospital since I was in the eight grade. I have been on most of the floors from surgery to pediatrics, terminally ill to yearly check ups. This has influenced me greatly, encouraging me to go in to nursing and also to go in to a more specialized area. Volunteering helped me search my future my career until I was old enough to get my CNA and go in to the health careers class. A CNA is a certified nursing assistant. When I turned sixteen i applied for the CNA class. Three months later I became a CNA. As a junior I also took a health careers class. This class gave me a more indepth look at the choices that I could make a...
Nursing is a stepping-stone for me towards achieving my goal, as it will help me gain the ideas and skills to serve the community. In order to learn about the field and start helping people I have volunteered at Children’s Hospital of Oakland for two years. At Children’s hospital, I offered assistance to parents by holding babies and helped the nurses by running errands and comforting babies during their tough times. I have also been volunteering in the emergency department at Doctors Medical Center for more than a year where I have been assisting emergency personnel as well as the patients during their urgent time. I have also volunteered as a student nurse to give vaccinations to low-income population in San Francisco. These experiences have not only helped me understand the complexities of working with a highly diverse and multi-cultural population, but I have also experienced the joy that comes in our lives from offering a helping hand to those in need.