“The seasons are what a symphony ought to be: four perfect movements in harmony with each other” ~Arthur Rubenstein
Well here we are, just about finished with spring semester, and our junior year! We are definitely coming down the home stretch. It’s hard to believe we’re so close to the finish line. If next year goes as fast as this year, we’ll be graduating before we know it.
This last 8 week session sped by particularly quickly. We’ve been writing papers for dear life, going to clinicals, and studying for exams.
In Mental Health, we’ve been learning about dysfunctional families, domestic violence and substance abuse. These issues are pertinent to every area of health care, and we will use the training every day.
In Nursing Research, we delve further into evidence-based practice. I’m finding research to be really interesting! It’s cool to be learning about cutting-edge standards of practice. It is also empowering, to know that we can effect a change on the way we deliver nursing care, or staff our units, etc. We will be well prepared when we begin our work as BSN prepared nurses. We have papers to write for this class, and journal club research projects to present.
Nursing Roles continues to help us examine how we care for our patients, and each other. One of the books we are reading for the course is titled “The Art of Nursing”. It offers nurses’ stories, addressing qualities of good nurses – compassion, caring, spirituality, advocacy, and presence. It is important to explore these qualities now, as well as after we begin our work in the “real world”.
Our mental health clinical at the VA is winding down. It has been a unique experience, and one I won’t forget. The inpatient psych unit’s nursing staff is second to none! They made us feel welcome and useful, allowing us to participate in groups, spend time in 1:1s with patients, and help with vital signs, dressing changes, etc. This reminded me that often we nurses address both medical and psychiatric issues in our patients.
The VA MH Clinical group: Me, Jamie Mann, Kelly Rawlins, Alma Chavez, Sirina Loya, and Jenny Oilar
Ann Patterson, SW at VA, presenting a quilt at PTSD Graduation
We also got to attend a patient graduation ceremony on the PTSD unit. This was touching, and made me proud to be a nurse, as I was reminded again of how much our Veterans have sacrificed for us. During the ceremony, Ann Patterson, a VA Social Worker who works with the PTSD program, presented each graduating Veteran a hand-made quilt, designed and sewn by a group called “Quilts of Valor”.
Our Nursing Research class also attended an awards ceremony sponsored by Sigma Theta Tau, a nursing honor society. One of our own Regis nursing instructors, Linda Campbell, PhD, R.N. received an award for research, “A Case Study of the Clinical Nurse Leader Role”. The meeting was held at The Children’s hospital, and we also saw a presentation by Anne Hovasse, BSN, RN, and BC. Her topic was entitled “Nurses Eating Their Young, Our Need for Dietary Reform”. It was both entertaining and enlightening. Good information for us to know now, before we head into the trenches! It felt great to dress up, and meet with other nurses and CU nursing students.
Linda Campbell, PhD, R.N.
Classmates Tifany, Stephanie, Brittany, Joy and Aaron @ TCH for Sigma Theta Tau presentation
Sara, Leah and Emily @ Sigma Theta Tau presentation
I’ll be taking a religion course this summer, and reading what textbooks I can, in preparation for the fall semester. Can’t wait, though – to take some time off and relax by the beach. We’re going to Cabo in August! Have a good spring, and a relaxing summer~
Regis University Traditional Nursing 