My Experience

This past summer I shadowed at Centerpoint Hospital in Independence.  My old girl scout leader is a nurse there so I went and followed her around for a few hours every other day in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I saw and learned many new things.  I learned how to insert an IV in a babies hand or foot. I also saw two C-sections, which was pretty cool. I was nervous at first because I thought all the blood and stuff would get to me but it didn't bother me. I almost saw a circumcision but I decided to see a C-section instead. I was allowed to feed one of the babies and burp her. Which I learned that today they suggest that you hold the baby up right and away from you because when the baby is laying down and close to you he or she will usually fall asleep.

That’s all I’ve ever really experienced while shadowing.  I didn’t go to other parts of the hospital because I don’t want to work in those areas when I become a nurse.  Once I get into nursing school I will get to work in every area of the hospital.

Hand of Hope

This is literally the picture that made everything click for me.  I know a lot of you, I’m sure find this picture to be gross and you just want to look away but that’s not how I see it.  I saw this picture my freshman year in high school and knew I wanted to take care of premature babies.  I think this is one of the most remarkable pictures I have ever seen. 

The tiny hand is reaching out and clutching onto the surgeon’s finger.  In 1999, this 21 week old fetus in its mother’s womb was about to undergo a spina bifida surgery.  Spina bifida left part of the fetus’s spinal cord exposed after the back bone failed to develop.  This decease can lead to brain damage. The operation was designed to close the gap and protect the spinal cord. The whole surgery was carried out through the tiny slit you see in the mother’s womb.  Having the surgery before the baby is born gives it a better chance of healing, and prevents or limits brain damage.  It does not cure spina bifida though.  The fetus was named later Samuel. 



Samuel Armas, 9, proudly displays ribbons he's won for swimming.
Backstroke is his best stroke, he said



Samuel is now 11 years old.  "When I see that picture, the first thing I think of is how special and lucky I am to have God use me that way," Samuel told FOXNews.com. "I feel very thankful that I was in that picture."  His picture was used as proof of development in the womb and was later cited during congressional debates on the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, which passed in 2000.  Samuel has to wear a lower leg brace for the rest of his life but he loves to swim and do other things kids love.

                                                                                          

Why nursing?

I’ve wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember.  Well at least since I seriously started thinking about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.  I love the idea of taking care of people and nursing them back to health. 

I’ve always loved working with kids and babysitting them; but I knew I didn’t want to teach them, I wanted to look after them.  I’ve been volunteering for vacation bible school for my church since I was in 6^th grade. I always was a leader for the three year olds, and that made me realize I wanted to do something that involved children in my career. 

When my cousins started having kids I loved holding their babies and just watching after them.   That’s when I realized I wanted to work with babies.  I want to specialize in taking care of premature babies. Over the summer I shadowed in the NicU at Centerpoint Hospital.  It was very cool and I saw a lot of interesting things.  I didn’t pass out, feel queasy or anything; so I know I can handle that kind of stuff! 

Hopefully I will get into nursing school. I don't find out til March, so wish me luck!

I'm a sophmore at Northwest and I'm studying to be a nurse, so it only makes sense to make my blog on nursing! :)