My Blog
25. Abstract (4/12/18)
Hello! My name is Lauren Prinke. This past year I have been mentoring at One Family Pediatrics under the mentor Laraleigh, the nurse manager. For the honor mentorship course, I had to choose an essential question to research. I chose to research the question of Why is it important for medical assistants in the pediatric field to identify an emphasis on prevention. I decided on this essential question because prevention is extremely important in the Pediatric field, so I wanted to know the reasons behind that. After some research on the topic, I discovered information that expanded my knowledge. I learned that prevention in the pediatric field is a life or death matter, which never occurred to me before. I learned that many medical facilities have rules and regulations that all medical staff must follow in order to ensure that less patients get diseases. This is why many pediatric offices and hospitals recommend immunizations and give screenings for many diseases. I know for a fact that One Family Pediatrics does this. I have really enjoyed my time at my mentorship and being able to expand my knowledge on the pediatric field.
23. Relevant Group Presentation (3/21/18)
Today, I watched a video on how to become a more confident speaker. The video gave me a great insight because I too am a little afraid of public speaking. In the video they talked about the 3 P’s. Prepare, posture and physicality, and pander to your audience. Personally, the three P’s sound easy, and will be extremely helpful in my upcoming presentation. At UNG, I also take a public speaking class. Something I’ve learned in that class has also helped me extremely. That is power posing. Something else that was mentioned in the video was a worksheet to help organize your thought. This little work sheet will be very helpful to me because sometimes I am so overwhelmed with my thoughts. When I have the worksheet I’m able to have all my thoughts in one place, which makes it easier to prepare. In my upcoming presentation I plan on using all of the 3 P’s and power posing in order to gain a little more confidence.
Here’s the link to the “How to Become a More Confident Speaker” video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tShavGuo0_E
Here’s the link to the worksheet: http://static.tumblr.com/nw2r6wp/2LAmj0c61/publicspeaking.pdf
21. Annotated Bibliography 3 (2/21/18)
Source/ Bibliography:
Larsen, L., et al. "Childhood Obesity: Prevention Practices of Nurse Practitioners."Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, vol. 18, no. 2, 2006, pp. 70-9, Nursing & Allied Health Database, http://libproxy.ung.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/212806669?accountid=159965.
Summary:
The article, “Childhood Obesity: Prevention Practices of Nurse Practitioners”, is an article that seeks to find out why childhood obesity has increased so much in recent years. The authors described that some people believe that childhood obesity is a rapidly increasing issue because of the child’s environment and social trends. It was found that children who have a low socioeconomic status are at a higher risk of obesity. The article also shows the readers why controlling childhood obesity is so important. The authors then continue on to describe an experiment that they conducted. In the experiment they asked 99 Nurse Practitioners how often they routinely calculated BMI and screened for overweight, counseled parents about proper nutrition practices, physical activity, and parenting skills, took dietary, physical activity, and television histories, and specifically identified and targeted at-risk children. In the results they found that even though the majority were aware of the guidelines they didn’t always stick to them.
Potential Quotes:
“The dramatic rise in childhood obesity cannot be ignored because the literature indicates that childhood and adolescent obesity often continue into adulthood and are associated with considerable morbidity and increased mortality.” The quote can easily be paraphrased. Also, I feel that it is necessary to include this quote in my research because it shows a specific example of what may occur if preventive techniques are not utilized. “Once a child becomes overweight, treatment to decrease weight is very difficult and often unsuccessful (AAP, 2003).” This can be extremely useful to me because it shows that addressing the issue after it has already progressed can be much more difficult than if the issue was prevented.
Assessment/ Evaluation of Source:
This source is credible because I found it on Galileo. It also is a peer-review source. The authors are professionals in the medical field. Three out of the four of the authors have their PhDs. The authors are unbiased. I can tell that they are unbiased because they back themselves up with facts and an experiment.
Reflection:
This article fits into my potential research because it allows me to give a specific example of where prevention is needed in the medical field. Also, the experiment and research done in the article help prove my research to be credible and reliable. This source was extremely helpful to me. Not only will I be able to use it in my future research, but it also gave me an understanding of prevention.
19. Capstone Updates (2/5/18)
For my Capstone project, I am currently working on gathering more information on prevention in pediatrics in order to help answer my essential question. I am trying to find articles with more shown research to back up the answer. In the following week or weeks, I also plan on putting together my visuals. I am thinking that I will use a brochure that I will be able to handout. The brochure will have some brief information and graphs.
18. Annotated Bibliography 2 (2/1/18)
Source/ Bibliography
Koutlakis-Barron, Irene, and Hayden, Tina Ann. “Essentials of Infection Prevention in the Pediatric Population.” International Journal of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, vol. 3, no. 4, Dec. 2016, pp. 143–152., doaj.org/article/66ac985da18a4a73923c4bb15b0497c3.
I wrote this bibliographic entry according to MLA guidelines.
Summary
In the article “Essentials of Infection Prevention in the Pediatric Population”, the authors describe why there is a need of prevention in the medical field specifically in pediatrics. The readers learn that if it weren’t for prevention and regulation the likelihood of death would be much greater. We learned that the reason that prevention in pediatrics is the most important is because of the fact that younger children are still growing and therefore are most susceptible to disease. Also, children can be exposed to many more diseases than the adult population. The authors go on to explain the ten different categories of exposing factors in which pediatrician should focus on and are the most important. We also learn the suggested strategies to combat these exposing factors.
Potential Quotes
This article is loaded with valuable information that can be very helpful to me. In the article, Table 1 describes infection prevention & control risk mitigation strategies. This can be helpful when describing the specific important strategies of prevention. In the first paragraph of the introduction the authors write, “Infections within any healthcare institution can be avoidable when dealt with appropriately. If infections are ignored or proactive strategies are not applied, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) will result in patient morbidity, mortality, and additional resource use.” This specific quote describes what outcomes can occur if prevention is not a priority. In the second paragraph of the introduction the authors write, “If stringent measures are not applied, the pediatric population is at equal, if not at higher, risk of infection or injury compared to adolescents and/or adults.” This is important because it states that the pediatric population is at a higher risk for disease and therefore needs more prevention strategies in that field. In the first paragraph of the discussion section of the article the authors write, “Children may not always display symptoms or have the ability to implement and understand strategies that are instigated for their own care, and therefore, diligent attention and supervision is required by caregivers. Ensuring family-centered care that incorporates appropriate hygiene, nutrition, and administration of vaccines (depending on strict age-defined schedules) provides a basis for ensuring growth, development, and an immune response that is age appropriate.” This quote is important because it displays the areas in which must be monitored the closest in a child’s life.
Assessment/ Evaluation of Source
I feel that this source is reliable for many reasons. The website in which I found it on ends in .org. Non-profit organizational websites are known for being valid but have some bias. However, I feel that the amount of bias in this article is very minimal due to the fact that it originally comes from a well-known and accredited journal. Irene Koutlakis-Barron is a known doctor that has brought many scientific contributions to the medical field. This article was published by Elsevier and the research was funded and supported by King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre. This source is fairly new and current. The article was published about 17 weeks ago. Also, all of the article’s references are from 2000 and on. Also, all of the links to their references are accessible. Another reason why this article is credible is because it was found on Galileo.
Reflection
This article fits to my research perfectly. It helps me seek and fully understand the answer to my research question. The article relates to my topic because it fully explains why prevention is so important and prevention strategies. I feel that if and when I use this article in my research it can help my readers to understand exactly what prevention is and why it is so important especially in children. When using this article in my research I will most likely use text about prevention in children. I also find the tables very helpful. Therefore, I will be using those as well.
17. Graphic Organizer 2 (1/23/18)
Bibliography
(MLA or APA)
10 pts
Koutlakis-Barron, Irene, and Tina Ann Hayden. “Essentials of infection prevention in the pediatric population.” International Journal of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, vol. 3, no. 4, Dec. 2016, pp. 143–152., doaj.org/article/66ac985da18a4a73923c4bb15b0497c3.
Annotation:
(Describe ALL info. that might be important for your paper. Explain to the reader and/or summarize what might be found in this source)
35 pts
In this article, it describes what could happen if the medical field didn’t have an importance in prevention. If they didn’t focus on prevention it could cause death and disease, especially in the pediatric patients. The article also identifies 10 different categories in which pediatricians need to monitor, and it also listed strategies to combat these.
Potential Quotes:
(Are there any significant quotes you can use or paraphrase from this source?)
15 pts
I can definitely use Table 1 as a reference.
“Infections within any healthcare institution can be avoidable when dealt with appropriately. If infections are ignored or proactive strategies are not applied, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) will result in patient morbidity, mortality, and additional resource use.”
“If stringent measures are not applied, the pediatric population is at equal, if not at higher, risk of infection or injury compared to adolescents and/or adults.”
“Children may not always display symptoms or have the ability to implement and understand strategies that are instigated for their own care, and therefore, diligent attention and supervision is required by caregivers. Ensuring family-centered care that incorporates appropriate hygiene, nutrition, and administration of vaccines (depending on strict age-defined schedules) provides a basis for ensuring growth, development, and an immune response that is age appropriate.”
Assessment:
(Analyze and explain why this source is credible)
15 pts
I feel that this source is credible because the URL ends with .org. Also, this article came directly from an academic journal, which makes it contain extremely credible information.
Reflection:
(How will you potentially use it?)
25 pts
“Essentials of Infection Prevention in the Pediatric Population” can potentially be very helpful in my research. I plan on using this article as a way to help reference the importance of prevention, as well as methods of prevention. This article has some valuable information that will come in handy.
16. Written Proposal (1/18/18)
Why is it important for me as a pediatrician to identify an emphasis on prevention for children? Since I first drafted this question earlier in the school year, it hasn’t changed. This is because I feel like before entering children-related medical fields it is important to know the answer to the question. I understand from a moral and logical point of view why prevention is so important in pediatrics but I want to know the deeper meaning and medical thinking of an answer. Discovering the deeper answer to my question and reaching full understanding of that answer is what is driving my research.
During the presentation portion of my Capstone research project, I plan on incorporating either a brochure/ pamphlet or an informative website. I feel that in order to fully grasp the audience’s attention and help them fully understand my research these ideas are needed. As for the real inquiries portion of the website, I plan on getting the opinions of doctors/ medical help whom already work in the field. I can sit down and interview many different people in the office I mentor in. If permitted, I could also send surveys to the parents of our patients in order to get their input on my research.
15. Interview (1/10/18)
Q1: What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis?
A1: Setting up the Lab in the morning, vitals, charting, and vaccines
These skills that she told me are especially important to prevention in Pediatrics. As the nurse, she is the first person that hears the patient’s needs and having the skills can help make sure we can prevent any harmful diseases. Also, having the skill to properly give a vaccine is extremely important to a patient’s health because those vaccines protect the patient.
Q2: Can you describe your typical workday?
A2: Once I get to the office I turn the lights on in all of the patient rooms, record the temperatures of the fridge and freezer in the lab, and make sure that the hemoglobin and the cholesterol machines are working properly. By that time, usually the eight o’clock appointment has arrived. So I first prepare the room for the patient and then I bring them back. If they are able to stand by themselves then I usually grab weight and height before going to the room. Once in the room, I then work them up by asking questions about the patient’s medical history, environment, and condition. If I have any downtime I usually complete visit documents for the next day’s patients. We eat lunch around eleven thirty. After lunch I finish the rest of the appointments for the day. Finally, at the end of the day I stock rooms, make sure sharp containers are empty and put the needles all in the melter, and record the temperatures of the fridge and freezer again.
There is a reason why this nurse has a specific process to her day. This process makes sure that no important things are left out. Therefore, we won’t miss any of our patient’s concerns of anything wrong with his or her health.
Q3: What parts of your job do you find most challenging?
A3: Dealing with difficult parents. Personally, I struggle with patients that aren’t fully cognitively developed, such as autistic children. The other nurse is much better at it than I.
Unfortunately, dealing with difficult people is a part of every job. However, it is important how you speak with the difficult person. Even though this nurse struggles with this, I have seen her with a difficult parents and she always stays calm. When you don’t stay calm there are most likely to not come back to the practice which could hurt their child’s health. Her personal struggle of dealing with patients that aren’t fully cognitively developed is something that is understandable. Some people are just better with these type of patients than other. Therefore, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this struggle of hers.
Q4: What do you find most enjoyable about your job?
A4: My co-workers and the environment they create. We all are very supportive of each other.
A good work environment is extremely important in any job. The work environment that is created at One Family is definitely one that most people desire to have. Since the work environment is so great workers are more likely to love their job and do it correctly. Also, the doctor and nurses are able to collaborate more effectively.
Q5: Are there any negatives to your job?
A5: The commute, but I can’t control that so nothing.
The fact that the negative is something that isn’t directly in her work day shows how much she enjoys her job, which has positive impacts on the patients.
Q6: How many hours do you typically work in a week?
A6: 37-40 hours
This profession isn’t easy, but another thing that improves the workers is the flexibility. Workers at One Family get off after 4 on Monday thru Thursday, get off after 3 on Fridays, and get the weekend off.
Q7: How does working at One Family compare to working anywhere else?
A7: Well my previous jobs have been in the restaurant industry so One Family has been much different. It’s definitely slower paced than a restaurant. There is a better environment for my mental health here than at my previous jobs.
Once again, her response shows me how great of a work environment that One Family has created which can cause workers to flourish and do their job correctly.
Q8: Is there anything that has surprised you about your job?
A8: Yes, how calm the environment is and the company’s willingness to teach
I think that her response of the company’s willingness to teach is so important. This is because there’s nothing more important than teaching the future of the medical field, and especially in such a supportive environment.
Q9: What advice can you give to students entering the medical/nursing field?
A9: Don’t assume anything
I really like her response to my question because she is absolutely correct. As a nurse or a doctor you can assume anything about the patient’s health or history.
Q10: What experiences have best prepared you for your job?
A10: I have a four-year old son who in the past has has misdiagnosed lung issues. So, due to that experience I am really good at detecting patient’s lung issues because I know exactly what to listen for.
Being a mother can make you a great nurse. This nurse’s example is exactly what I’m talking about. And because of the multiple misdiagnoses that her son has had, none of her patients will have a misdiagnoses. (which is the most important thing). Also, since she has had a child and she is working in pediatrics, she is able to connect with the patient’s and the patient’s parents more.
14. Career Field Research Project (12/17/17)
I did my project of the occupation of a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Here is the link to my presentation:
https://www.emaze.com/@AOOCFZRQQ/hmp-midterm-assignment
13. Partner in Your Education (11/29/17)
I feel that my internship is a “partner to my education” because they have helped me explore the medical field. Through my internship, I have been able to get a look at what a career within pediatrics really looks like and what it’s like to work with kids. I have made my supervisor’s life easier because I always try to make everything look neat. I also help her with projects that she needs done around the office. While at my internship, I have learned about one new job. That job is a nurse practitioner. I think the career of a nurse practitioner is more suitable for me. In comparison to a physician’s assistant, a nurse practitioner doesn’t have to work under a doctor and can start their own practice.
12. My Essential Question: Why is it so important for me as a Pediatrician to identify an emphasis on prevention for children? (11/13/18)
I selected this as my essential question because I find it interesting that the field of pediatrics is so different than any other medical field of study. Pediatrics is different because recently pediatricians have been creating more of an emphasis on prevention. The answer to this question can help me understand this emphasis. Also, it can help me better understand what pediatrics is really all about. My question fuels my desire to find out more about pediatrics because the answer will allow a foundation to be set. This foundation will help me in my future in the pediatric field of study. It will change the way I may approach helping my patients. In conclusion, my essential question sets the stage for discovering why there is such a strong emphasis on prevention in the pediatric field of study.
11. Mentorship Write Up/ Picture (11/1/17)
My Profile: My name is Lauren and I am a senior at West Forsyth High School. I began to become interested in the medical field when I took an Anatomy course junior year. I enjoyed learning about the body and how it is interconnected. When starting my mentorship, I knew that the medical field was where I wanted to be, but I didn’t know exactly what specialization I wanted to mentor under. As I began to think I noticed that I enjoy being around kids. I decided to give pediatrics a try and I have enjoyed it a lot.
My Mentorship: I am mentoring at One Family Pediatrics. When mentoring, I typically shadow and help either of the two nurses, Taylor and Julie. I help them take patients vitals. Vitals can include blood pressure, weight, and height. I also help prepare immunizations.
My Future: My plan for the next year is to go to the University of Alabama at Birmingham and either study biomedical sciences or pre-nursing. My overall goal is to become either a Physician’s Assistant or Nurse Practitioner. The mentorship helps me reach my goal because it allows me to have background experience in the field I am going into. It also helps me determine whether this is the field of study I want to be in.
10. Internship Update (10/24/17)
When I first began my internship I thought that I would only be observing. However, I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to get a hands on experience. Instead of listening to what the nurse or doctor was saying to the patients, I was able to help take blood pressure, temperature, weight, do an eye screen, and do a hearing test. What surprises me the most about my internship is how well all the employees get along. They all have become friends and are able to work really well together. I have learned a lot through my internship. I have learned that there’s more work that has to be done than just seeing patients. I have really enjoyed my time at my mentorship so far.
9. Reflection (Step 3 of Creating an Annotated Bibliography) (10/21/17)
The article, “Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease with Orthomolecular and Lifestyle Interventions” by Laurie Mischley, helps with my research because it gives me insight to methods to prevent Alzheimer’s, risk factors of the disease, and red flags of a person developing it. Before I read this article, I didn’t know that there was a way to prevent Alzheimer’s. I thought it was something that was unpreventable. This source was extremely helpful. This source could relate to my potential topic. However, it would be used as more of background information rather than experiments. The parts of the article that I could use in the future are the parts about the diets that can be used to prevent the disease and the risk factors of the disease.
8. Graphic Organizer (Step 2 of Creating an Annotated Bibliography) (10/9/17)
Source #____ Bibliography
(MLA or APA)
Mischley, Laurie. "Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease with Orthomolecular and Lifestyle Interventions." Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, vol. 27, no. 1, Mar. 2012, pp. 21-28. EBSCOhost, proxygsu-sfor.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=awh&AN=74315273&site=ehost-live.
Annotation:
(Describe ALL info. that might be important for your paper. Explain to the reader and/or summarize what might be found in this source)
This article describes all of the prevention and treatment methods of Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s is one of the most common form of dementia. Unfortunately, there isn’t a guaranteed method to cure this terrible disease. Although, it has been found that Alzheimer’s comes from genetics, there are also some modifiable risk factors such as the environment, Cardiovascular disease, and Homocysteine. There are a few ways that can be used to prevent the disease. Diets such as the Mediterranean diet, Low-carbohydrate diet, and nutrient-dense foods can help with prevention. While the outside factors can impact the likelihood of Alzheimer’s, lifestyle interventions can play a significant role in prevention.
Potential Quotes:
(Are there any significant quotes you can use or paraphrase from this source?)
“This condition is characterized by a progressive loss of memory, increased apathy, and deterioration of a variety of intellectual functions.”
“An accumulation of protein deposits, inflammation, and loss of both structure and function are hallmarks of the disease process.”
“Age is the greatest risk factor for developing AD…”
Assessment:
(Analyze and explain why this source is credible)
I found this source to be credible for two reasons. One reason is that it is a peer-reviewed source. The second reason is that the author uses many facts and studies.
Reflection:
(How will you potentially use it?)
I could potentially use this article as a reference to see if there is any way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease beginning when a person is a child.
7. Growing Leaders (9/19/17)
In his blog, Growing Leaders, Tim Elmore describes an issue that his friend addressed. Tim’s friend had a terrible experience with six summer interns. He found that they lacked top qualities that most interns should have. They weren’t prepared for the for the real world. Tim suggests to his friend that he should change their perspective. “From this point on, he should let those students know: An internship is a twelve-week interview. It’s a simulation of the job you’ll have one day.” This statement makes the interns realize how serious the internship is and that they should treat it in such way. He then goes on to describe the top qualities that mentor look for in an intern: teachability, initiative, responsibility, and energy.
Applying these top four qualities into my mentorship can set me up for overall success. It’s important that I leave a good impression, but it’s also important that I show my mentor how hard of a working I am. If they see that I am a well-rounded student, I could always use them for references for applications. A few concrete things I can do to leave a lasting impression during my year-long interview is to take initiative, stay off my phone, and doing tasks without or before being asked.
Tim Elmore’s blog can be found at http://growingleaders.com/
6. Work Ethic (9/13/17)
Work ethic can be characterized as a cultural norm that advocates for one being accountable and responsible for the work he or she does. Your work ethic is extremely important in a work or school situation. It shows people the type of employee or student you are or will become. Many characteristics of a person with work ethic can be summed up into three groups: interpersonal skills, initiative, and being dependable.
For this assignment, I used the Occupational Work Ethic Inventory (OWEI) to find out my interpersonal, initiative, and dependability scores. In this quiz-like instrument, I was given a set of characteristic and I had to rate them on the amount of times I have shown the specific characteristic. At the end, I was given different scores for each group. For interpersonal, my score was a 6.56 out of 7. For initiative, my score was a 5.75 out of 7. Finally, for dependability, my score was a 6.29 out of 7. I then compared these to the average for females. I found that my scores were around the averages given. One thing I did notice is that I thought my initiative score was a little lower than I has expected. I learned that I need to work on taking initiative more often. I need to keep this in mind for my mentorship this year.
If you would like to take the OWEI as well here is the link: http://workethic.coe.uga.edu/cgi-bin/new_owei/owei.pl
5. Communication (9/12/17)
Communication is extremely important in any relationship, whether it’s between family, friends, or an employer. Although, usually we could be conveying the same message, the way we communicate this message can vary depending on who the person is. For the most part, you aren’t going to communicate with your friends the same way you would with your family or employer. The different types of communication can depend on the expectations in a situation.
Communication with friends can occur in one type. The main type of communication is verbal communication. Verbal communication with friends can be different than verbal communication with family because you tend to tell your friends more than you would tell your family. Your expectation of a friend is that you can tell them anything and they’ll be there for you. Communication with family can occur in two types. Similar to friends, communication with family can happen through verbal communication. The verbal communication with family can differ from friends in the way that you tell your family less. Most of the things you can talk about with family is school related. Another way of communication that occurs with family is nonverbal communication. Your family has known you the longest, so they know the nonverbal signs that you show when something is wrong. Your expectation of family is that they will love you unconditionally, and are able to truly interpret the way you are acting. Finally, communication with an employer is mainly nonverbal communication. You communicate with your employer by showing them that you are responsible and a hard-worker. In this situation, actions speak louder than words. The expectations for an employer are much different than those of friends and family. Your expectations for an employer is that they want to see you being a good employee. Therefore, you feel pressured to do so.
When beginning my mentorship, I would like to show her that I am a responsible and hard-working person. Most of the communication that you see with a mentor would be nonverbal communication. However, I would like to add a little of verbal communication. By doing this, I will be able to get a full learning experience.
4. Getting Ready for Your Mentor (9/4/17)
The article “Making the Most of Your Internship or Co-op” gives many resourceful tips on how to make the most of your internship. Many of the tips Juliette McDonald gives us seem like common sense when reading the article, but they are also things many forget. These tips also gave me a different perspective. I know that my internship is a way for me to learn and get hands on experience, but I never thought that it could open up doorways for future jobs. I already demonstrate a few of the do’s that McDonald talks about, and I would like to try and implement them all from now in my internship.
Hello! My name is Lauren Prinke. This past year I have been mentoring at One Family Pediatrics under the mentor Laraleigh, the nurse manager. For the honor mentorship course, I had to choose an essential question to research. I chose to research the question of Why is it important for medical assistants in the pediatric field to identify an emphasis on prevention. I decided on this essential question because prevention is extremely important in the Pediatric field, so I wanted to know the reasons behind that. After some research on the topic, I discovered information that expanded my knowledge. I learned that prevention in the pediatric field is a life or death matter, which never occurred to me before. I learned that many medical facilities have rules and regulations that all medical staff must follow in order to ensure that less patients get diseases. This is why many pediatric offices and hospitals recommend immunizations and give screenings for many diseases. I know for a fact that One Family Pediatrics does this. I have really enjoyed my time at my mentorship and being able to expand my knowledge on the pediatric field.
23. Relevant Group Presentation (3/21/18)
Today, I watched a video on how to become a more confident speaker. The video gave me a great insight because I too am a little afraid of public speaking. In the video they talked about the 3 P’s. Prepare, posture and physicality, and pander to your audience. Personally, the three P’s sound easy, and will be extremely helpful in my upcoming presentation. At UNG, I also take a public speaking class. Something I’ve learned in that class has also helped me extremely. That is power posing. Something else that was mentioned in the video was a worksheet to help organize your thought. This little work sheet will be very helpful to me because sometimes I am so overwhelmed with my thoughts. When I have the worksheet I’m able to have all my thoughts in one place, which makes it easier to prepare. In my upcoming presentation I plan on using all of the 3 P’s and power posing in order to gain a little more confidence.
Here’s the link to the “How to Become a More Confident Speaker” video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tShavGuo0_E
Here’s the link to the worksheet: http://static.tumblr.com/nw2r6wp/2LAmj0c61/publicspeaking.pdf
21. Annotated Bibliography 3 (2/21/18)
Source/ Bibliography:
Larsen, L., et al. "Childhood Obesity: Prevention Practices of Nurse Practitioners."Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, vol. 18, no. 2, 2006, pp. 70-9, Nursing & Allied Health Database, http://libproxy.ung.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/212806669?accountid=159965.
Summary:
The article, “Childhood Obesity: Prevention Practices of Nurse Practitioners”, is an article that seeks to find out why childhood obesity has increased so much in recent years. The authors described that some people believe that childhood obesity is a rapidly increasing issue because of the child’s environment and social trends. It was found that children who have a low socioeconomic status are at a higher risk of obesity. The article also shows the readers why controlling childhood obesity is so important. The authors then continue on to describe an experiment that they conducted. In the experiment they asked 99 Nurse Practitioners how often they routinely calculated BMI and screened for overweight, counseled parents about proper nutrition practices, physical activity, and parenting skills, took dietary, physical activity, and television histories, and specifically identified and targeted at-risk children. In the results they found that even though the majority were aware of the guidelines they didn’t always stick to them.
Potential Quotes:
“The dramatic rise in childhood obesity cannot be ignored because the literature indicates that childhood and adolescent obesity often continue into adulthood and are associated with considerable morbidity and increased mortality.” The quote can easily be paraphrased. Also, I feel that it is necessary to include this quote in my research because it shows a specific example of what may occur if preventive techniques are not utilized. “Once a child becomes overweight, treatment to decrease weight is very difficult and often unsuccessful (AAP, 2003).” This can be extremely useful to me because it shows that addressing the issue after it has already progressed can be much more difficult than if the issue was prevented.
Assessment/ Evaluation of Source:
This source is credible because I found it on Galileo. It also is a peer-review source. The authors are professionals in the medical field. Three out of the four of the authors have their PhDs. The authors are unbiased. I can tell that they are unbiased because they back themselves up with facts and an experiment.
Reflection:
This article fits into my potential research because it allows me to give a specific example of where prevention is needed in the medical field. Also, the experiment and research done in the article help prove my research to be credible and reliable. This source was extremely helpful to me. Not only will I be able to use it in my future research, but it also gave me an understanding of prevention.
19. Capstone Updates (2/5/18)
For my Capstone project, I am currently working on gathering more information on prevention in pediatrics in order to help answer my essential question. I am trying to find articles with more shown research to back up the answer. In the following week or weeks, I also plan on putting together my visuals. I am thinking that I will use a brochure that I will be able to handout. The brochure will have some brief information and graphs.
18. Annotated Bibliography 2 (2/1/18)
Source/ Bibliography
Koutlakis-Barron, Irene, and Hayden, Tina Ann. “Essentials of Infection Prevention in the Pediatric Population.” International Journal of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, vol. 3, no. 4, Dec. 2016, pp. 143–152., doaj.org/article/66ac985da18a4a73923c4bb15b0497c3.
I wrote this bibliographic entry according to MLA guidelines.
Summary
In the article “Essentials of Infection Prevention in the Pediatric Population”, the authors describe why there is a need of prevention in the medical field specifically in pediatrics. The readers learn that if it weren’t for prevention and regulation the likelihood of death would be much greater. We learned that the reason that prevention in pediatrics is the most important is because of the fact that younger children are still growing and therefore are most susceptible to disease. Also, children can be exposed to many more diseases than the adult population. The authors go on to explain the ten different categories of exposing factors in which pediatrician should focus on and are the most important. We also learn the suggested strategies to combat these exposing factors.
Potential Quotes
This article is loaded with valuable information that can be very helpful to me. In the article, Table 1 describes infection prevention & control risk mitigation strategies. This can be helpful when describing the specific important strategies of prevention. In the first paragraph of the introduction the authors write, “Infections within any healthcare institution can be avoidable when dealt with appropriately. If infections are ignored or proactive strategies are not applied, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) will result in patient morbidity, mortality, and additional resource use.” This specific quote describes what outcomes can occur if prevention is not a priority. In the second paragraph of the introduction the authors write, “If stringent measures are not applied, the pediatric population is at equal, if not at higher, risk of infection or injury compared to adolescents and/or adults.” This is important because it states that the pediatric population is at a higher risk for disease and therefore needs more prevention strategies in that field. In the first paragraph of the discussion section of the article the authors write, “Children may not always display symptoms or have the ability to implement and understand strategies that are instigated for their own care, and therefore, diligent attention and supervision is required by caregivers. Ensuring family-centered care that incorporates appropriate hygiene, nutrition, and administration of vaccines (depending on strict age-defined schedules) provides a basis for ensuring growth, development, and an immune response that is age appropriate.” This quote is important because it displays the areas in which must be monitored the closest in a child’s life.
Assessment/ Evaluation of Source
I feel that this source is reliable for many reasons. The website in which I found it on ends in .org. Non-profit organizational websites are known for being valid but have some bias. However, I feel that the amount of bias in this article is very minimal due to the fact that it originally comes from a well-known and accredited journal. Irene Koutlakis-Barron is a known doctor that has brought many scientific contributions to the medical field. This article was published by Elsevier and the research was funded and supported by King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre. This source is fairly new and current. The article was published about 17 weeks ago. Also, all of the article’s references are from 2000 and on. Also, all of the links to their references are accessible. Another reason why this article is credible is because it was found on Galileo.
Reflection
This article fits to my research perfectly. It helps me seek and fully understand the answer to my research question. The article relates to my topic because it fully explains why prevention is so important and prevention strategies. I feel that if and when I use this article in my research it can help my readers to understand exactly what prevention is and why it is so important especially in children. When using this article in my research I will most likely use text about prevention in children. I also find the tables very helpful. Therefore, I will be using those as well.
17. Graphic Organizer 2 (1/23/18)
Bibliography
(MLA or APA)
10 pts
Koutlakis-Barron, Irene, and Tina Ann Hayden. “Essentials of infection prevention in the pediatric population.” International Journal of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, vol. 3, no. 4, Dec. 2016, pp. 143–152., doaj.org/article/66ac985da18a4a73923c4bb15b0497c3.
Annotation:
(Describe ALL info. that might be important for your paper. Explain to the reader and/or summarize what might be found in this source)
35 pts
In this article, it describes what could happen if the medical field didn’t have an importance in prevention. If they didn’t focus on prevention it could cause death and disease, especially in the pediatric patients. The article also identifies 10 different categories in which pediatricians need to monitor, and it also listed strategies to combat these.
Potential Quotes:
(Are there any significant quotes you can use or paraphrase from this source?)
15 pts
I can definitely use Table 1 as a reference.
“Infections within any healthcare institution can be avoidable when dealt with appropriately. If infections are ignored or proactive strategies are not applied, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) will result in patient morbidity, mortality, and additional resource use.”
“If stringent measures are not applied, the pediatric population is at equal, if not at higher, risk of infection or injury compared to adolescents and/or adults.”
“Children may not always display symptoms or have the ability to implement and understand strategies that are instigated for their own care, and therefore, diligent attention and supervision is required by caregivers. Ensuring family-centered care that incorporates appropriate hygiene, nutrition, and administration of vaccines (depending on strict age-defined schedules) provides a basis for ensuring growth, development, and an immune response that is age appropriate.”
Assessment:
(Analyze and explain why this source is credible)
15 pts
I feel that this source is credible because the URL ends with .org. Also, this article came directly from an academic journal, which makes it contain extremely credible information.
Reflection:
(How will you potentially use it?)
25 pts
“Essentials of Infection Prevention in the Pediatric Population” can potentially be very helpful in my research. I plan on using this article as a way to help reference the importance of prevention, as well as methods of prevention. This article has some valuable information that will come in handy.
16. Written Proposal (1/18/18)
Why is it important for me as a pediatrician to identify an emphasis on prevention for children? Since I first drafted this question earlier in the school year, it hasn’t changed. This is because I feel like before entering children-related medical fields it is important to know the answer to the question. I understand from a moral and logical point of view why prevention is so important in pediatrics but I want to know the deeper meaning and medical thinking of an answer. Discovering the deeper answer to my question and reaching full understanding of that answer is what is driving my research.
During the presentation portion of my Capstone research project, I plan on incorporating either a brochure/ pamphlet or an informative website. I feel that in order to fully grasp the audience’s attention and help them fully understand my research these ideas are needed. As for the real inquiries portion of the website, I plan on getting the opinions of doctors/ medical help whom already work in the field. I can sit down and interview many different people in the office I mentor in. If permitted, I could also send surveys to the parents of our patients in order to get their input on my research.
15. Interview (1/10/18)
Q1: What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis?
A1: Setting up the Lab in the morning, vitals, charting, and vaccines
These skills that she told me are especially important to prevention in Pediatrics. As the nurse, she is the first person that hears the patient’s needs and having the skills can help make sure we can prevent any harmful diseases. Also, having the skill to properly give a vaccine is extremely important to a patient’s health because those vaccines protect the patient.
Q2: Can you describe your typical workday?
A2: Once I get to the office I turn the lights on in all of the patient rooms, record the temperatures of the fridge and freezer in the lab, and make sure that the hemoglobin and the cholesterol machines are working properly. By that time, usually the eight o’clock appointment has arrived. So I first prepare the room for the patient and then I bring them back. If they are able to stand by themselves then I usually grab weight and height before going to the room. Once in the room, I then work them up by asking questions about the patient’s medical history, environment, and condition. If I have any downtime I usually complete visit documents for the next day’s patients. We eat lunch around eleven thirty. After lunch I finish the rest of the appointments for the day. Finally, at the end of the day I stock rooms, make sure sharp containers are empty and put the needles all in the melter, and record the temperatures of the fridge and freezer again.
There is a reason why this nurse has a specific process to her day. This process makes sure that no important things are left out. Therefore, we won’t miss any of our patient’s concerns of anything wrong with his or her health.
Q3: What parts of your job do you find most challenging?
A3: Dealing with difficult parents. Personally, I struggle with patients that aren’t fully cognitively developed, such as autistic children. The other nurse is much better at it than I.
Unfortunately, dealing with difficult people is a part of every job. However, it is important how you speak with the difficult person. Even though this nurse struggles with this, I have seen her with a difficult parents and she always stays calm. When you don’t stay calm there are most likely to not come back to the practice which could hurt their child’s health. Her personal struggle of dealing with patients that aren’t fully cognitively developed is something that is understandable. Some people are just better with these type of patients than other. Therefore, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this struggle of hers.
Q4: What do you find most enjoyable about your job?
A4: My co-workers and the environment they create. We all are very supportive of each other.
A good work environment is extremely important in any job. The work environment that is created at One Family is definitely one that most people desire to have. Since the work environment is so great workers are more likely to love their job and do it correctly. Also, the doctor and nurses are able to collaborate more effectively.
Q5: Are there any negatives to your job?
A5: The commute, but I can’t control that so nothing.
The fact that the negative is something that isn’t directly in her work day shows how much she enjoys her job, which has positive impacts on the patients.
Q6: How many hours do you typically work in a week?
A6: 37-40 hours
This profession isn’t easy, but another thing that improves the workers is the flexibility. Workers at One Family get off after 4 on Monday thru Thursday, get off after 3 on Fridays, and get the weekend off.
Q7: How does working at One Family compare to working anywhere else?
A7: Well my previous jobs have been in the restaurant industry so One Family has been much different. It’s definitely slower paced than a restaurant. There is a better environment for my mental health here than at my previous jobs.
Once again, her response shows me how great of a work environment that One Family has created which can cause workers to flourish and do their job correctly.
Q8: Is there anything that has surprised you about your job?
A8: Yes, how calm the environment is and the company’s willingness to teach
I think that her response of the company’s willingness to teach is so important. This is because there’s nothing more important than teaching the future of the medical field, and especially in such a supportive environment.
Q9: What advice can you give to students entering the medical/nursing field?
A9: Don’t assume anything
I really like her response to my question because she is absolutely correct. As a nurse or a doctor you can assume anything about the patient’s health or history.
Q10: What experiences have best prepared you for your job?
A10: I have a four-year old son who in the past has has misdiagnosed lung issues. So, due to that experience I am really good at detecting patient’s lung issues because I know exactly what to listen for.
Being a mother can make you a great nurse. This nurse’s example is exactly what I’m talking about. And because of the multiple misdiagnoses that her son has had, none of her patients will have a misdiagnoses. (which is the most important thing). Also, since she has had a child and she is working in pediatrics, she is able to connect with the patient’s and the patient’s parents more.
14. Career Field Research Project (12/17/17)
I did my project of the occupation of a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Here is the link to my presentation:
https://www.emaze.com/@AOOCFZRQQ/hmp-midterm-assignment
13. Partner in Your Education (11/29/17)
I feel that my internship is a “partner to my education” because they have helped me explore the medical field. Through my internship, I have been able to get a look at what a career within pediatrics really looks like and what it’s like to work with kids. I have made my supervisor’s life easier because I always try to make everything look neat. I also help her with projects that she needs done around the office. While at my internship, I have learned about one new job. That job is a nurse practitioner. I think the career of a nurse practitioner is more suitable for me. In comparison to a physician’s assistant, a nurse practitioner doesn’t have to work under a doctor and can start their own practice.
12. My Essential Question: Why is it so important for me as a Pediatrician to identify an emphasis on prevention for children? (11/13/18)
I selected this as my essential question because I find it interesting that the field of pediatrics is so different than any other medical field of study. Pediatrics is different because recently pediatricians have been creating more of an emphasis on prevention. The answer to this question can help me understand this emphasis. Also, it can help me better understand what pediatrics is really all about. My question fuels my desire to find out more about pediatrics because the answer will allow a foundation to be set. This foundation will help me in my future in the pediatric field of study. It will change the way I may approach helping my patients. In conclusion, my essential question sets the stage for discovering why there is such a strong emphasis on prevention in the pediatric field of study.
11. Mentorship Write Up/ Picture (11/1/17)
My Profile: My name is Lauren and I am a senior at West Forsyth High School. I began to become interested in the medical field when I took an Anatomy course junior year. I enjoyed learning about the body and how it is interconnected. When starting my mentorship, I knew that the medical field was where I wanted to be, but I didn’t know exactly what specialization I wanted to mentor under. As I began to think I noticed that I enjoy being around kids. I decided to give pediatrics a try and I have enjoyed it a lot.
My Mentorship: I am mentoring at One Family Pediatrics. When mentoring, I typically shadow and help either of the two nurses, Taylor and Julie. I help them take patients vitals. Vitals can include blood pressure, weight, and height. I also help prepare immunizations.
My Future: My plan for the next year is to go to the University of Alabama at Birmingham and either study biomedical sciences or pre-nursing. My overall goal is to become either a Physician’s Assistant or Nurse Practitioner. The mentorship helps me reach my goal because it allows me to have background experience in the field I am going into. It also helps me determine whether this is the field of study I want to be in.
10. Internship Update (10/24/17)
When I first began my internship I thought that I would only be observing. However, I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to get a hands on experience. Instead of listening to what the nurse or doctor was saying to the patients, I was able to help take blood pressure, temperature, weight, do an eye screen, and do a hearing test. What surprises me the most about my internship is how well all the employees get along. They all have become friends and are able to work really well together. I have learned a lot through my internship. I have learned that there’s more work that has to be done than just seeing patients. I have really enjoyed my time at my mentorship so far.
9. Reflection (Step 3 of Creating an Annotated Bibliography) (10/21/17)
The article, “Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease with Orthomolecular and Lifestyle Interventions” by Laurie Mischley, helps with my research because it gives me insight to methods to prevent Alzheimer’s, risk factors of the disease, and red flags of a person developing it. Before I read this article, I didn’t know that there was a way to prevent Alzheimer’s. I thought it was something that was unpreventable. This source was extremely helpful. This source could relate to my potential topic. However, it would be used as more of background information rather than experiments. The parts of the article that I could use in the future are the parts about the diets that can be used to prevent the disease and the risk factors of the disease.
8. Graphic Organizer (Step 2 of Creating an Annotated Bibliography) (10/9/17)
Source #____ Bibliography
(MLA or APA)
Mischley, Laurie. "Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease with Orthomolecular and Lifestyle Interventions." Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, vol. 27, no. 1, Mar. 2012, pp. 21-28. EBSCOhost, proxygsu-sfor.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=awh&AN=74315273&site=ehost-live.
Annotation:
(Describe ALL info. that might be important for your paper. Explain to the reader and/or summarize what might be found in this source)
This article describes all of the prevention and treatment methods of Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s is one of the most common form of dementia. Unfortunately, there isn’t a guaranteed method to cure this terrible disease. Although, it has been found that Alzheimer’s comes from genetics, there are also some modifiable risk factors such as the environment, Cardiovascular disease, and Homocysteine. There are a few ways that can be used to prevent the disease. Diets such as the Mediterranean diet, Low-carbohydrate diet, and nutrient-dense foods can help with prevention. While the outside factors can impact the likelihood of Alzheimer’s, lifestyle interventions can play a significant role in prevention.
Potential Quotes:
(Are there any significant quotes you can use or paraphrase from this source?)
“This condition is characterized by a progressive loss of memory, increased apathy, and deterioration of a variety of intellectual functions.”
“An accumulation of protein deposits, inflammation, and loss of both structure and function are hallmarks of the disease process.”
“Age is the greatest risk factor for developing AD…”
Assessment:
(Analyze and explain why this source is credible)
I found this source to be credible for two reasons. One reason is that it is a peer-reviewed source. The second reason is that the author uses many facts and studies.
Reflection:
(How will you potentially use it?)
I could potentially use this article as a reference to see if there is any way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease beginning when a person is a child.
7. Growing Leaders (9/19/17)
In his blog, Growing Leaders, Tim Elmore describes an issue that his friend addressed. Tim’s friend had a terrible experience with six summer interns. He found that they lacked top qualities that most interns should have. They weren’t prepared for the for the real world. Tim suggests to his friend that he should change their perspective. “From this point on, he should let those students know: An internship is a twelve-week interview. It’s a simulation of the job you’ll have one day.” This statement makes the interns realize how serious the internship is and that they should treat it in such way. He then goes on to describe the top qualities that mentor look for in an intern: teachability, initiative, responsibility, and energy.
Applying these top four qualities into my mentorship can set me up for overall success. It’s important that I leave a good impression, but it’s also important that I show my mentor how hard of a working I am. If they see that I am a well-rounded student, I could always use them for references for applications. A few concrete things I can do to leave a lasting impression during my year-long interview is to take initiative, stay off my phone, and doing tasks without or before being asked.
Tim Elmore’s blog can be found at http://growingleaders.com/
6. Work Ethic (9/13/17)
Work ethic can be characterized as a cultural norm that advocates for one being accountable and responsible for the work he or she does. Your work ethic is extremely important in a work or school situation. It shows people the type of employee or student you are or will become. Many characteristics of a person with work ethic can be summed up into three groups: interpersonal skills, initiative, and being dependable.
For this assignment, I used the Occupational Work Ethic Inventory (OWEI) to find out my interpersonal, initiative, and dependability scores. In this quiz-like instrument, I was given a set of characteristic and I had to rate them on the amount of times I have shown the specific characteristic. At the end, I was given different scores for each group. For interpersonal, my score was a 6.56 out of 7. For initiative, my score was a 5.75 out of 7. Finally, for dependability, my score was a 6.29 out of 7. I then compared these to the average for females. I found that my scores were around the averages given. One thing I did notice is that I thought my initiative score was a little lower than I has expected. I learned that I need to work on taking initiative more often. I need to keep this in mind for my mentorship this year.
If you would like to take the OWEI as well here is the link: http://workethic.coe.uga.edu/cgi-bin/new_owei/owei.pl
5. Communication (9/12/17)
Communication is extremely important in any relationship, whether it’s between family, friends, or an employer. Although, usually we could be conveying the same message, the way we communicate this message can vary depending on who the person is. For the most part, you aren’t going to communicate with your friends the same way you would with your family or employer. The different types of communication can depend on the expectations in a situation.
Communication with friends can occur in one type. The main type of communication is verbal communication. Verbal communication with friends can be different than verbal communication with family because you tend to tell your friends more than you would tell your family. Your expectation of a friend is that you can tell them anything and they’ll be there for you. Communication with family can occur in two types. Similar to friends, communication with family can happen through verbal communication. The verbal communication with family can differ from friends in the way that you tell your family less. Most of the things you can talk about with family is school related. Another way of communication that occurs with family is nonverbal communication. Your family has known you the longest, so they know the nonverbal signs that you show when something is wrong. Your expectation of family is that they will love you unconditionally, and are able to truly interpret the way you are acting. Finally, communication with an employer is mainly nonverbal communication. You communicate with your employer by showing them that you are responsible and a hard-worker. In this situation, actions speak louder than words. The expectations for an employer are much different than those of friends and family. Your expectations for an employer is that they want to see you being a good employee. Therefore, you feel pressured to do so.
When beginning my mentorship, I would like to show her that I am a responsible and hard-working person. Most of the communication that you see with a mentor would be nonverbal communication. However, I would like to add a little of verbal communication. By doing this, I will be able to get a full learning experience.
4. Getting Ready for Your Mentor (9/4/17)
The article “Making the Most of Your Internship or Co-op” gives many resourceful tips on how to make the most of your internship. Many of the tips Juliette McDonald gives us seem like common sense when reading the article, but they are also things many forget. These tips also gave me a different perspective. I know that my internship is a way for me to learn and get hands on experience, but I never thought that it could open up doorways for future jobs. I already demonstrate a few of the do’s that McDonald talks about, and I would like to try and implement them all from now in my internship.
2b. Leadership (8/29/17)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3OzSgJQvNw
Thomas shows leadership by seeing that there is the problem of pollution. He then look initiative by being involved in protests and cleaning up litter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3OzSgJQvNw
Thomas shows leadership by seeing that there is the problem of pollution. He then look initiative by being involved in protests and cleaning up litter.
2a. Leadership (8/29/17)
JD Russo brought to light many problems with our society. His statement that it’s not the fact that people don’t know about the problems of our world it’s that they don’t care. I find this saddening because all it takes for some problems to be helped is for people to care. Unfortunately, it seems that it’s almost the human nature to not care about how our actions impact everything in our world. This can pertain to my mentorship in the fact that in the medical field, if a few doctors stop caring a lot can go wrong. If professionals stop caring, people could die. If researchers in the medical field stopped caring, then there wouldn’t be life-saving advancements. Through my mentorship and in my life, I plan on caring about my patients. By caring about my patients I can help save them and make the world a better place.
1. Preparing for Mentorship (8/21/17)
I felt that the First Impressions Podcast and the Knowing your Mentor handout were extremely insightful. Most of the information in these two resources seem like common sense for most people such as smiling, having a good attitude, dressing appropriately, and staying off your phone. However, some of the information I never thought about when working at a new job/mentorship. Specifically, I heard this information from the podcast. During the podcast, the speaker talked about how you should surround yourself with other hardworking employees. She also said that you shouldn’t get involved with the “office drama”. Both of these statements seem like common sense when you stop to think about it. But, majority of the time most of us don’t stop to think about who we are associating ourselves with until after we become guilty by association. The information given in the podcast and handout is information that many people can learn from.
As I prepare to begin my mentorship, I must keep in mind why I am doing this and what I want to get out of it. This mentorship can prepare me for my future job. I want to be either a Physician’s Assistant or Nurse Practitioner in pediatrics. Therefore, having a mentorship in a pediatric office will allow me to get a true feel for what I could be doing as my career. One thing I really would like to be able to gain from this experience is knowledge. Knowledge of what this field is all about and whether or not I feel like this is the right fit for me. In order to get what I would like out of this mentorship I must be able to ask questions. If I don’t ask questions, then I could end up confused and I won’t get a full experience. I am looking forward to this amazing opportunity that I have been given.
JD Russo brought to light many problems with our society. His statement that it’s not the fact that people don’t know about the problems of our world it’s that they don’t care. I find this saddening because all it takes for some problems to be helped is for people to care. Unfortunately, it seems that it’s almost the human nature to not care about how our actions impact everything in our world. This can pertain to my mentorship in the fact that in the medical field, if a few doctors stop caring a lot can go wrong. If professionals stop caring, people could die. If researchers in the medical field stopped caring, then there wouldn’t be life-saving advancements. Through my mentorship and in my life, I plan on caring about my patients. By caring about my patients I can help save them and make the world a better place.
1. Preparing for Mentorship (8/21/17)
I felt that the First Impressions Podcast and the Knowing your Mentor handout were extremely insightful. Most of the information in these two resources seem like common sense for most people such as smiling, having a good attitude, dressing appropriately, and staying off your phone. However, some of the information I never thought about when working at a new job/mentorship. Specifically, I heard this information from the podcast. During the podcast, the speaker talked about how you should surround yourself with other hardworking employees. She also said that you shouldn’t get involved with the “office drama”. Both of these statements seem like common sense when you stop to think about it. But, majority of the time most of us don’t stop to think about who we are associating ourselves with until after we become guilty by association. The information given in the podcast and handout is information that many people can learn from.
As I prepare to begin my mentorship, I must keep in mind why I am doing this and what I want to get out of it. This mentorship can prepare me for my future job. I want to be either a Physician’s Assistant or Nurse Practitioner in pediatrics. Therefore, having a mentorship in a pediatric office will allow me to get a true feel for what I could be doing as my career. One thing I really would like to be able to gain from this experience is knowledge. Knowledge of what this field is all about and whether or not I feel like this is the right fit for me. In order to get what I would like out of this mentorship I must be able to ask questions. If I don’t ask questions, then I could end up confused and I won’t get a full experience. I am looking forward to this amazing opportunity that I have been given.