Today was day 10. If that does not speak for itself, I don't know what does. I am a person who thoroughly loves to spend hours, so one can imagine that a trip with 13 other people would exhaust an introvert; it has, but in the best way. Today I spent the day with Homer High School nurse Ella May. I could not have ended my time in Alaska on a better note. I learned so much during my last day. Per usual I like to ask approximately a million question, and Ella May had a response for everything. Probably my favorite part of my day was the time I spend with a student with special needs. I told her where I was from and her immediate response was, "go Gophers;" My heart smiled. The nurse I worked with was actually a nurse practitioner working as nurse, which I found interesting. I am finding this to be more and more common, and it was clarified to me that facilities can only hire a certain number of providers and nurses are then required to work to their highest work capacity, which often can lead to burn out.
Nurse Ella May told me, after I explained my passion for mental health, and my dream job as a psychiatric NP, that I should pursue my dreams and that I would be an amazing nurse practitioner or mental health nurse. I can't even express how much it meant for a woman that I spend about 7 hours with to tell me what she saw in me in such a small pan of time. This trip was so inspirational and makes me even more exciting to get back and attend seven more weeks of class, and then (Lord willing) graduate. I can't wait to see what my future has, I am leaving Alaska inspired in a whole new way.
Nurse Ella May told me, after I explained my passion for mental health, and my dream job as a psychiatric NP, that I should pursue my dreams and that I would be an amazing nurse practitioner or mental health nurse. I can't even express how much it meant for a woman that I spend about 7 hours with to tell me what she saw in me in such a small pan of time. This trip was so inspirational and makes me even more exciting to get back and attend seven more weeks of class, and then (Lord willing) graduate. I can't wait to see what my future has, I am leaving Alaska inspired in a whole new way.