Internship - Closing Thoughts

These past three weeks have been some of the most tiring, yet enjoyable weeks of my education. Palomar Hospital and the Clinical Career Extender program has allowed me to really explore the world of healthcare. I got the opportunity to serve many shifts throughout the three weeks and get used to my new department.

How did you make a meaningful contribution to your workplace?

The usual amount of shifts a CCE regularly does is one 4-hour shift a week. During the internship period, I was able to serve two shifts per day, Monday through Friday. 8 hour shifts 5 days at a time was definitely a great way to get used to long work hours. Having served so many shifts, I was able to get much work done. It gave me much more time to interact with the staff nurses and CNAs, as well as the patients. There was no greater feeling than receiving gratitude from the staff and patients for anything I'd do for them, large or small. Even when there wasn't any prominent gratitude, the joy of helping another human being in their vulnerable state was rewarding as it is.

How was your work as an intern meaningful to your education?

Being in a hospital environment has allowed me to learn many different medical terms and vocabulary. I feel like I have absorbed so many of the hospital key words while serving shifts. I learned that the 5 vital signs are Temperature, Blood Pressure, Pulse, Oxygen Saturation, and Respiration. I learned that MRSA stands for Methicilin Resistant Staphyloccocus Aureus, and it's some dangerous stuff. It makes it so easy to communicate with hospital staff when you know what they're talking about.

How was your work significant or meaningful to the world beyond school and your specific internship site?

I think the overall patient experience is useful just about anywhere. It helps one work well with all different kinds of people. When it all comes down to it, human interaction is such a central contribution to society. Being able to communicate well with another person is key to succeeding anywhere.

What qualities or characteristics did you see in the people around you that you want to develop in yourself? Why?

Every single nurse, CNA, doctor, physical therapist, transporter, or anyone involved in patient care that I've ever worked with had one thing in common: they had a passion for people. So many different staff members contribute to the healing process of an individual, and every single one has respect and dedication to human beings. I hope to grow this passion within myself, for it will be one of the main driving forces in my ambitions.

How might internship influence the direction of your life?

I was looking forward to serving so many extra shifts during the internship period, for it would help influence what direction I could take my life. I've always had a childhood love for medicine, and the internship period could either advocate, or discourage me from my dream job. And after 15 total days of work, 8 hours each, except for one 12 hour shift, has helped me decide that yes, the healthcare industry is something I've become even more passionate about. Being able to experience

Internship - Photo Essay TBA

For the sake of HIPAA, patient confidentially, and everyone's safety, the details of the photo essay are TBD for the time being.

Internship - New Rotation, New Department

Today is the beginning of the new CCE rotation, where we all move to a new department, and brand new CCEs arrive to their first shift. My first rotation began on March, and ended yesterday on May 31st. I will be leaving Tower 7: Oncology, and moving to Tower 9: Acute Rehabilitation. My previous floor is where most first timer CCEs go, as it was in my case. This morning, I visited my old floor to see my old home, happily greeted by the nurses and CNA's that I worked with for so long; it was a great feeling. I ran into a level II CCE on her first shift. I was delighted that the nurses asked me to "show her the ropes" and get her accustomed to the various routines of the floor. I showed her that each room's whiteboard needed to have the name and extensions of the Nurse, CNA, and Charge Nurse. I showed her where each and everything we'd need for the floor was located. I taught her how to make a bed, how to make rounds, take vitals, etc. etc. It was a very invigorating feeling teaching another so many of the things you learn the hard way. In retrospect, I'd really enjoy trying another rotation on Tower 7, simply for that reason. But then again, I still have yet to give Tower 9 a chance, and I look forward to seeing the different things I'll experience there.

Internship - Week 1 review

Again, I began my internship as a CCE at the hospital before the Junior year Internship period. Although it wasn't my first time serving shifts, I really became involved once Internship began. I was able to serve 5 consecutive 8-hour shifts from Monday to Friday, and even a 12 hour shift for my last time on Tower 7. I feel like I learned so much during this past week, even though I'll be transitioning to a new department today.

My favorite part thus far has been building a very close relationship with the staff that I work with. The nurses began learning my name, which is fairly rare for CCEs. They became very comfortable asking me for help, and we'd always enjoy conversations. The staff not only felt like the employees I help, but colleagues, equals, and ultimately, friends.

The main part of my work that I'd like to improve is my ability to find tasks to complete. There's often times where the floor is not too busy, patients are content, and nurses are doing computer work. I try my best to get anything that can be done, done. I want to be able to always be on task, doing something. Even if it's a trivial job, it's at least getting something done.

Overall, being at the hospital more and more makes me enjoy it further. I really look forward to the remaining Internship period, and I'd love to continue my internship even through college, if possible.

Internship - Day 4 - Interview

As my internship at Palomar Hospital is not under one single mentor, I asked questions to the various nurses and nurses' assistants about their job. It allows many more perspectives to be heard. I didn't want to interrupt the nurses during their extremely busy workflow, so I asked each a quick question in passing.

Why nursing? What got you interested?

"I knew healthcare was what I wanted to do coming into college, so I went ahead with it."

-Joy, RN

"My husband died in room ***, and after being a mother for a while, I decided to be a nurse"

-Barbara, RN

"I was a caretaker for a few years and thought it wasn't enough. So I'm here today, working here for 11 years."

-Louise, CNA

"It's a very enjoyable, yet stressful job. I find it challenging and fun at the same time."

-Sylvia, CNA

What's a typical workday like?

"Although my priority is my patients, I do spend much time logging in notes into the computer regarding each patient's condition. It's important that this information is tracked and accounted for."

-Megan, RN

"Begins and ends with the patients. They are the number one priority here; We're here to make their recovery more comfortable."

-Grace, RN

"There's really no such thing as a "typical" work day, for every single day has something new to teach us. Some days you'll enjoy it, others you wont. It's important not to neglect any one patient or lessen the care you give them based on what kind of day it is."

-JoDeanne, RN

What is the education required of your position?

"An LVN (licensed vocational nurse) generally requires about 2 years of college, and an RN (registered nurse) anywhere from 4-5 years. One can become a CNA (certified nurse's assistant) in under a year."

-Lorna, LVN

Why did you choose to work here at Palomar Hospital?

"I used to work at nursing homes before coming here, and it's an overall much better place to work."

-Linda, RN

"I like the hospital environment much more than, say a doctor's office or clinic."

-Pacita, CNA

What is your favorite thing about working as a nurse (other than general income)?

"Helping patients, or another human being in general, makes it a very rewarding career"

-General response from all nurses.

Internship - Day 1

Today was the very first day of the 11th grade's Internship program. Each students goes to his or her respective place of internship to begin working for the first time. For Jaleh Najmi and I, though, this will be our 3rd month at our internship thus far.

Today was my very first double shift, from 7am to 3pm; each shift is normally 4 hours at a time. Though it began as any other previous shift I've served, it soon became quite an eventful day. The RN's or CNA's have never called upon me to take patients' vitals signs, though I have been trained to do so. Today I was assigned to take vitals for about half the patients on my floor. These vitals include blood pressure, temperature, Oxygen saturation, pulse, and respiration. It was very enjoyable to test several patients for these diagnostics, and it provided me with a sense of fulfillment in what I do.

The main event of the day, though, was in the morning at about 9:30am. As comprehensive and superb as Palomar's health care service is, patients do inevitably pass away. This was the case for one patient that morning, and 3 of us CCE's were privileged to assist the nurse in the body-bagging process. The group composed of the patient's nurse, a CCE level I (college), Jaleh, and myself. It was definitely a fortuitous moment, for it's a job that's not often done.

It's always a great feeling to assist a patient, even in the most minimal ways. There's a hidden type of gratitude that radiates from a thankful patient, who's in a very vulnerable state. I had a patient who required excessive cleaning and frequent bed changes, for his linens were often soiled. Once you clean up a person's bodily excretions, you feel that intangible gratitude; that the patient trusts and likes you.

"What are you excited about learning through this internship experience?"

My future ambition is to someday become a physician, and I tentatively dream to become an anesthesiologist. Though that's very far in the future, I really hope to begin experiencing what the health care industry is like. I'm excited to learn about the different responsibilities each person has in terms of a patient's care. I'm intrigued by the many different people that contribute to any single patient. I'm also ultimately interested in basic knowledge of diseases, illnesses, medications, human anatomy, etc. It would make a great basis for me to learn from.

Internship - Letter of Intent

Hello,

My name is John Torres, and I am a junior at High Tech High North County this school year. As part of my school’s philosophy of acquiring workplace skills in a real-world environment I am required to complete an in-depth internship in a business setting.

I would love to be given the opportunity to contribute my time and energy at the Palomar Pomerado Health clinic hospital. I've always had an interest in the medical field, and I'd find the chance to volunteer as an intern a privilege.

My internship would entail a three week full time immersion at your work site Monday through Friday, beginning Monday, May 24th, and concluding three weeks later on Friday, June 11th.

I have many past experiences working not only as an intern, but as a worker in general. I spent the last two summers as the assistant IT administrator, performing tasks to help the IT admin. I'm able to prioritize my tasks and current assignments, and I go the extra mile to make quality work. I also adapted to having an authority figure to report to.

My ambition is to gain knowledge and experience in the medical field. I hope to learn about the many basic procedures that are performed every day in hospitals. This experience will provide me with prior knowledge when I aspire to study medicine.

If you have any questions or request any further information feel free to contact my internship advisors.

Dr. Anne Gloag - agloag@hightechhigh.org

Matt Leader - mleader@hightechhigh.org

Jennifer Howard - jhoward@hightechhigh.org

Andrea Frias - afrias@hightechhigh.org