Scarlet nurses issue 2

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3

MICHELLE CASEY: My name is Michelle Casey, and I am a graduating senior of Rut-

gers School of Nursing Class of 2015! I went into nursing because I wanted to

change the lives of those who have eating disorders. Eating disorders are the men-

tal illness with the highest mortality rate. After losing my mom to an eating disorder,

I embarked on my own battle with Anorexia Nervosa, and am now fully recovered.

As a registered speaker with the National Eating Disorders Association, I give talks

around the tri-state area, and my story has been told in The Daily Targum as well as

Seventeen Magazine. This led me to becoming a chapter leader of Project HEAL-

New Jersey Chapter, along with my co-leaders Christina Zapata and Amanda

Parker. We raise money for those who cannot afford treatment for their eating dis-

orders, but feel ready and motivated to receive help. I recently worked on a cam-

paign with z100’s Elvis Duran and the Morning Show with producers and Rutgers

Alums Carla Marie and Sam Coppolino to go make-up free for National Eating Dis-

orders Awareness Week. That week, we raised $1,164.00 with Dolly Moo Body Love,

an all-natural beauty products company, and received national attention through

the support of z100. We are currently planning our spring “Life is Short Eat Dessert

First” Coffeehouse on May 1, 2015 at 7PM at the Glenburn Estate in Riverdale, New

Jersey. We definitely need all hands on deck! If you would like to help, or need re-

sources about eating disorders and the recovery process, please reach out to me

at [email protected]!

“WE TOOK COMMUNITY NURSING TO A WHOLE NEW

LEVEL OF CARE. I EXPERIENCED BEING A LIMITED AND

RESPECTED RESOURCE FOR THE EXTREMELY POOR

AND RURAL. I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS

EXPERIENCE. FRIENDSHIPS GO BEYOND BORDERS,

LANGUAGE, AND CULTURE. I LEARNED MORE FROM

THEM THAN I COULD EVER IMAGINE.”

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MAXIMIZING YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE:

JULIE-ANNE TIANCO COCHABAMBA AND MOROCHATA, BOLIVIA

PROJECT HEAL

HELPS PEOPLE

RECOVER FROM

SERIOUS EATING

DISORDERS AND

ALSO PROMOTES

HEALTHY BODY

IMAGE

APRIL ANCHETA: FIGS? As in the fruit? As in Fig Newtons? Nope—neither. FIGS,

which is an acronym for First-year Interest Group Seminars, is a one-credit course

graded Pass/No-Credit that is offered each fall for freshmen students admitted to

the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences,

and Rutgers Business School on the New Brunswick campus.

What makes FIGS courses unique from other courses offered at Rutgers is that they

are taught completely by select few upperclassmen students called Peer Instruc-

tors. Only two universities in the country offer an opportunity like this one, and Rut-

gers is one of them!

In this upcoming fall of 2016, I will actually be a Peer Instructor for the FIGS section

Exploring Nursing, for which I am so excited! Throughout my time at Rutgers, count-

less fellow students and executive board members, professors, and advisors have

helped mentor and shape my experiences here, so much that I feel as if it is my

time to share all that I have learned. And what better way to give back than by

mentoring freshmen students in a topic I love.

The overall goals of Exploring Nursing are two-fold: 1) to give students a firsthand

perspective of this specific topical area, and 2) to acclimate freshmen students to

college life at Rutgers. So, in this course I plan to teach not only about what nursing

is, the different pathways you can take in nursing, and how to build a successful

nursing career, I also plan to teach about diversity and multiculturalism, personal

wellness, and the importance of involvement!

One of the main goals of every nurse is to help his/her patients reach their fullest

potentials, to achieve self-efficacy. By becoming a Peer Instructor to eager and

curious freshmen minds, I hope to start my personal journey of enabling others to

become their best selves early by providing freshmen the tools for collegiate suc-

cess. Do you know someone who is going to be a Rutgers freshman in the fall? If

so, encourage him/her to register for FIGS: Exploring Nursing today!

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FIRST YEAR

INTEREST GROUP

SEMINARS ARE

INTRODUCTORY

ONE CREDIT

CLASSES

OFFERED BY

CERTAIN

MAJORS THAT

ALLOWS ITS

STUDENTS TO

EXPLORE THEIR

INTERESTS

THESE CLASSES

ARE TAUGHT BY

SELECT PEER

INSTRUCTORS

AND FELLOW

STUDENTS OF THE

MAJOR

THESE CLASSES

ARE GRADED

BASED ON A

PASS OR FAIL

SCALE

REACH OUT FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES

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JUSTIN MERCADO: When the nursing students were gathered into a classroom and lectured on the importance of

externships, I could not tell you what one was. However, I could have painted horrifying murals depicting my anxi-

ety level given the fact that we were right in the middle of exams and supposedly late in the process of searching

for an externship if we had not already started. I did not even have a résumé at the time. We were all told about

one specific opening and you could feel everyone rushing toward this concept of a program that was so foreign

to me. Many of us interviewed at the same time in groups and that went about as well for me as I expected my

first interview to go. In my frantic search I decided to email the nurse recruiter at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical

Center in Paterson, New Jersey even though they did not advertise a program on their website (like many other

hospitals). The recruiter got back to me and told me that there would be a program, to send her my résumé, and

to come in for an interview. I did not know whether to be happy, nervous, or sweaty. I went for my interview and

one of the educators had a hard time holding back laughter because he could not understand a “smart” word I

used and the other told me I could not be older than 15. In a not-so-shocking turn of events I was met with an ex-

perience that was completely the opposite of what I expected. Thinking I failed to leave on good terms, I went

home and proceeded to blame my mom for being so short and my dad for not coming through genetics wise. In

a very shocking turn of events, they called me about a week later to tell me they had an offer for me.

“ MY EXTERNSHIP PROVIDED ME WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT I

COULD HAVE JUST AS A STUDENT.”

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ELIZABETH DAVIS: The Rutgers Student Nurses Association, or RSNA for short, is the pre-

professional organization for nursing students at Rutgers and is a constituent of the

New Jersey Nursing Students Inc. (NJNS), which is a part of the National Student

Nurses Association (NSNA). What does that mean exactly? RSNA’s goal is to help

student members become the best professional nurses they can be! Any student

enrolled in Rutgers School of Nursing can hold membership in NSNA (which makes

them an automatic RSNA and NJNS member). RSNA is led by a student-run Execu-

tive Board and faculty advisor, Dr. Barbara Cannella. The 2014-2015 RSNA Executive

Board includes: President- Elizabeth Davis, Vice President- Beverly Lu, Secretary- Mi-

chelle Bradford, Treasurer- April Ancheta, Academic Assistance Chair- Melissa Beh-

mer, Public Relations Chair- Theresa Hroncich, Community Outreach Co-Chairs- Ra-

chel Woo and Stefanie Albert, and Breakthrough to Nursing/ Resolutions Chair- Sub-

bashini Neelam.

Throughout the year RSNA holds various events and fundraisers for both members

and non-members. Some of this year’s events and fundraisers include: Adopt-a-

Family Gift Drive, Community Health Screenings, Bake Sales, NCLEX Study Seminar

with Kaplan Nursing, Apparel Sales, and more! RSNA also sponsors a group of stu-

dent members to attend the NJNS Annual Convention in Atlantic City each year as

delegates and monitors. In April, there was also a small group of RSNA members

sponsored to represent Rutgers and New Jersey at this year’s NSNA Annual Conven-

tion in Phoenix, Arizona. Both conventions provide nursing students the opportunity

to learn first hand what is going on the nursing field today while meeting fellow nurs-

ing students and professional nurses from across the state and the nation.

Joining RSNA is a wonderful way to get involved and have fun at RUSON by prepar-

ing you for the next step after college with leadership and networking opportunities,

community outreach, and more! Have any questions or want to join? Email rutger-

[email protected] for more information. Enjoy the summer and we look forward to

seeing you at RSNA events next year!

I was to be placed in Same Day Surgery as well as the main Operating Room. My first day on the unit consisted of

a tour that included watching an open-heart surgery, which was a good example of how things escalated so

quickly. The program included accompanying a nurse in the actual operating rooms and getting to learn his or

her role intra-operatively. In addition, more time was spent with nurses both in pre-op and post-op while perform-

ing tasks such as phlebotomy, IV removal, and blood sugar testing. Personally, my most important goal and

achievement was a sense of comfort in the hospital environment that I could not find in clinical. More specifically,

my externship provided me with an understanding of the impact I could have just as a student and eventually as

a patient care assistant, on a patient’s experience before surgery, which, many times, frightens them.

As redundant as it sounds, in addition to technical skill development, my program gave me the opportunity to ex-

perience effective relationship development with employees and patients. I always had a hard time seeing my-

self as being part of such relationships when reading a textbook or presentation. Like that image on one of those

“life as a nurse” websites, I learned that when going into a vein for blood withdrawal it is important for the patient

to know that no one wants to get it right the first time more than the person with the needle. On the other hand,

yes, prepping a patient by shaving specific areas of their body can get as uncomfortable as it sounds, but, simi-

larly, no one more so than the patient wants it to be performed in the least awkward way possible. Acknowledg-

ing the separate yet complementing points of view for such tasks in the relationship and building on them to

make a patient’s day better, thus driving them to the point where they feel the need to give high-fives, hugs, or

remember your name is what made the process of an externship worth it for me.

RU

TGER

S S

TUD

EN

T N

UR

SIN

G A

SSO

CIA

TIO

N

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AMANDA BAEZ: The Blackwood campus is a melting pot. Our cohort is a close knit

group of nontraditional students from varying backgrounds. Many of us have fami-

lies of our own, work full time, and volunteer our time in the community. We are

also a very small group. Our senior class has only 16 students and our junior class

has 23. The most noteworthy characteristic our students share is their ability to en-

dure through tough circumstances. We have all encountered some type of life

stressor that has made it difficult to complete our studies, but despite the chal-

lenges we have faced we have all persevered.

MELISSA BELMER: Melissa Behmer is this year’s Academic Assistance Chair on the

Executive Board of the Rutgers Student Nurses’ Association. There is one academic

assistant for each grade, i.e., a sophomore tutor for the freshman class, a junior

tutor for the sophomore class, a senior tutor for the junior class. In the beginning of

the school year, those interested fill out an application and return it to the Aca-

demic Assistance Chair, who decides the tutors for the school year based on GPA

and responses to application questions. Each academic assistant holds office

hours each week and contacts the students for which he/she is responsible with

the dates, times, and locations. During office hours, students can come to the

academic assistants with any questions they have or clarifications they need on

academic material either in person or via email. This is a truly beneficial program in

that students who succeed in the nursing program are great role models, tutors,

and sources of information for their peers going through the same classes and simi-

lar experiences.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE RUTGERS

SCHOOL OF NURSING AND THE IN’S AND

OUTS OF THE NURSING PROGRAM

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NATALIIE RUIZ: When I applied to this program I expected it to be tough because they advise

against keeping employment. Knowing this information I made the tough decision to leave my full

time job and fully immerse myself into the second degree nursing program. For many of us in the

program it has been years since we have been in school so the first semester is definitely a difficult

one, it's like I was shell shocked. Between no longer being able to provide financially and buckling

down with the studies it was an onerous transition period. Once I learned how to study for nursing

(still learning) and made a schedule it seemed a bit easier. Our semesters go by rather quickly,

practically no break in between the average break is two weeks and then we are on to the next

level. I am in the forth and final level and I cannot believe the amount of content and skills I have

learned, it feels like just yesterday I applied to this program. In summary the accelerated program is

an intense program not only because we cover so much content in a short amount of time but be-

cause we are balancing our lives in addition to this many of us have families and obligations that

we did not have when we pursued our first degree.

Every time I'm invited to an event I look at it as a new opportunity to network to meet different peo-

ple. Lately I have been fortunate to meet a lot of students who were just recently in my shoes. I find

that I get great advice and make new friends. Once we graduate we will have to support each

other in the field and I feel that attending events and fundraisers allow me to branch out and start

making connections even before I land my first RN position.

JENNIFER GOLDBERG: Every semester we run a bake sale to benefit a charity chosen by level 4 stu-

dents. This semester our bake sale benefitted the Eliminate Project which works to provide vaccina-

tion to prevent neonatal tetanus worldwide. The Eliminate Project boasts the statistic $1.80 saves 2

lives. We were able to raise approximately $497.97 from the bake sale, which, according to the sta-

tistic, means we hope to save about 277 lives! As far as student benefit, we run mix and mingles

where students of different levels come together in the lounge at a scheduled time to enjoy snacks

and interact with each other students they would not normally have the opportunity to. It is espe-

cially beneficial for lower level students to have the chance to gain insight about classes from up-

per level students.

To quote my classmate Sara, being in an accelerated program feels like running a sprint and a

marathon at the same time. We all went through a traditional undergrad degree, so we can safely

say that this program is done at double, or sometimes quadruple the speed of a 4 year degree

program. Sleep is sacrificed more than it has ever been in our lives. However, it is also a really awe-

some feeling to think about how much we have already learned in less than a year, and how

much we will know by the end of 15 months. When you enter this program you accept the fact

that you are going to eat, sleep, and breathe nursing, and everything else in life has to take a

backseat, though that is much easier said than done. People outside of the program don’t under-

stand what it is like, but I am lucky to have really awesome classmates. It’s different than a tradi-

tional program as we all have every class together, in the same room, every semester as we pro-

gress through the 4 levels. We have really become our own family and are always there to support

each other in class and clinical.

I went to college originally to become a high school English teacher and coach. I love working

with kids both in the classroom and on the field. However, as I went through my education courses,

particularly clinical practice, I realized that I did not love what I was doing like my classmates did.

Towards the end of college I became sick and was hospitalized on a couple of different occasions.

While there, I was able to experience the importance of nurses, and realized that they are the ones

who interact most with the patient. After this experience, I realized that without your health, not

much else in life is important. So, during my last year of college I decided I wanted to become a

nurse to help people regain and maintain their health. I can honestly say that while this program is

quite stressful, I love it. I really enjoy going to class and clinical and know I made the absolute right

choice. In my free time (which really does not exist in this program) I work as an EMT at the West-

field Rescue Squad, and coach field hockey at A.L Johnson High School in Clark.

MICHELLE BRADFORD: The honors program at RUSON is invite-only during the beginning

of your sophomore or junior year. Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.8 (or top 10% of

their class, depending) are invited to join. Once in, a GPA of 3.7 must be maintained in

order to stay in the program. When I was invited to join before the start of my junior

year, so were many of my classmates. However, most declined the offer in fear that it

was going to be too much work to juggle alongside our already-challenging classes

and clinicals. I am here to say that RUSON honors is truly what you make of it. The fac-

ulty are very understanding and flexible. They know that your direct schoolwork is prior-

ity, and they will work with you to schedule meetings around your classes, exams, clini-

cals, and extracurriculars.

The basis of the honors program is that there is one faculty advisor who oversees the

progress of all projects and holds approximately five meetings per semester. During

these meetings, all honors students come together and discuss their projects, as well as

other topics, e.g., evidence based practice, oral presentation skills. In order to begin an

honors project in the first place, each student needs to seek out one faculty member of

his/her choosing, who conducts research in his/her area of interest (which does not

have to be within nursing). Next, the student will either join in a current research project

being conducted by said faculty member, or may create a separate research project

under this faculty member’s supervision. By all means, the research does not have to be

primary, nor does it need to involve the IRB. An example of primary research being

done currently is called “Identified Stressors in Children and Adolescents after Super-

storm Sandy,” which studies the emotional effects of Superstorm Sandy on children and

adolescents via a survey taken online by this population (Senior Honor Student: Eliza-

beth M. Davis; Faculty Mentor: Margaret Quinn, DNP, RN, CPNP). An example of secon-

dary research being done is my own personal project entitled “Impaired Quality at

Night: A Systematic Review of the Evidence Concerning Shift Work and Errors and Pro-

ductivity,” which analyzes the literature linking shift work (defined as any work shift out-

side regular day shift parameters of 6:00am and 6:00pm) to errors and decreased per-

formance in the workplace over countless industries in the form of decreased quality of

products, outcomes, or patient care (Faculty Member: Pamela de Cordova, PhD, RN).

During the honors journey, students have grand opportunities that other undergraduate

students may never get to experience, such as poster or podium presentations at na-

tional conferences, publication in a peer-reviewed journal, experience in the IRB-

approval process, and direct involvement in true, legitimate research at the doctorate

level. At the end of senior year, each student prepares a presentation for the Honors

Symposium, which myriad undergraduate and graduate students, faculty members,

administration, and anyone else who is interested will attend. After all, the end goal and

overall purpose of research is dissemination of findings! I encourage everyone to strive

to be invited to the honors program, and if invited, to accept the offer. The honors pro-

gram is an amazing, incomparable experience and glimpse into the world of research,

which is yet another branch of nursing. Your participation in the program will definitely

set you apart from competitors when job hunting and will prepare you to join Nursing

Research Councils as RNs. My last piece of advice is: do not simply go to school and

return home, nor clock in-and-out as an RN and return home; get involved and contrib-

ute to something greater than yourself!

10

. TOP

ACCEPTED MINIMUM GPA

RESEARCH

MONTHLY

MEETINGS

11

SURAYA ALMOSBEH: For most nursing students, clinical is their first experience of what

it’s like to be a nurse. From the moment you enter the hospital, your responsibility is to

learn as much as you possibly can about the physical roles and duties of a nurse, as

well as the evidence and rationale behind them.

Although this may differ from clinical to clinical, you will most likely be assigned to

one patient. Don’t be scared to introduce yourself to them. Be friendly, be respectful

and be professional. You will be responsible for obtaining the patient’s vital signs, do-

ing a full physical assessment, administering medications as prescribed and providing

appropriate education if needed. Depending on their condition, you might be assist-

ing the patient with activities of daily living, bathing, feeding and dressing changes.

Regardless of what clinical, you must keep in constant rapport with your nurse, keep-

ing them updated with any important changes you observe throughout your shift.

While these physical duties are important, remember to not blindly follow them. Con-

stantly remember why you are doing these actions. This means asking all the right

questions: Why is the patient here? What nursing interventions should I expect? What

is the rationale behind those interventions? What information, both subjective and

objective, should I prioritize when creating a plan of care? Now remember, you are

not a walking textbook and the answer may be unclear to you. If that occurs, simply

utilize the reliable resources you have, or those offered by the hospital, to find out

more information.

If you’ve done what you have needed to and have all the answers you need, the

best recommendation is to watch and learn! Keep in mind that as the student nurse,

there are specific things you simply cannot do, however, observing is not one of

them. Do not underestimate the power of strong observational skills. Feel free to ask if

you can remain in the room when your nurse is doing things you cannot or when

other health care providers visit your patient. If a fellow student has an interesting pa-

tient scenario, ask if you may observe on their next assessment. There are so many

opportunities to learn in clinical, but you must be open to them. Practice your profes-

sional and personal skills. Use this time to grow as future nurse and keep in mind that

clinical is what you make of it.

EXPERIENCES YOU CAN EXPECT IN YOUR JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS

CLINICALS TAKE

PLACE DURING

THE JUNIOR AND

SENIOR YEARS

STUDENTS ARE

PUT INTO

GROUPS AND

WORK IN

DEPARTMENTS

UNDER A

CLINICAL

INSTRUCTOR

“WHILE THESE PHYSICAL DUTIES ARE

IMPORTANT, REMEMBER TO NOT

BLINDLY FOLLOW THEM. CONSTANTLY

REMEMBER WHY YOU ARE DOING

THESE ACTIONS.”

SURAYA

UNIVERSITY

HOSPITAL

ALMOSBEH

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

SURAYA ALMOSBEH

REBECCA LINTAG

RACHEL SISON

KEVIN LO

MOLLY NAFT

PAK CHAU

JESICA LEE

JEFFREY DYNOF

MILLICENT MOSERAY

PRESIDENT AT LARGE

RUSON SGA VICE PRESIDENT

RUSON SGA SECRETARY

RUSON SGA TREASURER

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

COORDINATOR

UNIVERSITY SENATOR

STUDENT AFFAIRS

REPRESENTATIVE

ACADEMIC AFFAIR

REPRESENTATIVE (NB)

ACADEMIC AFFAIR

REPRESENTATIVE (NWK)

. .