Have you had an internship, clinical, or other beyond the classroom experience?
I have had quite a few clinicals at this point in my education. I have been on psychiatric floors, adult floors, pediatric floors, and maternity floors. Those were mostly at Maine Medical Center with the exception of my mental health clinical at Southern Maine Health Care. In each of those clinicals, I am assigned to an RN who then gives me 1-2 of their patients to essentially do all the nursing care and charting for under their supervision. I perform assessments, pass medications, communicate with the health care team, and can perform a handful of simple procedures such wound care, straight catheterization, and various testing procedures.
By the end of this semester I will have also completed my community partnership, in which I have been working closely with Portland (Maine) community stakeholders to address the needs of Portland’s homeless population from an evidence-based standpoint, as well as operating nursing walk-in clinics. In my final semester this Spring, I will do one critical care clinical (such as ICU, CCU, etc.) as well as my senior practicum in which I will work one-on-one with an RN about 24 hours per week in a specialty of my choosing. I’ve requested an emergency department or NICU placement, but those will not be officially assigned until most likely a few weeks before it starts.
My nursing professors have complimented me on my quick-decision making skills and level-headedness, both of which I owe to my college athletics experience, and because of that they have suggested that I would enjoy a high pressure specialty. I hope to take everything I’ve learned from basketball, lacrosse, and school and really put it to the test in real-life situations.
Are there any community service activities you've enjoyed being involved in?
My teammates and I volunteer with Special Olympics. There's at least one day a year where we have a Special Olympics basketball clinic in which we run through basketball drills and scrimmage with the athletes. I also volunteer for USM's annual Halloween party for the kids in the community with the rest of the athletic department; each athletic team picks a costume or theme and is in charge of a game or station for the kids.
Are you involved in any clubs/organizations on campus outside of athletics?
I'm planning to be a part of our new Student-Athlete Diversity Committee this coming season in which we will discuss areas of concern, issues, and ideas for growth within the athletic department and our university.
Any fun facts you're willing to share about yourself?
I can walk in a back bend like in those scare prank videos and was the valedictorian of my high school class. I've met Patrick Dempsey, he was born in my hometown.
What were you able to do that helped you get through the quarantine period earlier this year?
I was actually able to keep working as a certified nursing assistant at Central Maine Medical Center on a mixed adult/pediatric floor, where I was able to gain experience and work under and alongside great nurses and helped me to keep a regular schedule. I also got very good at coming up with body weight workouts and finding random household items to use as weights.
What are your career plans after college?
I plan work as a registered nurse in one the surrounding hospitals before returning to complete my master’s to become a nurse practitioner. I'm not sure what kind of nursing I want to do just yet. So far I like the ER and OR, but I was able to go to my labor and delivery clinical this semester and it's much more hard core than I thought it was going to be!