[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.

Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc .
Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.

Academic Enrichment:

I interviewed Alisha French who is a junior at Ohio State. She is in the college of nursing which is the program I applied for this year. We talked a lot about time management since the nursing major requires classes along with clinical’s. Since Alisha is a  junior she does 12 hours of clinical’s a week. She talked about the hardships of waking up early and spending the entire day at the hospital. But she pointed out how amazing of an experience it’s been for her to physically get to interact with patients while going through school. Her college experience has been different from mine though since she started off as a pre-nursing student and I started off as Biochemistry. Even though I changed my path, it was still a great experience to get to hear from Alisha and how much she enjoys her program. She was very inspirational and I am very determined to make an impact on the nursing school.
Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.

For my second year in Health Science Scholars I interviewed an upperclassmen, Kaylee Fenwick. Kaylee is  a junior in the nursing program at Ohio State. My questions and her answers are listed below.

Q- “How was your third year in nursing school differed from your second?”

A- “As a junior, you are given much more responsibility in the hospital. Your clinical hours are increased to 12 a week and your classes get more focused in on your specific clinical.”

Q- “What did your clinical days look like?”

A- “I had peds and OB for my first semester. I chose to do the two 6 hours clinical’s twice a week. I was placed on an oncology peds floor and I loved it. It was probably my favorite clinical rotation. I was nervous at first to be on this unit but after I had realized how much I loved all of my patients. This floor was awesome because I also dealt with family members an extensive amount. This allowed me to practice my therapeutic communication skills and get used to the importance of family care as well.

Q- “Do you feel more prepared in the healthcare setting now?”

A- :I remember how I felt as a sophomore in nursing and how nerve-racking it was to have my own patients. Now that I’m finishing up my third year I can confidently say that I look forward to walking into clinical each week. I am more prepared and knowledgeable about what to do with my patients. I know now where all of my resources are so even if I am unsure of something I am able to easily access the information I need. Of course there is still so much for me to learn, but I definitely feel more like a nurse after this year.

Q- “Do you have any advice to give to me before entering my third year in nursing school?”

A- “Always seek an opportunity to learn. Even if it’s not your patient, if something new is being done or a new skill is being preformed be eager to jump in the room and observe. Each patient is so different and so each day you will learn new things. Never forget how important your job as a nurse is. No matter who else comes in your way, you as the nurse have a huge responsibility and connection to your patient. Always make sure to put your patient preferences first. Entering your third year may seem scary, but just know that everyone feels the same way you do. You will always have someone with you that you can ask questions to and you will never be alone when caring for a patient. if you ever feel uncomfortable performing a skill do not be afraid to ask for assistance. Good luck!

Service Engagement:

For my service hours I volunteered at St.Michael’s Parish, The Red Cross Blood Drive, The Ronald McDonald House, and Buckeyes for a Cause. My most memorable experience is working with kids at St. Michael’s because I got to teach the same children each week so it was easy to create a stronger and more intimate bond with them. There is one student specifically, Brenna, who has a special place in my heart. She has autism but is the sweetest girl you would ever met and one of my best students.

At the church, I volunteered with my mom to teach a third grade religion class. I would help prepare the material and teach the class. At the Ronald McDonald house I cooked a meal for the families there and I attended this event with the Buckeye’s for a Cause Club. Also for the Buckeye’s for a Cause club, I would attend bimonthly meetings where we created bracelets and cards for children in the hospital. And lastly, at the Blood Drive at the union, I volunteered as the person who checked people in and gave them their badges/stickers. Basically I just helped the process run more smoothly.