My STEP project consisted of me gaining two certifications- my phlebotomy certification and certification to become an STNA. I participated in these classes over a span of 6 weeks. The activities that I participated in during these classes involved patient care and completing a successful blood draw. During my STNA course we visited nursing homes/rehabilitation centers, where we learned and practiced basic nursing skills. During my phlebotomy course I practiced and eventually mastered the steps to a successful blood draw and practiced patient care.
Obtaining these certifications changed my view of the world and has allowed me to understand more about myself and my assumptions. As an STNA the primary community that we tend to focus on and work with are the elderly. Learning about this community changed my perspective on what I want in regard to my end of my life care, and how I should work with and approach the elderely. For example, prior to learning about and working with this community I didn’t have much patience. However, I learned that there is a lot that the elderly go through as they continue to age, so being patient with them is essential when providing care.
The phlebotomy course helped me understand more about my future life. Before I had taken this course I knew that I wanted to be a Physician Assistant. Although I knew this I was still undecided on the path that I would take to get there, since it is a masters program. While taking this course I learned a lot about the different positions that can be held when working in health care. Learning these things, I was able to decide on how I was going to reach my goal of becoming a PA.
While studying in the STNA course, I learned a lot about end of life care and how to work with the elderly to ensure we are doing everything we can to make their end of life experience pleasant. We touched on topics such as developing/dealing with dementia, alzehimers, wills, and end of life instructions such as DNR’s. Learning this alongside working with these individuals during my clinical hours made me reflect on my life and what my end of life care will look like. As a young adult I didn’t think about end of life care, but I have learned that it is very important, and is something that should be thought about regardless of age.
While partaking in my phlebotomy class there were many different times where I was introduced to or educated on something that I had never heard of. I would say that this experience was the most impactful for me. As stated before I was undecided on the path I wanted to take to get to PA school. While in my phlebotomy course I was introduced to a few individuals who work for The Ohio Health of Department. I was able to network with these individuals and receive information on internships and upcoming jobs that they would have available. During this time I was also informed on the multitude of jobs that I could obtain with a bachelor’s degree in Health Science. Prior to meeting them and discussing this I was unaware of the patient care jobs that I could have with this bachelor’s degree which played a critical role in deciding that path I would take to PA school.
Together these classes taught me patience and how to network. The phlebotomy course was an accelerated course and was challenging. In the beginning when I tried to draw blood it was extremely difficult. I had to learn to be patient because this is not a skill that could be acquired overnight. During my clinical hours for my STNA course I learned to be more patient and graceful when dealing with the elderly. Alongside this, in both courses I learned how to make meaningful connections with people. The job offers that I received through networking in these programs are critical to my future. Because of these courses I am also more open to talking with and getting to know people.
These changes and lessons that I have learned are very significant in developing my career. These courses gave me the opportunity to reflect on what I want my future to look like and adjust myself accordingly. Since completing these certifications, I now know the route I want to take to reach my career goal, have made meaningful connections, and have gained the virtue of patience. Alongside this, the education that I received is critical information that I need to know in order to get into PA school. These certifications will provide me with patient care hours which are also critical in my application to PA school. Overall, this experience was very beneficial to me and my career.