For my STEP project, I travelled out to Utah to do an AIARE 1 class administered by Red River adventure guides. The class consisted of an online course lasting about four hours and three class days. The first class was administered on zoom and the subsequent class days took place outdoors in the Wasatch wilderness as field days. The field days consisted of learning everything from avalanche rescue techniques to decision making strategies in the wilderness.

Over the course of this class, I gained more knowledge about backcountry decision-making and avalanches than I thought I would learn in many seasons skiing in the backcountry. The AIARE 1 decision making framework was something that I became very familiar with, and it changed how I view teamwork in the backcountry. I now understand how to make decisions that involve risk when there exist unknowns to safety. My outlook for how I want to progress in the backcountry and interact with others in the backcountry has developed to be more careful. My outlook is now one that is focused on teamwork interaction with others so that everybody can be elevated, and decisions are not rushed or poorly thought out. Previously, I had an outlook that weighted the most experienced person in a group as having the final say in decision making when possibly life-threatening risk was involved. Now I see everybody in a group as having a say because discounting other people’s decision-making processes, risk tolerance, and general mental state can easily lead to dangerous situations. Over the course of the class, I learned that I was very accustomed to making decisions for a group and pressuring others to follow, or unconditionally following the decisions of another person I deem to be the leader. The class taught me how to break that habit and showed me how to make positive progress in decision-making processes when in a team.

Over the course of the class, I had many interactions with my instructors and my classmates that helped me develop and transform my decision-making process and outlook. Jake and Victoria, the course instructors, were extremely knowledgeable in all things avalanches, skiing, and general backcountry protocol. They had my classmates and I go through avalanche rescue scenarios to practice using our safety equipment. One of the key things that Jake and Victoria emphasize is how stressful that situation is and that when your mind and body get flooded with adrenaline from the stressful situation your decision-making will revert to your base, instinctive knowledge. I did not understand this at first but when I did a practice scenario for the first time, I felt that stress. Since I had no prior knowledge of how to perform an avalanche rescue, I messed up the procedure quite a bit. The procedure exists to provide an optimized and efficient framework for the rescue, so my frantic fumbling took away from that efficiency. I did a second scenario after having received constructive criticism and pointers from Jake. The second scenario went a lot smoother for me and I performed an efficient rescue. I still felt the stress of the scenario, but my actions felt more thought out because my base knowledge of avalanche rescues had increased.

The second day of the class was administered over the course of backcountry ski tour. Jake instructed the group I was in on various backcountry topics over the course of the tour and made sure the experience felt like tour we might do on our own in the future. Over the course of this tour, my group and I constantly asked him questions about the terrain we were in and how to identify different aspects of avalanche terrain. What really struck me about his answers was how he finished them. He would always answer our question in an extremely informative way but he would go further by citing multiple resources we could use to learn more and predict. These interactions with Jake helped me break down my preconception of some people being all-knowing experts. All parties have different, important perspectives that can aide in the avalanche terrain decision-making process. Nobody knows everything so travelling with others allows more brains and more perspectives to work together to solve the hyper-complex problems of travelling in avalanche terrain.

My classmates played a crucial part in my enjoyment of the class and what I got out of it. I only knew one person in my group going into the class, leaving Jake and two other group members. Since the structure of the class prioritized teamwork and discussion, I was forced to come out of my shell to participate. This ultimately helped me and made the class very informative because of my engagement. My classmates were experienced in the backcountry and extremely welcoming of me. They gave me advice on uphill travel and urged me to speak up. In exchange I also urged them to speak up when they thought it necessary. Overall, the class helped me engage in teamwork in a setting I was not totally familiar with.

This class ultimately proved to be the gateway into the backcountry that I wanted it to be. It showed me all the things I still need to learn and how to make decisions with a lack of information. One of the things the class emphasized was the dunning-kruger effect and getting over the “peak of Mt. Stupid.” The class got me over that peak and put me into the realm of knowing what I don’t know, which is much better for identifying risk and risk tolerance. The backcountry is dangerous so I want to spread the knowledge I gained to others so they can make safer decisions. As the gear manager and regular trip leader of The Mountaineers at The Ohio State University, I regularly am out in the backcountry with others. The decision-making and teamwork aspect was of ambiguous direction in my previous trips, resulting in me making all the decisions. I will be adapting the decision-making framework I learned from this class to my mountaineers trips so that others can learn the framework and the club as a whole can make safer decisions. There was a void of experience in backcountry safety and avalanche knowledge before, so I am excited to bring this knowledge to this club and allow more people to find enjoyment in the backcountry, safely.

My STEP Signature Project focused on becoming a State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA), a critical credential in the medical sector. Basically, the training consisted of enrolling in a licensed STNA program, putting in four days a week of intensive classroom and clinical instruction for around 7.5 hours a day, and spending about 12 hours a week studying for the test.

My image of myself and my preconceived beliefs about the healthcare business have significantly changed as a result of completing the STEP Signature Project. The hands-on clinical training not only improved my technical skills but also demonstrated my depth of understanding and compassion. My contacts with patients in a multitude of healthcare settings have exposed me to a wide range of perspectives and life stories, which has deepened my awareness of the human element of healthcare. This experience, which emphasized the importance of genuine relationships and compassionate treatment, challenged and changed my notion that technical proficiency is the main criteria for success in healthcare.

In addition, the project helped me close the gap between theory and practice by placing my academic knowledge in a practical setting. I developed a more sophisticated understanding of the difficulties facing the healthcare system and the crucial role that frontline professionals play as I successfully negotiated the complexities of patient care. My perspective has been widened by this experience, and I now have a great deal of appreciation for the interdisciplinary teamwork needed to provide complete healthcare services. All things considered, my STEP Signature Project has been a life-changing experience that has improved my perception of the holistic nature of patient-centered care and helped me better understand who I am as a future healthcare professional.

My varied experiences from the STNA training program had a major impact on the transformative character of my STEP Signature Project. I was able to completely immerse myself in the day-to-day reality of patient care by taking part in practical clinical training, which led to conversations that significantly changed my perspective. Face-to-face interactions with patients, medical professionals, and fellow trainees provided me with invaluable understanding of the human element of healthcare. The vulnerability of patients and the unwavering dedication of medical professionals highlighted the profound impact that compassionate care can have on those coping with health problems.

I was able to confront and overcome preconceived ideas I had about the healthcare sector by participating in a variety of clinical scenarios, which included everything from providing emotional support to assisting with daily activities. The close relationship with patients emphasized the notion that each person’s journey is distinct and the importance of individualized care. These conversations caused me to reconsider my views on standardized care and underline how crucial it is to take patients’ different needs into account. These experiences gave me a broader understanding of the human side of healthcare beyond the technical aspects of my STNA position.

The cooperative environment of the training program, where I collaborated with other trainees and worked closely with experienced healthcare professionals, also encouraged a sense of shared responsibility. It became clear from interacting with a diverse range of healthcare team members how roles throughout the system are interconnected. This cooperative culture brought to light the need of mutual respect, teamwork, and effective communication in delivering the highest caliber of patient care. These insights altered my perspective of healthcare as a collaborative effort and my estimation of the potential impact of my involvement in the field going forward.

All things considered, my perspective on healthcare has completely changed as a result of the many experiences I had during the STNA training program, which included face-to-face patient encounters, exposure to a variety of clinical circumstances, and cooperative cooperation. 

My STEP Signature Project has changed and transformed me in ways that are extremely important to my development on the personal and professional levels. Personally, the project has improved my knowledge of human connection, empathy, and resilience in the healthcare industry. In addition to strengthening my character, dealing with a variety of patient experiences and seeing the benefits of compassionate care have given me a sense of direction in my professional aspirations in healthcare. This fresh viewpoint will be extremely helpful to me as I work through upcoming obstacles and make a significant contribution to the wellbeing of the people under my care.

Professionally, the change fits in perfectly with my educational and career objectives, especially with regard to my desire to become a physician assistant (PA). The STNA program has given students like mea strong foundation, connecting theory to application and emphasizing the value of a patient-centered approach. I now have a more comprehensive grasp of the healthcare system because to this experience, which has also made me realize how important it is for healthcare professionals to collaborate, communicate effectively, and be adaptable. This life-changing event will function as a compass for me as I continue my education and work for further degrees. It will influence how I treat patients and strengthen my resolve to be a positive influence in the healthcare industry.

*Me at my clinical site*

*Screenshot of a video I took of an instructor explaining Intravenous therapy*