Part of History – providing healthcare service amidst the pandemic

My first COVID vaccine clinic

Smiling behind the mask – I received my first dose of the vaccine.

Unprecedented times and a new career:

As the COVID-19 pandemic began to rage and universities began to close in the spring of 2020, I began a new chapter of my life and was hired as a Pharmacy Technician by CVS. At a time where the term “frontline worker” was brought into the limelight I was experiencing just what that was first hand. It was immediately clear how the pandemic really had affected every aspect of life – from extreme back orders on medications, patients struggling to receive care from their doctors for urgent problems, and a substantial increase in the financial burden that many encounter when trying to take care of their health, COVID hit everyone, everywhere.

The Historic Part:

After scrambling for almost a year to develop an effective vaccine to protect against COVID19, history was made and administration of the first approved vaccine rolled out as the year came to an end…and I got to take part in it! During winter break, I was one of the technicians assigned to assist with Coronavirus Vaccine Clinics throughout the state. During phase I, I travelled to nursing homes from Carrollton to Wadsworth and more, some clinics taking over 8 hours to complete, followed by over an hour-long drive home. Being able to potentially be a part of bringing about the end of this historic pandemic was an incredible feeling, one that I’m sure I will never forget.

Continues Personal Growth:

In addition to the strain that the pandemic put on the supply chain and industry, I came to realize the importance of relationships and mere socialization in forming a person’s feelings of self-worth and fulfillment. With patients cut off from family and other normal activities, for many, their trips to the pharmacy were the only way that they could have a conversation with someone face-to-face. Noticing this, I made it my prerogative to spend as much time talking with a customer as they wanted or needed – even if it was keeping me from getting ahead on other work. Though not every interaction ended with my time clearly making a difference to someone, the times where a person left saying, “thanks for the chat” with a wave or “I know this isn’t your problem, but thank you for listening to me” gave me more than enough reason to strive to put the person first at all times in my work.

Though I could go on about the technical skills and pharmaceutical knowledge that I have been gaining in this line of work, I would rather leave it here, focusing on that which I learned which would not appear in a simple job description of this work. Working at CVS, I have gained valuable insight into the functioning of a pharmacy; the need for improved communication between pharmacies, doctors, insurance companies and patients, and above all else the value of  interpersonal relationships skills when providing direct service to patients.

Experiential Learning in the Operating Room

Every student of the MedTrack program at Padua Franciscan High School counts down the days and classes until their summer leading into their junior year, the year that they finally get to complete their long-awaited “externship.” As the summer of  2017 came along, I found myself doing just that, preparing with great excitement in anticipation of what was to come.  I would soon experience some of the most life-changing moments of my life in the operating rooms of the cardio-thoracic surgery unit of the Cleveland Clinic, experiences that would shape my future greatly.

Heading into this externship I had abandoned old thoughts about attending med school in the future but still had a strong desire to obtain an advanced degree and pursue a high-level career in the medical field. I tossed around the idea of becoming a physician’s assistant, an occupational therapist, and other careers, but none of them ever struck a chord with me until one day when my mom suggested a career to me that I had never heard of – becoming a nurse anesthetist (CRNA). I looked into the career a bit and although I had only a vague perception of what the career entailed, I ran with it and decided to investigate it further though the first-hand experience I would have in my externship. I would shadow a CRNA for at least 40 hours in the clinical setting, developing a thorough understanding of the job of a nurse anesthetist on an individual, team, and patient-to-caregiver level.

The time I spent at the Cleveland Clinic that summer was nothing short of amazing. I was immersed in the real functioning of a world-class hospital system’s operating room and was introduced to highly acclaimed surgeons and other caregivers. They took the time to teach me about their work as they performed it live in front of me and never treated me like I was “just a kid.” I was able to observe not just the job of the CRNA that I was shadowing but also the many other people and careers that serious procedures including  heart valve replacements, robotic surgeries, open heart-surgeries, and lung transplants require.

One moment from the time I spent in the operating room continues to stand out to me today as a defining moment in my decision to pursue a career as a nurse anesthetist. During one procedure the lead surgeon looked to me and called me to come closer to him and the patient on whom he was performing an open heart surgery. After I was “scrubbed in” entirely in sterile clothing, he had me lean in closer, bringing my face within a foot of the patient’s exposed, beating heart. The surgeon then began to review with the me path of  blood through the heart  in a more realistic way than I had ever experienced it before. He pointed to the contractions of the heart as they happened in real time, even lifting it out of the body – still beating! – and turning it over to really give me a view of what he was trying to fix. In those moments I understood that I truly love the science of medicine and anatomy, and that the work-atmosphere of the operating room is one of collaboration for a higher cause, even down to educating the potential future caregivers of the world.

Ultimately, this experience helped me discover the career that I eagerly look forward to obtaining each day. By being present in the operating room and nearly working alongside my host, I became convinced that becoming a nurse anesthetist is the path that will enable me to put to use the skills that I have grown as a student, leader, and person overall and will give me the opportunity to impact the lives of others with my daily work. As I watched my host balance the many tasks that were hers to monitor during every procedure, I realized that I was drawn to the intensity and energy of the work that she did, and also be able to develop important relationships with people who are in need as well.

This externship showed me that the job of a nurse anesthetist goes far beyond what many other careers in the field of healthcare do. As a nurse anesthetist I will be tested to use my knowledge and think critically to solve problems that often come up unexpectedly. I will be required to remain vigilant at all times when working and also serve as a compassionate nurse and advocate for the people I am caring for before, during, and after their procedures. Working in this career I will be proud to call myself a nurse anesthetist and the meaning of the work that I will do  will add a new and valuable purpose to my life.

 

 

Year in Review

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

G.O.A.L.S.

First day of work as a Pharmacy Technician

Safe and healthy buckeyes – at Newton Hall!

 


G – Global Awareness:

As last school year came to a close, I took a deep look back at all of the new experiences I encountered during the previous months and how they had shaped me. Upon this reflection I identified a new part of myself, one that I believe was always there, but had simply gone unrecognized for many years. Though the Italian classes I took and the cultural seminars I attended, I found a sincere passion for opening myself up to the world beyond my own, a desire to become more knowledgeable about and welcoming to the numerous beautiful cultures that our world contains.

I am thrilled to say that in pursuit if this interest I was accepted into the Exchange Partner Program at our university. As a host-partner, I hope that I can use the privileges that I’ve been given as a student and citizen here to  facilitate a worthwhile experience for the students who join us from universities of foreign nations, showing them and their culture respect, appreciation, and a accommodation. Even more so, I look at this as a valuable opportunity to learn from others first hand the experiences that they have had, so that I may become a stronger and more culturally competent person in life and for my career.

Additionally, I am currently pursuing the Global Engagement Certificate offered by the Office of International Affairs at Ohio State in conjunction with activities such as the one I mentioned previously.

 

O – Original Inquiry:

As a scholars student, I was not expected to take part in any formal research to complete the program, which is why the prospect of joining the Nursing Honors program in addition to be in Mount Leadership Society appealed to me so much. Research – a pillar of the Nursing Honors program – is an opportunity to engage more deeply in the studies that I am involved with and to see the environment in which I will one day work from a new and essential angle, while also developing critical scientific skills.

Following application and admission into the College of Nursing and subsequently the Honors program at the college, I was introduced to the vast resources available to me to help me explore my own interests in the depths of healthcare. With the guidance of the mentor that I have been given, I aspire to discover a pertinent research question to investigate, with the highest hopes of potentially making  discoveries that will contribute to new innovations and improved care practices in our systems.

 

A – Academic Enrichment:

From April to August of 2020, I had possibly the most dynamic and enlightening work opportunity of my life so far. Following the abrupt end of the school year, I was hired as a pharmacy technician at a CVS  Pharmacy and began a new chapter in my career-life.

Although I do not have any intention of working as a pharmacist in the future, the knowledge that I gained in those five months was invaluable. It gave me not just insight but actual, personal experience with the functions of a different department of caregiving that is critical to talking care of patients, one that many primary care providers are not familiar with. I learned about pharmaceutical laws (both state and national), insurance policies, Medicare and Medicaid coverage, interpersonal relationship skills when handling health related matters, and health record keeping practices, all before even turning 20 years old.

Even more importantly though I came to recognize some of the gaps in typical health care in our nation as well. There is frequently a disconnect in the flow of information between the doctor, the patient, the pharmacy, and the insurance agencies that frankly I found to be unacceptable in many situations. Although I may not be able to perfect the system single-handedly, my experience seeing the distress that these errors can cause patients has motivated me to be attentive in my work as a caregiver in the future, minimizing the mistakes that are made and providing an better experience for all those involved.

 

L – Leadership and Development:

Leadership is in the name of Mount Leadership Society and it obviously is an integral part of its students’ values. As first-year students we developed our leadership skills together, but as second-years we begin to take full ownership of our leadership activities through individual projects and extracurricular involvement. Right now, I am in the early stages of working on a project in coordination with a speech-language pathologist at Apex Academy (Cleveland) to improve the at-home education of students in an underprivileged area during the difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am very excited to see where we are able to take this project and the ways in which we can enhance the their learning opportunities, especially as they are at such an critical time of development.

Outside of the “Year of Service” project I am working on in Mount, I joined a new committee to the Undergraduate Student Government and have become involved in many projects. As a member of the Health and Safety committee, I have already been able to join students in promoting a safer and more educated student population in terms of party drugs by adding free fentanyl test-strips as a resource available through the Wilce Student Health Center. We are also working on a project alongside CCS (Counseling and Career Services) to develop a stigma-reduction campaign, encouraging students to seek help when it is needed in any aspect of their lives.

I am most excited for our newest project in the making – a week-long “Mental health Week” awareness event open to the entire university community. In particular, I hope to coordinate events, speaker series, and information sessions on the prevalence and cultural impact of eating disorders. If even one student benefits from the events that I plan, I will feel immensely gratified.

S – Service Engagement:

The conditions of the current pandemic have made it more difficult to access service  engagement in the areas of greatest interest to me. At the moment, my Year of Service project is my primary form of community involvement, but I do not intend to let it stop there. I am currently looking into joining the Peers Reaching Out group on campus. In addition, I would like to volunteer with a local animal shelter if they will take me, applying my personal expertise from fostering and caring for animals in the past to help more animals now, as I cannot help by directly adopting any at the moment.

How a Pet Can Shape a Person

(Above: My three dogs: Gizmo, his mother Gabby, and Vito along with my Mom and I at a Halloween fundraising event for the Berea Animal Shelter)

 

In 2003 I met my first best friend – a shelter dog, the first pet our family ever had. Although I hardly remember that day, I have always remembered the way I felt knowing that we were giving an innocent animal the family she deserved.

Eight years later we found ourselves bringing in two new dogs into our family, an abused mother dog and her only puppy that had been stuck in foster-care for longer than any other dogs at the shelter. Again, I felt that I was making a difference, even if it was simply in the lives of two dogs.

 

Then, in a completely unexpected turn of events, we became involved in fostering dogs ourselves – finally making an impact on not just one or two pets of our own, but many of them along with the all of the families we helped place them with. Some pets were harder to take care of than others and their needs could vary drastically. The thirteen-year old and three pound chihuahua – whom we called “Chip” – was much lower maintenance than the two, three-month old boxer puppies that we fostered weeks later. I learned how the dogs, like people, were not all the same, and many required very different care based on their histories. Many of the dogs came to us following traumatic situations – ones that we had no knowledge of until behavioral problems began – and we had to learn to adapt to their needs, not just give up on them.

Though there were certainly times that I wanted to be frustrated with them for the shoes they chewed, accidents they had, or constant dependence they seemed to have on me, I became a much more patient and understanding through the hours I spent with each of them. I learned so much not only about taking care of  pets but also actual  life-lessons from the dogs themselves. They showed me that the result of giving my time, my attention, and my love, to their cause – and really any cause – is always worth it. I was reminded that every creature deserves a shot at life and reaching their fullest potential, and that there is always room for change if one is willing to work for it.

Letting a dog go to its new home was always hard, but seeing the way that our temporary-pets changed the dynamic of their new homes made it all worth it. When the little girls with the terminally ill father got their puppy, they gained the greatest wet-kisser and spirit-uplifted around. When our neglected Boston Terrier went home with his new family, his energy transformed their home when he became the new play-mate of their only child and their current Boston Terrier. By taking in these pets temporarily, we were able to keep these dogs out of shelters and move them into new homes, a cycle that could go on forever.

Over the course of two years my family took in eleven dogs and one cat, finding all but one their forever-homes with new families. That “one” would be the reason why we no longer foster pets and simply find other ways to support our shelters instead. Vito, looking like a polar bear and weighing in at 105 pounds, became a permanent part of our family in 2017 when he could not be adopted out as a result of a severe heart defect. Though he was not expected to live long, Vito’s existence today has proven that a little bit of love really can make all the difference in something’s – or someone’s – life.

Although we no longer bring in new foster dogs into our home, I am still reminded of the lessons I learned from this experience each day whenever I look at my pets. Until we have the ability to foster again,  I will continue to promote the fairer treatment of animals and support animal shelters, taking part in fundraisers, pet-supply drives, and even doggy Halloween costume-contests too.

 

 

 


About Me

Hi!

I’m Erica Thein, a current undergraduate student at The Ohio State University in the College of Nursing, aiming to pursue a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing and a minor in Italian. As a graduate of Padua Franciscan High School and it’s MedTrack program, I’ve gained firsthand experience to this field of study through an internship at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Institute, where I spent more than forty hours observing a nurse anesthetist in a clinical setting. Due to my experience I discovered a deep passion for healthcare and aspire to continue my education to ultimately become a Nurse Anesthetist. I am excited for the years of learning that I have left until I reach this goal and am eager to make a difference in the lives of others, potentially in a setting that allows me to use my Italian linguistic skills to better care for the specific needs of certain people.

At Ohio State I am also a member of the Mount Leadership Society Scholars program which has given me an outlet to stay involved in my favorite type of things to do. Already, I’ve been able to volunteer in ways that help both the school and local communities, creating positive relationships along the way and spreading well-being to those around me. These experiences have provided me – and will continue to provide me – with ways to improve upon my leadership and communication skills, focusing on not only completing a task, but collaborating with others to utilize their skill sets for the greater good of others.

Outside of my studies and school involvement I like to take time to appreciate all of  the simpler things. I love to stay active by walking my dogs or jogging, but can also spend hours settled down reading a good book. I value these activities because they  help me stay well-rounded, balancing my strong work-ethic with good personal health. I am always looking to expand my horizons and try something new, and I believe that leaving one’s comfort zone leads to countless opportunities to grow.

If you have any inquiries about me or would like to contact me, please do so!