Inviting Students Into Your Long-Term Care Facility
One of the most memorable moments for me in nursing school, Saint Anselm College, was my first clinical experience. We went to a nursing home in New Hampshire to practice our ADL care skills. I remember being so nervous; at that point I had never performed physical hands on care before. Who would I care for? Would I do my skills correctly? How would it feel to actually do ADLs with a person and not a mannequin? The nurse that I was paired up with, was so patience and supportive. She made my experience rewarding by sharing with me why she loves the work that she does. She helped me learn skills by role modeling and by being there for me when it was my turn.
At Saint Anselm College we were encouraged to do volunteer work. I volunteered in a nursing home in the recreation department. I would take residents for walks outside or sit in their rooms and talk for hours. I loved to hear their meaningful life stories. Their faces are etched in my mind; their stories remind me of the richness of the lives of the people we are lucky to meet and care for.
While in nursing school and while volunteering, I was a constant observer of the nurses and all of the staff in these facilities. I watched them interact with residents, some with dementia and others without obvious signs. I could feel how much they cared for the people who lived in that nursing home. I loved to watch certain nurses who I felt embodied true professionalism. I know that this experience had a huge impact on my life as a nurse. I hope my role as a student, the flexibility of the time I had gave something back to the residents of these nursing homes.
In my current role as an educator, I have the opportunity to meet and teach professionals in a variety of roles and care settings. Professionals such as nurses, nursing assistants, social workers, physical therapists, administrators, dietitians, chefs, occupational therapists and recreational therapists all of who entered the field of geriatric care, whether in a long term care, hospital or in a home care setting. I love to discuss with these professionals why they were drawn to the work that they do. Many times professionals share with me that their "crucible moment" (the event in their life that brought them to where they are today) was related to a personal experience, an internship for school or a relationship with an elder.
Our industry is always seeking talented professionals. I believe one of the ways to share meaningfulness of the work that we do is to invite students to fulfill their internship hours in our facilities. You can also invite people who are seeking advanced degrees to spend time with the leaders in your facilities. You will find that while the students are learning their professional skill they are also being inspired to enter our field. They are learning about the wide spectrum of our industry including care for people with dementia, relationship building, leadership, multiple diagnosis, environmental considerations, nutritional needs and countless interventions. Students also benefit the people who live in your facility because they usually have to complete a project or research or have "extra time" that allows them to spent 1:1 with people. At the Alzheimer's Resource Center we welcome students to learn our unique approach to care. We encourage them to soak up the experiences of the staff and actively learn through multiple experiences. We encourage students to journal daily to reflect on what they are living, questions they have, their philosophies and they people who they get to know.
Do you have students in your facility? Please share your experiences.
I urge you to welcome students to your facilities. You have so much to teach them! Now is a good time to contact local schools to set up visits for the upcoming year. Be sure to introduce the students to all of your staff so they feel comfortable and welcome.