— By Jennifer Ekeh, Senior —
Jennifer is at Houston Methodist Hospital engaging directly with patients and hospital staff, just like a real nurse.
This has literally been one of the best summers of my life!
I have been at the hospital for a month now and honestly feel like a real nurse. This hospital experience is so different than clinical rotations. Everything is much more fast-paced, unpredictable, and there are no skills tests. I have done more skills during this externship than I could have imagined. I have done IV starts, blood draws, Foley catheters, straight catheters, NG tubes, central line dressing changes, wound care and the list goes on.
We work full time at three 12-hour shifts a week. Time flies by. It’s amazing how much can be accomplished in 12 hours. I love getting to know my patients and their families. Everyone is so thankful. One patient asked if she could take me home with her while another said I was her adopted daughter. I come into work every morning and feel like an asset to the healthcare team. I speak with the doctors, respiratory therapists, physical therapy, social workers, and pharmacists about my patients. We wear the same color scrubs as the nurses so half the time the doctor will give me orders and not think twice about it. I am given so much responsibility during this externship. I feel autonomous, confident and valued. Most of the time my patients think I’m already an RN, which I take as a huge compliment. So far this summer, I feel I’ve made a huge transition from a student nurse towards a professional nurse. This experience is immeasurable.