Healthcare Practice

These classes have exposed me to real healthcare settings and situations from which I have learned the feasibility and reality of changes in healthcare, or lack thereof. I have observed and collaborated with nurses to assess patients, participated in interdisciplinary meetings, and studied the impact of Medicare/Medicaid on healthcare accessibility. These classes have also opened my eyes to the acute care of American health through pathopharmacology and nursing diagnoses.

Fundamentals in Professional Nursing

Having a basis of knowledge in the nursing profession will help me to gain perspective in a healthcare setting. I have learned the foundation of care plans, nursing objectives, scope of practice and much more. Being able to understand the job of a nurse, a backbone of any hospital, will give me a more detailed and accurate insight to the needs of healthcare settings.

Pathopharmacology

This course studied over 100 of the most common medications used in healthcare today. We learned the drug name (generic and trade), method of action, side effects, and contraindications. Obviously medication is a large part of the acute care health system that we partake in, and I believe that having a firm understanding of those drugs will help me to develop as a professional in a healthcare setting. 

Exploration in Healthcare Vocation

I was able to explore a plethora of healthcare vocations, thus widening my perspective and understanding of healthcare and the roles that each job play. I was able to study the intertwining and relationships between healthcare professions, including the policy and administrative side. I gained a systemic view of healthcare from this course. 

Gerontological Nursing

We study the process of aging within the context of holistic health. There is a large demand for end-of-life care as the “baby boomer” population ages. Grasping the initial ideas of caring for the elderly includes pathopharmacology, Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), family involvement, etc. This class acts as an introduction for healthcare professionals to better understand their role within the end-of-life care dynamic. We also talk a lot about the ethics of palliative care/ life supporting care, and we discuss cultural differences in caring for the elderly. 

Holistic Health

Evaluating the patient as a whole person was the focus of this class. We were taught to see not only a disease or singular problem with a patient, but to study their environment, support system, etc. This class helped me to see the ways in which slow medicine is slightly included in acute care settings, and allowed me to see where it could be more integrated, as well.