As I slowly made my way into the bathroom for the first time post-surgery, my reflection in the mirror was not what I was expecting. A nine-inch bandage covered my sternum, while chest tubes dangled from each of my sides. Every thought that entered my mind was markedly pessimistic. …show more content…
My first career as a CNA was in the Alzheimer’s wing of a nursing home. This position required me to pass medications and take care of twenty residents throughout the night. Around four o’clock in the morning on my first night off orientation, one of the residents rang to get up to the bathroom and proceeded to have difficulty breathing. At that point in my healthcare career, I had little patient care experience and was unsure of how to react to the situation. I immediately decided to call the hospice nurse for advice due to the rapidly declining oxygen saturation of my resident. She explained to me how to put together an albuterol treatment and recommended that I give the resident her as needed anxiety medications. This situation, amongst many others, instilled in me the problem solving and critical thinking skills necessary in stressful situations. As a PA, I will be confronted with situations that require me to remain calm and think critically. These skills also prepared me for my next endeavor as a Nurse Aide in an