NR725A_MaglaCh_Wk5_ServiceLearning

NR725A_MaglaCh_Wk5_ServiceLearning

8th February 2014 - 4 hrs

I woke up today feeling refreshed but a bit anxious. I wondered what would it be the cause of such anxiety. Then, I realized, today is not just another day but today is a special day - I will start my first service learning activity at ORMC. 

ORMC has a very special place in my heart. The hospital does not only provide healthcare services to different communities of Central Florida and its neighboring communities, ORMC is where I started my full engagement as an ICU nurse.  I worked there as an ICU nurse for at least seven years, taking multiple roles as ICU shift manager and rapid response. There I met a lot of patients and families coming from different backgrounds, and there I learned helping patients and their families is not only a job, rather a commitment to myself to serve the nursing profession - especially critical care nursing, and a passion to serve others and make a difference. Passion that was instilled from my parents, and a passion that I developed throughout my nursing career.

I arrived in the hospital thirty minutes earlier than my scheduled service learning hours. I went and logged in at the volunteer services department and did not waste any time, and went directly to my assigned post – 5B Multi-system ICU waiting area. There, I saw patients` families and friends eagerly waiting to hear about their loved ones` conditions. Some were just there to be supportive of their families and friends, but no matter what their reasons were, they were there to be served and I to serve them to the best of my abilities.

I started asking questions of whom they were there for/which patient are they visiting for, any needs/help they needed while I was there, etc. I started bringing families and friends to the ICU after I had given permission from the bedside nurses. I have noticed mixed emotions between patients` families the first time they saw their loved ones – delight and sadness. Based on what I have witnessed, I gathered no matter who you are, how prepared you are and educated you are, in terms of knowing your loved ones are laying in the ICU bed with debilitating condition (s) and fighting for their lives, you are not ready and no one can tell you that they know how you feel – because they cannot and they will not.