As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them- JFK |
I applied and was accepted to be a VALOR Scholar RN at the Richmond Veteran's Affairs Medical Center the summer before my senior year of nursing school. VALOR stands for Veteran's Affairs Learning Opportunity Residency, and it is a very prestigious externship to be selected for--as evidenced by the extensive interviewing process.
I was placed on the surgical floor and working under a registered nurse during my duration as a VALOR student. I provided patient care under the supervision of a registered nurse preceptor including dressing changes, medication administration, assessments, documentation, and care plans. I gained most of my hours on the Surgical floor, with rotations to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Operating Room, Spinal cord and disorder unit, Hospice, Hemodialysis, and several other clinics and units including the pain clinic. As part of the program’s requirements, I completed a research project, produced cue-card flashcards, and implemented them on the surgical unit. These cards were to be utilized for patients under anesthesia effects or patients suffering from hearing loss, dementia, or delirium. This research was presented to the leadership team at the Richmond Veterans Affairs Medical Center at the end of my externship. |
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