giving back
PRE-PRE-MED
KAYLIANA SANCHEZ
THE VALLEY HOSPITAL
Volunteering can be agreat way to sample apotential career path , anattractive proposition to Kayliana Sanchez . Sanchez , asenior at Paterson STEAM High School , spent every other Thursday morning from last November through March in The Valley Hospital ’ s cardiac catheter lab and same day surgery unit , and the experience validated what she already suspected . “ You can see yourself in this environment ,” says Sanchez . “ It ’ s good to start young and build these skills . I100 % want to go into medicine .”
Sanchez found the opportunity to serve and learn through her school , in aprogram she applied for called Career Frontiers . Requirements included completing weekly reflection journals , attending in-depth department tours and special health care career education events , and receiving Heartsaver CPR certification .
At Valley , she assisted the nursing staff interacting with patients and giving them snacks .“ If someone needed to be transported , it alleviated stress on the nurses and doctors to help with the wheel chairs and other vehicles ,” she says . She recalls apatient who had surgery to remove an ovarian cyst , and how the woman showed Sanchez images in which she could identify individual organs and help explain the procedure .
From her perspective , Sanchez got to observe the medical staff inaction and absorb their bedside manner . “ Seeing the nurses ’ professionalism and dedication made me want to mirror that ,” she says . She witnessed an aortic valve replacement , cardiac ablation , stenting , and cardiac catheterization . From the staff ’ sperspective ,“ She brought excitement tothe unit ,” says Monica Fosdick , aregistered nurse in the same day surgery unit . “ I wish her much continued success and look forward toworking alongside her someday .”
PROVIDED BY THE VALLEY HOSPITAL
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