After working on a med surg floor in Boston, I decided to challenge myself to explore a new area of nursing by taking a position in an endoscopy unit here in New Jersey. While learning from incredible endo nurses, doctors, and techs, I have had the opportunity to explore a different side of healthcare in a specialty where I feel more fulfilled as a nurse. On my unit, we perform several different types of endoscopic procedures for patients suffering from a vast number of gastrointestinal and pulmonary issues. As an endo nurse, I get to admit patients, participate in a wide variety of procedures, and also recover the patients afterwards. I love that I am always doing something different than the day before and I am constantly learning more about the human body, meeting new patients that I get to connect with, and participating in such highly specialized procedures. From comforting someone before their first colonoscopy, to emergently stopping a GI bleed, to caring for my patients’ post op complications, I now have the opportunity to help patients in a way so different from before. I truly feel that I have the ability to more directly and more effectively care for my patients due to my unique position as an endo nurse. I am so thankful for how far I have come since first starting nursing school to where I am now as an RN, and none of it would be possible without the generous help from MVYouth. As part of my growth this year, I have even been able to train other new endoscopy nurses, as well as teach new grad nurses skills not taught in nursing school such as how to start an IV. This year has been so rewarding and I look forward to what my nursing future has in store.
Evelyn Medeiros - Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science
This past year I worked as a registered nurse on a medical surgical floor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. I met and learned from incredible professionals working in many disciplines that welcomed and supported me as I began my nursing career. Working on a med-surg floor at a big Boston hospital, I was able to care for patients from diverse backgrounds with a wide range of illnesses, teaching me a lot about medicine, as well as different communities and cultures. I learned not only how to care for my patients physically, but also spiritually and emotionally. I found that doing what’s best for my patients doesn’t always mean prolonging life, but often preserving their comfort and dignity. While the year did not go without its challenges, I believe these lessons and others have truly helped me grow substantially as a nurse and as an individual.
Though working at BIDMC was such a great experience, I decided to move to New Jersey as my partner continues his research at Princeton University. During the process of transferring my RN license to New Jersey, I took advantage of the extra free time by fulfilling my long time dream of adopting a dog. Her name is Caramel, and she was rescued from a wildfire in South Korea. It has been so rewarding training and caring for her as she acclimates to life outside of the shelter and becomes part of our family. I now look forward to getting back to work and continuing my nursing career here in New Jersey, bringing all of my experiences and knowledge to my next job. As always, I would like to thank MVYouth and its donors for their incredible generosity that has made all of this possible.
Evelyn Medeiros - Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science University
This past year has been one of immense change as well as growth for me. As I finished up my last semester of nursing school, I started working as a COVID-19 vaccinator as a way to get more involved with my community and help others stay safe. Through this, I was fortunate enough to talk to so many different individuals and hear countless stories of how COVID has impacted them, some inspiring and some heartbreaking. It certainly changed the way I view this pandemic and how it affects those around us.
Then in May, after adjusting to many online classes and limited in-person clinical hours, I graduated with my Bachelors of Science in Nursing and began studying for the national licensure exam. During this time, I also continued to work, vaccinating members of my Boston community, as well as people from all over the world. After many long hours of studying and lots of caffeine, I passed my exam and became a registered nurse in July, just before my 21st birthday. From there, I came back to the island to spend some time with my loved ones and work for my family business before starting my first nursing job at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. I am currently working on a medical surgical floor, which has a mix of patients ranging in age from 18 to 105, presenting with illnesses of all kinds. It certainly has not been easy to start during a time with challenges such as understaffing and a lack of available hospital beds. However, I have been surrounded by some incredibly smart and caring nurses and co-workers that have taught me more than I ever could have imagined. I am so thankful for those around me that have done so much to get me where I am today and continue to support me while I do what I love.
Evelyn Medeiros - MA College of Pharmacy and Health Services
Last January, I was loving my first semester of nursing courses, until the pandemic struck, cancelling all in-person learning, including lab and clinicals. I was disappointed, but tried to stay patient. However, as I progressed through the summer semester, my frustration grew. I had virtual simulations in place of clinicals, and I had to record myself practicing how to suction a tracheostomy on a teddy bear. While my peers, professors, and administrators, and I were slowly running low on patience, we began to realize that we had to simply make the best of what we had. Even though being in nursing school during a pandemic is extremely challenging, I realized that so many people were facing such greater challenges than my classmates and I. By taking things more seriously and putting just as much caution and empathy into taking care of that teddy bear, as I would a person, I could still prepare myself to enter into the medical field and be able to help those that were impacted in much worse ways than me by the virus. Finally, in November, I got a chance to test those skills I had been practicing at home. I was able to administer intramuscular injections, document, and teach patients ranging in age from 2 to 68 at a Boston Medical Center flu clinic. I am also excited to share that I have been selected by a panel of professors from my program to apply for a preceptorship next semester. This means, if I am selected by a hospital, then I would be assigned a nurse to follow and work closely with for the entirety of his/her 12 hour shift up to three times a week. This would be an incredible opportunity, as it would be the most realistic view of what my life is going to be like once I become a licensed nurse in the upcoming year.
Evelyn Medeiros - MA College of Pharmacy and Health Services
These past summer and fall semesters have been challenging, as well as rewarding. While I knew that the price of getting my degree in three years was taking summer classes, I must admit that I was a little worried about how difficult it would be to keep up with the accelerated pace of the short summer terms. However, I am happy to say that after those grueling weeks I have more confidence in my ability to manage my time and prioritize when necessary, as well as having built stronger friendships with those that helped me through it. After a short break, it was back to school for my fall semester where I finished up the last of my prerequisite courses, allowing me to start official nursing classes in the spring. During my fall semester I really enjoyed many of my courses, such as medical microbiology. It may have given me a horrible fear of superbugs, but nevertheless, it was fascinating to learn what is going on in this world at the microscopic level. However, I was not completely torn up about finishing all of my classes. I am proud to say that my Math for Nurses course was officially the last math class I will have to take in my undergraduate career and it feels amazing. I am very much looking forward to next semester, as I will begin my nursing courses and clinical experiences at incredible hospitals in and around Boston. Although, this means that I am halfway done with my degree, which is bittersweet. I am eager to get out into the world and start my career, but I have also loved my college experience so far and don’t want it to end.
Evelyn Medeiros - MA College of Pharmacy and Health Services
My first semester of the Nursing Program at MCPHS University has been challenging and exciting. I have learned so much in the past four months. My classes have been incredible and inspiring. My favorite course was my Anatomy and Physiology Lab because it was absolutely fascinating, but also my most challenging. I remember on the first day of lab, my instructor went over all of the things that we were going to learn during the semester: the different types of tissues, along with their structure and function, every bone in the body as well as every bump and dent on each and why it’s there, and finally, the entire muscle system. I thought it would be impossible. However, somehow I made it through the semester and learned an extraordinary amount of knowledge about the human body. When I finished that course, I was sad that it was over, but proud that I completed it.
With all the stress of those tough classes, the city has been such an amazing environment for me to have fun and relax when the academics have gotten a little too taxing. Living in the heart of Boston has been an incredible adventure. There is just so much to see and do to get the full Boston experience. Over the past semester I was lucky enough to do so many unique activities such as taking a short walk down to Fenway Park and taking part in the Red Sox parade, and taking a train ride to watch the Christmas Tree Lighting. I’ve been immersed in the vibrant culture of Boston and loved every second of it. The city has an unbelievable atmosphere and I am so thankful that I get to be a part of it.