Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

My Living Mentor & Reflection 2

The mentor I have chosen to discuss, for this class, is a registered nurse named M (shortened for privacy). Believe it or not, her last name is Champion. I actually did not choose her because of her awesome last name because she is a “Champion” by marriage and that union occurred after I thought of her as a mentor. She was one of the earliest coworkers, at my current job in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) at the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH), that freely gave positive advice, critique, and wisdom when I first started my job as a patient care assistant five years ago. Although she has moved on from the MICU at UCH, her presence is still felt by many and that includes me. She currently works as a primary care nursing practitioner at a private medical clinic.
Formational experiences and communities that have been critical to my mentor’s vocational journey is her natural and inherent ability as a caregiver to not just herself as an individual, but for others as well beyond her own blood relatives. She and I share the experience of working with others, in a caregiving team, to help a patient. Not only do I see a strong sense of social justice, integrity, and a seeker of truth are only among a few characteristics that shines through her kind and trusting voice. Her belief in equity among humanity and the universe is another trait that I resonate with in terms of trying to learn from her own experiences, struggles, and cautionary tales. Her ability to look beyond the bad and look for a positive in any situation is something I have observed and made me self-reflect on my own ability to maintain and improve my “can-do” attitude.
Before becoming a nurse, she got her undergraduate degree in psychology, but wanted direct patient care in a team setting rather than in a private medical practice that has less patient population. This event then motivated her to become a registered nurse and eventually made her way to the Medical Intensive Care Unit at the University of Colorado Hospital. As I previously stated, she ultimately went back to school and got her Masters in Nursing and became a nursing practitioner at a private primary care facility. This happened for a variety of reasons which included getting married—tacking on “Champion” as her new surname—and raising a family. That changed her path for the better in terms of balancing her personal family life with her work life.
This is different from my own experience because she continued her nursing journey and got her master degree in nursing, while I have decided to not go beyond a patient care assistant/nursing assistant, and continuing on a path of being a spiritual caregiver in the form of hospital chaplaincy. We both will share the experience of remaining lifetime learners and caregivers to others, but we just have carved out our own respective personal journeys. I have yet to make a family (getting a significant other, having children, and beyond), but I hope that whatever comes my way that I enjoy life to the fullest.