Going into this course, the only viewpoints I had as a baseline were what we had previously learned in our nursing classes. I knew older individuals were more at risk for delirium and dementia. I knew they were more prone to feeling lonely, and most of the time just want people to feel like they are listening to them and are on their side. Going into this course, I did not have a huge interest in working with this specific population. My experiences in clinical and preceptorship have given me a chance to work with this population, since older individuals are often seen in the hospital. While working with them in these settings, I learned about taking time to hear the patient and making sure they feel seen and heard. I have loved getting to know these patients, and hearing their stories, however, I still have my heart set on working in an Emergency Department. Working in the ED gives me the opportunity to continue to care for older individuals along with patients of all ages.
Two topics we covered in class, specifically sexuality and elder abuse, have changed my viewpoint on the needs of older individuals. My views have changed because before learning about them in this course, i had never really given much thought to these subjects. I think we tend to forget that older adults are just like the rest of us with sexual desires and we need to be comfortable to talk about it with them in order to provide them with the correct education and resources if they need it. I think we also tend to forget that older individuals are vulnerable. People may take advantage of their vulnerability either on purpose or not. Elder abuse can happen through neglect, or physical or verbal abuse. Whatever it may be, our job as nurses is to remove patients from potentially harmful situations. It is important we know signs to look for, for potentially abusive situations and report them as we are mandated reporters. I will use the information I have learned throughout this course to help me approach working with older individuals. I plan to become a nurse that not only cares for an individual’s medical needs but one who also takes the time to learn about her patients. I want to hear their stories, and be someone safe they feel like they can talk to. My goal for being someone they can trust and open up to, is to get more information from them personally about how we can help them transition from the hospital back to their daily life. It can give me insight into what education I still need to do or find resources to help with whatever the situation may be.
One take-a-way that I got from this course is that you only live one life, you only have one family, and at the end of the day all you have control over is yourself, your choices, and your health. This class has opened my eyes to reality. Whether we like it or not, we are all going to die eventually. This class has shown me that typically, those who live their life to the fullest, are surrounded by family and friends, are more at peace with dying than those who have regrets. I have realized that if I do not provide a healthy lifestyle for my body, including a balanced diet, and work-life balance, my body will not last as long as I want because it will become overworked, tired, and malnourished. I have also realized that having family and friends in your corner is important for overall happiness. When I think of my future, I see myself working as a nurse, with a family of my own, having a strong relationship with my family and friends, and living a well balanced lifestyle. I see myself eating well, while still eating the foods I enjoy, working out, and taking care of my body. I want to leave a legacy behind that I am proud of. One that my children can look at and be proud of me for, one that they want to follow in my footsteps.
