Today’s overarching theme seemed to be centered around emotional and mental health. Hearing how Helen and Carol wrestled with their feelings of guilt and constant search for answers tugged closely at my heartstrings. As providers, we are so focused on healing patients and family members physically that sometimes we struggle to consider how people may need to heal mentally. I was astonished at how Helen and Carol expressed their concerns about the feelings of the healthcare providers involved with their loved ones care. It wasn’t even something I would have expected to cross their minds or ever be a concern to them. In truth, it made me disappointed in myself because, despite Helen’s and Carol’s experiences, they cared more about our healthcare provider’s emotional and mental well being probably more than we even do for ourselves on a daily basis.

It only took one day to muster up many of the feelings I’ve been taught to compartmentalize or simply accept as “part of the job”. This morning we were asked, “Why are you here? What do you want to take with you”? In the beginning, my imposter syndrome overwhelmed my mind with anxiety that I couldn’t figure out the answers to these simple questions that I knew deep down inside.  The truth is: I’m tired, I’m fed up, and I don’t want to sit by and accept this anymore.

I’m tired of writing the Incident Reports that never seem to produce a change in the operating room. How many needles have to go missing until we realize our system of popping them off the suture into the air is ridiculous? How many more times will I have to hear about a fellow nurse fudging the count or the chart… Continue reading →

When I began my transition from being a nurse to becoming a medical student, I was fearful that I would become absorbed with learning and desensitized to patient safety because it was not a vibrant topic in my first semester classes. More often than not, I use my skills and experience as a nurse to help guide me through medical school simulations and patient encounters by assuring my patients that I will do everything in my power to make sure that they are safe and in good hands. While I feel as though I have been successful in putting my patient’s fears at ease, I believe the Marseille Experience will help me seamlessly incorporate my patient safety values into my practice as a medical student and future physician.

During this past week, I’ve been counting the days until the Marseille Experience begins on this coming Sunday. When I read our… Continue reading →