12/07 Assignment

"What assumptions or conceptions (about yourself or the career area in which you are mentoring) have been confirmed or contradicted by your experience?"

Although I am a communicative person, I am usually slow to initiate conversation with adults. I know that I am a good communicator, I just had to find a way to open up and become comfortable. This assumption about myself has been confirmed through my mentorship, because I have to opportunity to initiate conversation with multiple people of all different ages and backgrounds. My conception of the things that nurses do has been somewhat contradicted, because I did not know how much paperwork nurses have to keep up with.

"Based on your experience, what are the most important skills needed for an individual to be a success working in this career field?"

Important skills needed to be successful in the field of nursing include scientific and mathematic capability, communicative properties, and the ability to constantly keep moving and keep thinking in order to take care of as many patients as possible.

11/30 Assignment

Essential question: How do the actual duties of a nurse compare and contrast with my and the general public's expectations of what nurses do?

"Why did you select this as your essential question?"

I selected this as my essential question because even though many of the duties are already known, many of them are not as well-known in terms of the amount of paperwork they do and the hardships that are associated with communication, both with doctors, other nurses, and the patients themselves.

"What excites you most about finding the answer to this essential question?"

Researching and finding the answer to this question excites me because even though I shadow a nurse, I do not know everything (or even close to everything) that nurses have to do. I only see what Mr. Julio does for 4 hours a week.

"Do you feel that this question accurately reflects a desire/need that you have to find out more about this topic?"

Yes, I feel that this question reflects something that I would like to find out more about, because I want to become a nurse. Nursing is what I want to go to college to study, so finding out as much as I can about the nursing career is very important to me. I also feel that it is important to research this topic and expose it to the general public because of the important information that it will contain considering the intelligence and hard work that is required of a nurse.

11/16 Assignment

"Instead of writing specifically about your mentorship this week, let’s look at an interesting article that may help you be more productive in your mentorship. Please read the article at the link below. Carefully think about what you are doing in your mentorship…

After reading the article, write a brief reflection on your blog. Make sure you:

• Provide the link (below) to the article in your reflection. 
• Discuss several challenges youth may face in the workplace. 
• Discuss social intelligence. 
• Why is social intelligence important? 
• Name one thing that spoke to you personally about the article."

Link to article: <http://growingleaders.com/blog/first-soft-skill-develop-students/>

Students fresh out of college applying for jobs are often too loud, too full of themselves, too forward, and lack self awareness. These problems lead to poor work ethic. Social intelligence begins with making a remarkable first impression. Daniel Goleman's book regarding social intelligence says that the topic includes empathy, atonement, social cognition, concern, self-presentation, and influence. The deeper social relationships are, the more people's physical health is affected; for example, social relationships affect blood flow, breathing, moods, and immune systems. Because of the effects that come along with social influence and the way that it makes a mark on people's personal judgments of others, social influence is extremely valuable and important. Personally, I had never read or heard anything about social intelligence before reading this article. I knew that first impressions were very crucial in the work place, but I did not retain a deeper insight as to why that is other than people always judge others based on what they see and feel. Because I was uninformed, Daniel Goleman's thoughts and research regarding social influence really interested me. Also, it made me realize that I am getting a touch of social influence in the work place through Honors Mentorship, which seems to be beneficial in consideration of my future.

11/09 Assignment

"Please write a reflection on your mentorship, specifically things that have happened in the last month. Make sure you are writing a reflection that is through and gives the reader a glimpse into what you are doing for your mentor. This should be at least a well developed paragraph.

Additionally, please pick ONE class you have had at any point in high school and be specific on how that class has helped you while you have been at your mentorship. This can be an academic class or an elective class. Only choose one class however and write another well developed paragraph, with details, on how that class has helped prepare you for what you are doing now."

When I go to my mentorship, I often help my mentor, Julio, by preparing IV bags for him and mixing basic medicines when he asks me to do so. We have the opportunity to help many people, and we do the best that we can--especially Julio, of course. I fetch blankets, pillows, and water on occasion for the patients, as well, which is what I feel I can do to help them the most with my minimal credentials. Helping the little, elderly women is my favorite activity when I shadow Julio.

In all honesty, taking Honors Mentorship last year has helped me the most with my mentorship this year. This is because last year, I was a mentee at The Longstreet Clinic Pharmacy. By doing this, I learned what a portion of medicines do or what they are prescribed for. I also learned the "language" of prescriptions, meaning the basic abbreviations used by doctors when prescribing them. Because of this, I can read some prescriptions in the E.R. with ease and I know what a small number of the medicines are prescribed for.

11/2 Assignment

Required Question: In regards to your internship site, explain how you feel they are a “partner in your education”.
My mentor is a partner in my education because he teaches me about a career choice that I may be interested in pursuing. Rather than merely teaching me the basics about nursing, he allows me to do things like prepare IV fluids and mix medicine under his supervision, which is something taking a health class in high school would not allow me to do. He teaches me more, in a way, than school can. Also, I get to interact with sick people and learn from them what the particular condition/sickness is like rather than reading about it in a textbook.

What goals have you met so far? Have you changed any of your goals?
I have met my goal of being able to successfully prepare an IV bag quickly and efficiently for my mentor, Mr. Julio. In the long term, I am sure not sure whether ER nursing is the career that I want to pursue, but I definitely think some type of nursing is possible.

What have you done that has made your supervisor’s life easier?
Whenever my mentor needs an IV bag prepared while he is trying to find a vain and create an input for the fluids, I am now able to help him by preparing the IV bag and making the process quicker so he can move on to the next patient even quicker.

10/26 Assignment

My name is Madison, and I am a Senior at West Hall High School fully enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Program. Aside from studying hard and earning good grades, I played Varsity softball for two years and, at the end of this school year, I will have played golf for two years. I am the National Beta Club Historian for West Hall and I am a member of the National Honor Society as well as the Spanish National Honor Society. In addition, I participate in the Honors Mentorship Program, through which, I have the opportunity to shadow and learn from an Emergency Room nurse at Northeast Georgia Medical Center whose name is Mr. Julio Bimbela. I chose to shadow in the Emergency Room because I feel as though becoming a nurse could be my calling in life, and there is no better place--in my opinion--where I can learn about what nurses do for a living. Next year, I plan to attend a four-year university and earn a bachelor's degree in nursing and go on to either become a nurse practitioner or a nurse anesthetist. My top choices for college right now are Mercer, where I was recently notified that I have been accepted and offered a yearly $18,000 academic scholarship, and Georgia College & State University. Because of the Honors Mentorship Program, I have a better understanding of nursing and am able to further comprehend what I want to study in college.

10/19 Assignment

How has your perception of the internship/organization changed since you started the internship?

I now realize the amount of time that goes into the actual paperwork in nursing. You have to record all kinds of things about the patient, and a lot of the time, the nurses have to take some time to sit down and record this information.


What is surprising you about this internship?

The surprising thing about this internship is how many different career possibilities exist in the Emergency Room. Aside from those who work physically with the patients (nurses), prescribes medicine and treatment (doctors), physician's assistants, nurse practitioners, there are those who handle the financial situations and management.


What have you learned from the routine or boring parts of the internship?

The boring parts of the internship include sitting by Mr. Julio while he completes the necessary paperwork. During this time, I usually write out my hours sheet for the week. 

10/05 Assignment

"You will be completing Step 5 in the process…
5. Reflection

• How does the book or article fit into your potential research? What does it add to your paper or ideas? 
• Was the source helpful to you? Does the source relate to your potential topic? 
• How and where can you use this source in your potential research project? 
• Make as many notes as you can so that you can come back to the source much later in the process without having to reread the document in its entirety."

My source fits into my potential research because it explains what life is like for those who work in the Emergency Room. It adds to my paper because it provides a stated perspective of what my mentorship is like and what my possible future career will be like.
The source was helpful to me because it put words to what I experience at my mentorship. It is important to my potential topic because it explains one specific medical setting.
I can use this particular source when explaining this setting: the E.R. I can explain what it is like to work/intern there and all of the different professions/titles that work there.

9/28 Assignment

Graphic Organizer #1 is on Drive.

9/21 Assignment

"First Assignment for the Annotated Bibliography

1. Search for an article that relates to your career area and that might help to inform about your mentorship. Ask your media specialist if you need any guidance. We will be using Galileo to search for articles. 
1. Go to your Library website for Galileo Password 
1. Then go to: Articles and Magazines 
2. Then go to: Full Text Search 
3. Choose an Academic Journal article published between 2010 and 2015 
4. Search for your topic 
2. Galileo includes a citation tool that will provide the correct citation for your bibliography! 
3. Use correct parenthetical citation in your annotated bibliography (when we write the summary - Write the citation to have it on hand in the future). 
2. Read your article one time through just for understanding. Then read your article through a “lens,” where you look for certain themes or ideas. Highlight or mark ideas you think are important."

Website: http://www.gapmedics.com/blog/2014/02/08/working-in-the-emergency-room/

Reina, Veronica. "Working in the Emergency Room." GapMedics.com. Gap Medics US, 08 Feb. 2014. Web. 23 Sept. 2015. Reina's article provides insight as to how the Emergency Room works and who works there. She provides information regarding what an employee might see or experience while working in the Emergency Room. She also discusses what types of people work in the Emergency Room, which refers to the types of people who should aim to work there and which types should not.

The most important areas include . . . 

• Difference between real ER and ER on television/in movies
• Different kinds of employees in the ER (nurses, professionals, etc.)
• Intense working hours and the anxiety they cause 
• Description of how one should be characterized in order to work comfortably in the ER

9/14 Assignment

List and reflect on the following points on your blog, after writing a brief introduction to the assignment: 

1. List 3 colleges you would apply for with the degree program you will need to enter the field you are studying in HMP. Please provide the college's name, location, and link to their website. 

- Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, GA <GCSU.edu>

- Georgia Regents University in Augusta, GA <GRU.edu>

- Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, GA <GeorgiaSouthern.edu>

2. What will be your criteria for a quality program of study? 

- I want to gain a bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN) in state. 

3. Which universities would have the criteria you came up with? 

- All of them qualify. 

4. Is there additional entrance requirements for your field of study? 

- Yes, after completing 4 semesters of core classes, one must apply for entrance into the nursing program. 

5. What is your criteria for a "quality" ranking and educational program (size, location, sports, diversity, funding)? 

- I would like to go to a medium-large sized college within the state. A football team would be a plus but is not completely necessary. The college needs to be public so that it accepts Zell Miller. 

6. What is the ranking for this program nation-wide and what criteria is used to determine that ranking? 

- #268 in the United States and #10 in Georgia

- At a glance they allow you to compare the relative quality of the most reputable nursing schools based on generally accepted indicators of quality such as graduation rates, student retention, NCLEX pass rates, tuition, employment rates, and faculty credentials and reputation.

7. List 3-4 potential scholarships for which you are eligible and can apply for. Please check on scholarships that may be specific to your school, church, clubs or organizations you may be involved in and the North Georgia Community Foundation's website: 

http://www.ngcf.org/page.aspx?pid=396

- Zell Miller Scholarship

- Tommy Aaron/Charlie Aaron Foundation Scholarship

- Jenny Melton Scholarship

- Northeast Georgia School Superintendent's Scholarship

9/8 Assignment

"Consider the multiple responsibilities you are all juggling at the present time (i.e. high school coursework, college applications, extracurricular activities, your internship, family life, friends, etc.). Answer the following briefly (one paragraph is plenty):

- Describe how you use time-management to fulfill all of your responsibilities. 

- Describe how you perceive time-management is necessary in your internship career field."

I use time management to fulfill all of your responsibilities everyday. When I get home from school, I usually chill out for about an hour by watching TV or eating a snack before I start on homework. After I start on homework, I go subject by subject based on the importance of the assignment. If I have a test or reading lens due the next day, those are my first priority. If I have both the next day, it is a rough night. By planning my study tactics and knowing everything that I have to do that night, I manage my time wisely. I realize how much time I can take to relax/sleep and how much I need to use for working. 

In terms of my mentorship, I will have to set Thursdays aside in terms of homework, or I will have to start later than usual. Generally, I will attempt to complete all of my homework before Thursday night unless absolutely impossible. By doing this, I will not be stressed out and remorseful about attending my mentorship. 

8/31 Assignment

Tim Elmore's blog post, Growing Leaders <http://growingleaders.com/>, explains the expected work ethic and attitude of student interns. Elmore says that an internship is "a twelve-week interview," meaning that during the time that students are interning, they are trying to show that they are worth giving a job to. While learning from mentors, students should also allow the mentors to see their admirable qualities; i.e., hunger for learning, initiative for work, responsibility of tasks, and passion for what they do.

In the hospital this year, I will have the opportunity to learn from my mentor, Mr. Julio Bimbela. While I learn from him, he will learn what kind of student I am based on my work ethic and enthusiasm for learning about his work. I plan to impress my mentor as much as he will impress me.

While reading Elmore's post, it really pulled me in when I read, "It's a simulation of the job you'll have one day." For me, the Honors Mentorship Program is about finding who I want to be in life. For this reason, I will pay close attention to every aspect of learning available to me at my mentorship.

8/28 Assignment

I read through the lesson on business etiquette and investigated for myself using the links included. 

Afterwards, I completed the Business Etiquette Quiz.

8/26 Assignment

Assignment #1 - via OWEI

Assignment #2
"Write a blog post summarizing (for your readers) the Work Ethics assignment. Also include the answers to the following questions: A statement that addresses how what you learned about yourself and how that relates to things you need to remember about working in a professional environment this year. You should have at least two well developed paragraphs for your readers."

The Work Ethics assignment allowed me to take a test to assess my personal work ethic. The test provided results such as my interpersonal capabilities as well as a score according to my initiative and dependability. When answering the questions, I realized that I really need to focus on being dependable; I want to be the one person that my mentor can count on whenever he or she needs me. Also, I never want to be tardy to my mentorship. I want my mentor to respect me as a student in the same way that I will respect him or her.
The Work Ethics assignment required my utmost honesty, and my mentorship will require a copious amount of honesty, too. Honesty is important in many aspects of life, especially in the workplace. When communicating with my mentor, especially since he or she works in the hospital, I see the need to be completely honest to protect others. If I make a mistake, I plan to report it immediately to ensure that the patients are not harmed by my mishap.

8/21 Assignment: "Communication"

"Think about how you communicate with your friends. Then think about how you communicate with family members. Finally, ask yourself how are you likely to communicate with an employer at a job interview. In a blog post entitled Communication, write 2-3 paragraphs that answer the following questions based on the thoughts above.
• Why is each situation different, specifically the forms of communication (slide 4)?
• What are the expectations of each person (listed above)?
• Discuss several points you will consider when talking to your mentor (supervisor) once you begin your mentorship (refer to slides 5-6)."

The forms of communication are different when communicating with friends, family, and employers because of the comfortability. When with friends, most people are completely comfortable expressing themselves whether it be through words or through actions. With family, the comfort level is still high, but often times you show your family more respect than you do your friends. Friends are like level 1 on a scale of professionalism, while family stands at level two, and employers stand at level 3, which is the most professional. When speaking with employers, especially for the first time, the comfort level is low (at least for me) and the awkward level is high. Also, it is respectful to call your employer "Mr." or "Ms." blank in order to show him or her the utmost respect. When talking to my mentor, I will be sure to ask about his or her education, if he or she believes that he or she made the right choice, and whether he or she would recommend a young person, such as myself, take the path that he or she followed.

8/18 Assignment

Click HERE to view the PDF file.

The article focusses on how to approach your mentorship. It tells the student what to do before, during, and after your mentorship. It has information about how to first address your mentor, how to interact with your mentor during the experience, and how to thank your mentor afterward. The article also includes multitudes of information about how to get the most out of the mentorship experience. Because of this, the article is very valuable and can be referred to when trying to get involved at any given mentorship.

8/12 Assignment

Click HERE to view worksheet.

8/10 Assignment

Assignment #1
"Describe in 3-5 sentences and in your own words, something about JD Russo’s talk that spoke to you and your upcoming journey in your mentorship. Develop a statement that involves you being a leader and an agent for change for something you are passionate about."

I never really thought about the long-term effects of using straws, but Russo made a point about the indifference in the world. I see it in my society and in my school, and there is always room to make a difference. In my mentorship, it will be important to speak up when an issue is at hand concerning the safety of the people at the hospital. Speaking up is always important. Last year, I did my mentorship project on the abuse of prescription drugs, which is an issue that I am still passionate about. I would love to help with this issue, but the government already has its own regulations to do so. The only thing that I can really do is raise awareness.

8/7 Assignment

"What do you envision gaining from your mentorship? What actions will you take to ensure you get the most from your experiences? How is this preparing you for the future?"

I envision gaining insight into the medical world and the fast-pace environment through which it exists. By mentoring in the hospital, I hope to become sure that working in a hospital setting is what I want to do with my life. I plan to ask many questions and shadow as many people and experiences as I can. I want to venture out and make connections with as many people as possible so that when the time comes, I will have opportunities lined up for my future. This experience is preparing me for the future by allowing me to get hospital hours. It will also allow me to watch surgery on occasion (hopefully), which will let me know whether I am able to handle the sight of it.