I often find myself thinking about where I want to be in my future. I use those thoughts to set goals for myself and gear my actions toward success. Employers do this to better their companies. Employers look at where they are, determine where they want to be in the future, and set goals. They will then hire people who will help them achieve these future goals. Employers seek workers that will help their workplace grow. These employers are constantly observing others so they can find people to hire with their desired qualities. As a result, I treat every day as if it is a job interview.  Whether I am aware of it, my interpersonal, professional, and communication abilities are always being observed.

 

 

I wish that someone would have taught me this concept before I had entered college, but I had to learn it for myself. I did not understand how important it was to act as if every day was a professional interview until my junior year of college. Once this concept came to my realization, I began to speak with high school students and mentor classes about how to succeed in college. One of the main concepts I stressed, especially for those whose degree path requires patient interaction, is the concept of professionalism. People often think of professionalism as only an on the job concept, but it is a dual concept. Professionalism should be practiced while on the job and in everyday life. Everyday professionalism includes respect, responsibility, integrity, communication, and commitment. Showing respect for others that I encounter is the basis of professionalism in daily life. Integrity is being honest and transparent with others. I must also take responsibility for myself and my actions. I must also use appropriate communication when talking to others because I never know who those individuals might be. Lastly, it is also essential to be committed to being the best self I can be every day. This concept should be executed in your professional career but also when talking to professors or even someone in the hallway of the hospital (Kokemuller, n.d.).

 

 

I grew up in the era of texting and using text slang when communicating with others. I was even catching myself physically writing ‘bc’ in place for ‘because.’ One day, as I was reading and deleting old emails from high school, I realized how unprofessional I was and the poor grammar skills I had used communicating with my previous teachers. When I entered college, I recognized that every professor had included “email etiquette” on their class syllabus. I then understood how important it was to speak correctly and use proper grammar when communicating with a professor. Also, when I began college, I planned to participate in as little as possible and only focus on my coursework. However, while in college, I learned how beneficial and essential it is to participate in extracurricular activities. This allowed me to develop my interpersonal and communication skills. How we speak to others, what we engage in, and how we present ourselves are some of the things that are regularly being observed by advisors, professors, clinical instructors, and even other faculties. 

 

 

As I mentioned in my second key insight, Early Exposure, I

participated in a campus event called Honors Day where

Honor Society students at local high schools came to USC

Lancaster to tour and participate in different activities, one

including the simulation lab. At one point during that day, I

was sitting in the back computer room, running the simulation

voice and vital signs with one of my professors, Dr. Leigh Pate.

I asked what she was working on and she explained to me that

she was doing a recommendation survey for a previous nursing

student of hers.  She went on to explain to me that when you

apply for jobs, especially at hospitals where you were assigned

clinical rotations, the hospitals will often send recommendation

surveys to your clinical instructors. We began to talk more in detail about what characteristics these questionnaires ask. This was the turning point of when I understood how closely your advisors are watching you and are observing for growth. Dr. Pate decided it would be a good idea to have an after-class lecture about these surveys and the things that hospitals will ask instructors when you apply for jobs. I decided to attend, and Dr. Pate gave the students in attendance a copy of a blank survey. Things that were asked included the ability to reach out to appropriate sources to get information needed to be successful and the ability to use logic and reasoning to identify the pros and cons of potential solutions. Concluding the lecture, I became more conscious of how I speak and interact with others, whether it is in the hallways at school or in the halls of the hospital.

 

 

For my Adult Medical Surgical (NURS 412) course, we had a weekly clinical day. Each week we were assigned a patient to perform vitals, activities of daily living such as bathing, and tend to their needs during the day. If I were not busy, I would offer to help other students with their patient or with their clinical paperwork when they were having trouble. I would also offer to assist the techs and nurses. If I saw a doctor, I would ask if I could follow them and gain as much experience as possible. I was going about my day and doing what I felt was appropriate for my role as a student nurse. When the last day of our clinical came along, our instructor sat down with each student individually. When it came to my turn, I was nervous as to what my instructor would say about my performance because I had to care for some difficult patients that semester. When I sat down, I was pleased to hear encouraging things from my instructor. She stated that I had shown leadership and authority in a positive manner. She said that I was never afraid to delegate the appropriate task so I would not fall behind and I frequently offered help to others. She stated my clinical paperwork was showing how I was progressively learning each week how to tend to my patient’s health care needs and prioritize their care well. I was shocked to hear how detailed my report was and how closely she had paid attention to my actions. Often I had not seen her due to her having to work with so many students, so it made me pleased to know that she was watching each student thoroughly. This experience also supported my idea that I must act professionally in every situation because you never know who might be watching.

 

 

Lastly, I was asked by the Dean of USC Lancaster to speak at the Board of Trustees meeting in Columbia on behalf of USCL. I was honored to serve as Lancaster’s representative to speak in particular about the nursing program at the USC Lancaster. I rode to Columbia with the Dean, Dr. Walt Collins, and the Student Services Director, Mrs. Laura Carnes. Mrs. Carnes mentioned to me that she had heard from numerous people how involved I am on campus and how well I speak to others. Some events mentioned included helping students through the campus’s Student Nurses Association, speaking at Research Club meetings, and presenting my research posters at out-of-state conferences. This is one of the many reasons that I was chosen to represent USC Lancaster. Mrs. Carnes comment made me very happy, and I was surprised to learn that people around the campus have spoken about how I interact with others. This is just another example of how people are continuously observing you when you least expect it.

 

 

I finally understood the importance of presenting myself and speaking as if I was interacting with a professional every day. Employers at large hospitals watch how I interact with patients and other hospital employees whether I am a nursing student or working as a nurse tech. These employers can approach my instructors or even myself to offer opportunities that I may not have gotten otherwise. As a result of the clinical portion of nursing classes, I am always interviewing for a job when I graduate. Employers want to hire graduated registered nurses as fast as they can. Also, when I am applying for a position, these employers are likely to go to my clinical instructor to receive a recommendation. In conclusion, I have learned that it is essential to leave a good impression on those I encounter.