I am the oldest of four girls. My parents are financial trail blazers, so I spent a majority of my youth taking care of my sisters, so my parents could focus on their goals. I have always been a service-oriented person and have enjoyed learning about ways to take care of people. I decided from a young age that I wanted to become a nurse, so I took time to learn how our body's function, and the basic steps to get into a nursing program. As I got older, I became more serious about my childhood goal. I didn't have my CNA license, but I applied to work in a nursing home. This experience changed my life! I learned how blessed I am to move my body and to be able to learn. I soaked up as much on-site learning as I could while working at my nursing home. I knew that this was the career path for me, so I took online CNA classes during the summer to become certified. Through my learning, I understood the importance of communication. Everyone needs interaction! Whether I was helping a dementia patient or having a conversation with a coworker- people just want to feel needed and appreciated. For example, I will do dressing care with a wheelchair bound patient and ask if he or she will help by taking off and putting on a shirt. It involves the patient, and it becomes more natural to have a conversation. Communication is harder when a patient is passing, but I learned from my CNA course that hearing is the last sense to go. When I do cares for a passing patient, I will tell them what I am doing to help them stay comfortable and then tell them about my day. Sometimes the patient is lucid, so we can have somewhat of a conversation, and it makes all the difference when I see a half-smile. I am lucky to work for the nursing home I work in because I am able to have more on-site training as a MedTech. The roles I play as a MedTech include, medication administration, patient care, and supporting my Director of Nursing by reporting observations. This opportunity has allowed me to see what medications people take, their symptoms, and strengthened my ability as a leader. I am getting a sneak peek into what nursing really is about. A recent experience I had in supporting a nurse was comforting a patient and observing a catheter reinsertion. Most people don't get to see that experience first-hand, and it made me grateful to be in the position where I am. Right now, I am shadowing respiratory therapists to gain more experience. I have only observed in the hospital for 5 hours, but I was able to watch a c-section, a natural birth, a baby intubated, and helped put together a breathing treatment for a patient in the ER. I am so grateful for the experiences I am able to have and the skills that I am able to develop through my variety of work.