I met Alyssa at ONA’s first Advocacy Academy (look for the next one on Nov 18th!) where I learned she was very active within the student nurses association. Alyssa is a young nurse, super friendly, and seems to be the type that is ‘wise beyond her years.’ She’s well-spoken, and I learned through this interview just how passionate she is about her geriatric patients and volunteering her time for her profession.
M: Where do you live and work right now?
A: I live in Massillon and work in Canton at Bethany Nursing Home. I’ve worked at the nursing home for 2 years. I started there right after I graduated. I work day shift, I just started this week as one of our Minimum Data Sets (MDS) Coordinators.
M: What does a MDS Coordinator do?
A: There’s two of us that are coordinators and I’m still a little green with all of it. We focus on quality assurance and complete mandated assessments and paperwork required for CMS. It’s really half paperwork and half data. I also spend a lot of time teaching staff – one-to-one education – and I also help with discharge planning. There are no 2 days that are alike – I walk in each day and just see what happens.
M: Have you always wanted to work at a nursing home?
A: I’ve always wanted to be in long-term care. I enjoy geriatric nursing, and my goal was to always work with that patient population.
It was great because I had clinicals in this facility during nursing school. I was really excited they had an open position when I was graduating.
M: When did you graduate nursing school? Where did you graduate from?
A: I graduated in August of 2014 from Aultman College of Nursing. I was the legislative director for the Ohio Student Nursing Association while in school.
M: So you’re interested in politics then?
A: Yes! Political Science was actually my first major when I attended Akron before switching to nursing. My first goal was to study political science and then attend law school. But, I started working at a nursing home during school and loved it.
I knew I wanted to help people, and I originally thought I could help people through the legal system. Then I realized that I could really help people through nursing, where so much advocacy is needed.
M: You know we’re looking for Health Policy Council members!
A: I saw in that in ONAConnect! I may apply!
I went to the Legislative Ambassador training and am looking forward to also being involved on the Membership and Student Engagement Task Force. I think it’s important to be involved, and some people don’t realize that until later in their careers. That’s why I think it is important to connect with students right away. Being involved with your professional association and advocating for your profession is so important.
ONA does so much more than work with legislators, but everything seems to go hand in hand. The advocacy piece is a huge part of nursing – whether it’s determining standards of care or looking at evidence-based practices, or talking to our legislators and senators about nursing and legislation that is important to us.
M: Have you always been into politics?
A: When I was 9 years old, my mom signed me up for Girl Scouts. I honestly thought it was going to be a waste of time and mainly focused on arts and crafts, but my troop was really focused on community service. That inspired me to get involved in school and run for student council. I actually started the first student council for the city of Ravenna!
We essentially had a mock student city council, where we communicated with our local elected officials and it helped students realize that they listen to them. They just have to take the time to make their case. If they do, people at the top will listen.
When I was in college, my friends and I started the National Society of Leadership and Success at the University of Akron. It’s an international organization, and we thought it would be great to have a chapter at Akron.
We had over 500 members after the very first semester! It exploded!
The group focused on helping each other focus on achieving their goals. We had networking teams that consisted of 5-6 people. The teams met every couple of weeks and everyone on the team outlined both professional and personal goals. Then, everyone on the team held each other accountable on reaching those goals. If someone hadn’t taken steps to reach a particular goal, the others held their feet to the fire. It really helped people realize that they could accomplish and achieve what they set their mind to. Achieving goals is a process, and having other people be part of that process is a huge help.
My job was to organize everyone into those networking teams. I had a flip phone at the time and had to beg my mom to let me have a Blackberry! There was a lot to keep people, times and schedules to keep track of! (Alyssa is still an avid Blackberry user!)
I’ve always been into volunteering. It’s definitely a passion, and it’s a piece of my life that I always have to be doing in some way or else I feel unfulfilled.
M: Why did you join ONA?
A: I joined ONA because nursing is my career, and I’m part of one of the largest professions in the country – it’s important to join your professional association. Plus, joining your professional association was really hammered into our heads during nursing school. I knew exactly why I should join, and the benefits that come with it.
I didn’t know ONA existed until nursing school. My professor mentioned ONA, ANA, NLN and all of the varying specialty associations as well.
That’s when I found out that our school also had a student association. I went to the student association convention my first year of school and decided to run for the board of directors. That’s when I became the Legislative Director!
M: Have you had a situation at work that has inspired you or validated your choice to become a nurse?
Working in long term care, a lot of people have this opinion that our patients are just here to die and that we must experience death all of the time. But, that’s not really the case.
I don’t have one specific situation, but I have so many situations where I knew that what I am doing is what I am supposed to be doing - like connecting with patients and families, and hearing them thank me for my care. I always have these feelings of satisfaction at the end of the day knowing that I did all I could do to help my patients – that I enhanced their quality of care while maintaining their dignity. Those experiences day in and day out validate my decision to become a nurse, especially with this population.
I try to not only check myself, but remind other staff that our patients are adults. Older patients, especially those with dementia or another cognitive condition, aren’t usually the same as they were before. It can become easy to see those people as infantile or child-like. While some of their needs and behaviors can be child-like, it’s so important to recognize that this is an adult who is deserving of respect and dignity, while allowing as much independence as possible.
That can be easy to forget. But, it’s something that everyone would want if they were in the same situation.
FAST FIVE QUESTIONS
1. Morning or night person? Night
2. Favorite ice cream flavor? Birthday cake
3. Favorite thing to do in the summer? Hiking
4. Favorite super hero? Jessica Jones
5. Tea or coffee? Coffee