Working as a Nursing Assistant at Kettering Health Hospital

During my 2023 summer break, I worked as a nursing assistant on a Women's Health Surgery & Oncology Unit at Kettering Health Hospital Main Campus and documented my experience through journaling. I dedicated over 300 hours to this job over the course of 4 months. As a nursing assistant, I performed various tasks (detailed below) while caring for 8-13 patients at a time.

Responsibilities as a Nursing Assistant

Documenting vital signs and monitering blood glucose levels

As nursing assistants it is our responsibility to obtain and document vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and oxygen levels) two to three times a day. We also obtain blood sugars three times a day.

Charting using EPIC Systems and communicating with RN's

As nursing assistants we are responsible for hourly rounding and charting using EPIC Systems. We chart patient vitals, repositioning, hygiene, inputs, and outputs. We must communicate effectively with the nurses to provide adequate care to patients.

Managing urinary catheters, ostomy bags, and JP drains

As nursing assistants we are tasked with emptying and draining both indwelling and external urinary catheters, ostomy bags, and JP drains. This also includes keeping these sites clean and intact.

Assisting patients to the bathroom, performing hygiene care, respositioning patients at regular intervals

As nursing assistant it is part of our job to assist patients to the bathroom with or without the help of walkers, canes, Sara Stedy's, and bedpans. We are also responsible for maintaining patient hygiene and turning patients regularly to prevent pressure ulcers.

Scroll through my journal excerpts below to see my confidence grow and change as the summer progressed.

Slide 1 details my last day of training before being on my own.

-compare this day to-

Slide 2 describes my last day of working for the summer.

Slide 3 shows my first day floating to a new unit.

-compare this day to-

Slide 4 details my favorite experience floating to a new unit.

Last Day of Training: Friday, June 1

Today I was able to complete vital signs, glucose checks, and provide bathroom assistance without help. I had to ask questions about changing ostomy bags and how to manage afternoon admissions while completing other tasks. If I had to estimate the number of questions I asked I would say about 30.

During this shift, I felt about 5/10 confidence. I had to ask numerous questions and get help on a variety of tasks. This made me nervous since it is my last shift while training. To increase confidence I’ve been making sure to take a lot of notes on tips and advice and in the evenings I look over this material to practice for my next shift.

Written: Saturday June 2

Achievements and Takeaways

I worked 26 shifts this summer on 11 different units, clocking in about 312 hours.

These units included:

Women’s Health Surgery & Oncology Unit (home unit)
General Medical Surgery Unit 1
General Medical Surgery Unit 2
Cardiac Care Unit
Neurology Unit
Trauma Unit
Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
Step-down ICU Unit 1
Step-down ICU Unit 2
Medical Decision Unit

This experience has been so incredible for so many reasons. Not only have I solidified my goal to become a nurse, but I have gained confidence working in healthcare and learned skills and lessons I never would have expected. Before this job, I thought I wanted to be a nurse, but there's no way to know for sure, no matter your major. Working in the hospital showed me how many routes and options I have within healthcare which makes me much more confident in the choice I made for my career.

The biggest lesson I've learned this summer - the one that sticks out more than anything else - is that a career in nursing means making meaningful connections with patients and being the light in their day. I did not anticipate the powerful emotional relationships I would make with patients and how they would impact me at my job. The stories I have are endless, containing both positive and negative experiences, but these have been the most entertaining, rewarding, and memorable parts of my job without a doubt.