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As the seniors in the Career High School Nursing Assistant Program filed into room 207, their excitement was palpable. The sun shone bright in the cloudless sky. The end of the academic year was almost upon them. Soon they would take what they have learned at Career High and start making a difference in people's lives. The students spoke to one another in rushed phrases, their brief bits of conversation barely discernible. Their bursts of laughter were louder than usual, their hands more restless. As the bell rang they were reluctant to take their seats. When they finally did, for many the gaze turned inward. Suddenly their expressions were serious, contemplative. This would be one of the last times they would meet as a group.
For that day's presentation they were asked to sit in a circle. They studied the faces of their classmates, briefly glanced over at their instructor, Mrs. Kaufman, and then settled their eyes upon Florence Wald, the day's guest speaker, who at that moment walked through the door.
She was slightly built, slow in her movements, but graceful all the same. At first the students did not know what to make of her. This was evident in how they shuffled their feet beneath their desks, wrung their hands, and stole furtive glances in the direction of their instructor. When Mrs. Kaufman told them that the morning's speaker would be one of the leading advocates for hospice care, they were excited at the prospect; but could Mrs. Kaufman have been mistaken? The woman before them was not at all what they had imagined, as one or two of the students made a point of whispering to their neighbors. Could this be the same person who still ran a hospice care program for prison inmates?
It was the woman's eyes that eventually won them over. They shone with an intense curiosity and a fervor not unlike their own. As Florence joined the students in the circle, the shuffling of feet stopped, and the room became quiet. For almost a full minute, Florence did not break that silence. Instead she acknowledged each of the students with her eyes until she was sure that she had everyone's attention. Then softly, she spoke.
"How many of you think about the fact that you are going to die one day?" Florence asked. There was no reply. Florence acknowledged this and went on. "Thinking and talking about death, whether our own or that of a loved one, can be very uncomfortable," she said. "We don't like to talk about it, but it is a natural part of life. There is nothing wrong with sharing your thoughts and feelings with friends and family." Still, there was no response.
Florence continued: "I lost my husband not too long ago," she said. "Losing someone we care about can be devastating. However, being there for our loved ones during the final stage of their life can also be one of the most rewarding experiences for us and for them."
Perhaps it was that Florence's eyes shone so earnestly, and seemed so easy to look into. Or perhaps it was the quiet, dignified way she spoke. Tentatively, from the other end of the room, a hand went up. In an almost inaudible tone, one student told of the recent and unexpected death of a loved one, how strongly it affected her, and how her family still struggled in dealing with the loss. The student paused several times to regain composure. At the end of the story, she was not the only one whose eyes were brimming with tears.
And then an amazing thing happened. One by one, more hands went up. The first student's story opened a floodgate through which thoughts and emotions began to surge. By the end of the discussion all of the students had told a story or offered their opinion. For several students, this was the first time they had spoken of their feelings about death and dying aloud. For two students, the discussion provided further encouragement to consider hospice nursing as a career.
Florence Wald's presentation on death and dying is part of YSN's partnership program with Career High School which began almost 10 years ago. The program continues to expand to involve more YSN faculty and students, and to incorporate new ways to generate interest among young people in nursing careers. Florence, like many at YSN, places great value on community partnerships. "They help to inform us about emerging needs in the community, and how we can help meet those needs," she said.
"The YSN community has long realized the importance of working with local schools to encourage their students to pursue careers in nursing," said Professor Heather Reynolds, a participant in the program. Last fall, Professor Reynolds, in a presentation to Minna Kaufman's class, discussed her own experience of becoming a nurse-midwife, and spoke about her clinical practice at Yale-New Haven Hospital. "By supporting these kids' efforts today, we are helping to strengthen the health care work force of tomorrow," she said.
Since its inception the program has included a lecture series by YSN faculty on a variety of nursing-related topics and clinical skills training by YSN students for Career students. While these activities continue to be an essential part of the program, a number of new initiatives have been incorporated recently. Among them is a mentorship program that partners YSN students, faculty, and staff with Career seniors during the often stressful college application process. Members of the YSN community help these students with writing and editing of their college essays and with career planning. "We try to show them all the possible career options nursing has to offer, to get them more excited about nursing, and to help them start to develop an educated career plan," says Sharon E. Sullivan, past coordinator of the program. Other initiatives, such as the Mountaingales Scholarship Fund for College-Bound Career Seniors and the Howard University Summer Immersion Program (see related articles, pp. 12 and 15), were also launched during the 2002-03 academic year.
In a recent letter to Dean Gilliss, Minna Kaufman wrote: "Your faculty, students, and staff have truly been a gift to all of us at Career, and your kindness and support continue to help open the minds and lives of our young people. So many of you have been helpful in this effort, and it was great to have Florence Wald become part of our 'family' this year. I feel blessed that our paths have crossed."
As with many local partnerships launched at YSN, collaboration with Career High School has provided a model that may be applied beyond the boundaries of Greater New Haven. At a panel discussion titled "Partnering for the Future of Nursing" that took place during the 2003 Alumni Weekend, Vanessa Reid, MSN '05, and Ilya Sverdlov, the Partnership Program's coordinator, presented the highlights of this year's program to the school's alumni. The presentation was very well-received. "The enthusiasm among our alumni for this program was overwhelming," said Dean Gilliss, who was one of the panelists. "Our alumni expressed a great interest in the development of similar initiatives in other parts of the country. We are encouraged by their support and plan to work with them to incorporate this partnership model into education initiatives across the country, particularly in regions where our graduates live and work."
At the end of Florence Wald's presentation, the students seemed reluctant to walk away from room 207. By the time the bell rang, however, all but one had gone. The one remaining student lingered by Florence's side. It seemed she knew what she wanted to do, but was not sure how to go about it. Florence made the first move. From her chair, she reached her arms out, and the student immediately responded. The student embraced Florence, spoke a few words in her ear, then smiled shyly and quickly walked out of the room. Although no one else heard what was said, it was evident to those who were privileged to witness the exchange that for both women, the words carried the weight of the world at that moment.
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Community Links
Program Spotlight
Two juniors from Career High School in New Haven, Connecticut, Isobo Erekeosima and Chaoxia Lu were awarded scholarships to participate in the Summer Nursing Immersion Program (SNIP) at Howard University this past summer. During the six-week residential program, 20 students were exposed to enhanced academic and scientific survival skills to foster their interest in the nursing profession.
The theoretical basis for the design of SNIP has been formed, in part, by the success of the Yale-Howard Scholars Program. "Our experience with immersing students in intensive research experience through the Yale-Howard Scholars Program has taught us that commitment to research careers as evidenced by graduate school enrollment and perception changes can occur through a six-week residential immersion program," said SNIP coordinator, Dr. Carolyn J. Harris. She identified the program's four basic dimensions:
- academic and scientific strengthening
- nursing career exploration and identity formulation
- socialization to college
- cultural expansion and social bonding
Students had extensive preceptor experiences with professional nurses in the clinical, educational, research, or policy arena. These experiences were complimented by structured classroom instruction, as well as social and culturally enriching activities, such as field trips to the National Institutes of Health, Capitol Hill, Kings Dominion, and the American Folklife Festival.
"It was a really great experience for me," said Chaoxia. "SNIP activities have improved my understanding of nursing and my academic skills. They have helped me become more focused as I continue to explore my career options."
"The SNIP experience has made me more convinced that I want to go into the nursing profession," said Isobo. "By being a nurse, I will know that what I do can make a difference in people's lives, and that's a good feeling to have at the end of the day."
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