Nurse Encourages Her Chicago Students To Try Critical Care
The nursing industry can be a roller coaster ride of patients, from those who need minimal attention to patients who may end up in the critical care nursing unit for a life-threatening illness.
"I always say to young nurses who have just graduated or are still in nursing school to challenge yourself," said Socorro Mendoza, Nursing Program Coordinator for the Jewish Child & Family Services. "I tell them to go into critical care because it teaches them to take better care of their patients at their worst cases. It teaches them organization, how to use all of their critical-thinking skills and to be compassionate at the same time."
Mendoza is a graduate from the University of Illinois College of Nursing with a bachelor's degree in nursing. Because of her love for science and biology, she took her father's advice to pursue nursing and has worked in various health care positions since 1980. She started off in the maternal health care department working in pediatrics, prenatal and intensive care.
JCFS, where she currently works, is contracted through her direct employer Rush University School of Faculty Practice. Her daily work includes overseeing four departments: foster care programs, the Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) program, a therapeutic day school, and a group home residential program.
"To be a part of a team that's helping these young adults and teens transition so they can be a viable part of the community is quite rewarding," she said.
While there is no teacher quite like experience, Mendoza admits that the perks of a bachelor's degree over the widely required associate's degree can help a nursing student's knowledge base.
"I know of a lot of good nurses who have an associate degree, but I think a bachelor's degree affords them that extra 'umph' in terms of schooling. It gives them better [insight] into dealing with ever-changing needs and the complexities of medical and nursing care that we face."
Whether or not nursing students pursue higher degrees, there are two courses that Mendoza feels all nursing students should take.
"Communications and ethics courses would help [nurses] as they go about a long career in any medical field. A lot of nursing is how you communicate with your client. It's rewarding when you know that [patients] get it, that they need to follow up on their care to get better."
Shamontiel L. Vaughn is a professional journalist who has work featured in AXS, Yahoo!, Chicago Defender and Chicago Tribune. She's been an Examiner since 2009 and currently writes about 10 categories on Examiner.com.