克洛伊Pohland was one of the first students to graduate with a 护理 degree from Seton Hill. Now a medical surgical intensive care unit (MSICU) nurse at UPMC Mercy, she recently took the time to answer a few questions about her Seton Hill experience, 还有她的新事业.

你为什么选择在澳门金沙博彩娱乐平台学习护理?

我选择了学习 护理 at Seton Hill because of the family-like atmosphere. I grew up in a private grade school and loved my professors always knowing my name. 我在澳门金沙博彩娱乐平台也有同样的感觉. I knew that I was important to my professors both professionally and personally. 这也是我如此努力工作的部分原因. I liked to be accountable to my professors and the hard work they put in for my benefit. I truly thrived with the 护理 faculty at Seton Hill. Dr. Kondas (护理项目主任)是我的最爱.

What clinical experience/s did you have before you graduated? 

My clinical experience started my freshman year of 护理 school. 丹·伍奇给了我一份工作，他创立了我们的 护理学院，在社交活动中. They worked with my school schedule well and I enjoyed my time in assisted living facilities thoroughly. I still have a deep love for geriatrics because of that early experience. 

My next venture outside of school was a summer internship with UPMC. 我申请做实习护士, and was given a position in the trauma burn intensive care unit at UPMC Mercy. I fell in love with both critical care and UPMC Mercy. After my internship ended, I knew that I wanted to stay at Mercy. 

I was hired in the Emergency Department during my last year of 护理 school as a patient care technician. Working at a level one trauma hospital in the ER was a dream for me. 我短暂地考虑过急救护理. 我看到了很多，也学到了很多. 

Finally, I applied for a job in the MSICU at UPMC Mercy and have been there since. It’s amazing how much only a couple of months make in learning critical thinking. I am so excited to start in the ICU as a new graduate. 我知道这对我来说是正确的选择.

"I knew that I was important to my professors both professionally and personally."

What do your days look like now as an MSICU nurse?

作为一名MSICU护士，每天都有很大的不同. I’ll tell you how my day is supposed to go if there isn’t an emergency. 重症监护室的情况变化很快. Patients can become unstable quickly, and 护理 is all about prioritizing and reassessing goals. 

A normal day starts with getting a report from the night shift and meeting my patients. I assess my patients and look in their charts to see what our plans are for the day. The physicians and multidisciplinary team round with the nurses, 讨论每个病人的多系统护理. The nurse has this opportunity to advocate for the patients. (One of the attendings actually complimented me this morning for advocating so well for my patient yesterday. 护士确实起到了作用!)

We work closely with the physicians in the ICU and they are wonderful colleagues. After rounds, we know more about how our day will look. 我们是趋势实验室吗?? 我们要去做诊断测试吗? 我们要开家庭会议吗? Are we providing comfort care in an end of life situation? We work really well as a team here at UPMC Mercy’s MSICU. 

我找过医生, 呼吸治疗师, 病人护理技术员, and other nurses go out of their way to help me and my patients. 我的工作环境很好. 

The shift ends how it starts: give a report to the night shift and then go home for 12 hours, 吃, 睡觉，重复. There is nothing more gratifying than seeing some of the sickest patients leave the ICU in much better health. There is also nothing more special than providing end of life care and providing that dignity that each person deserves.

Are there specific skills or knowledge gained at Seton Hill that you use in your current position?

我所知道的一切都归功于 夫人. 塔拉菲利普斯 (护理学助理教授). 她教会了我每天使用的所有东西. 很多护理都是本能的. But, reading arterial blood gasses and understanding diabetic ketoacidosis: my hat is off to 夫人. 菲利普斯. 

I recommend that 护理 students always ask questions. I believe you must ask questions to understand what you are doing. 

我认为人际交往能力也很重要. You have to be able to talk to anyone when you are a nurse. You are with people for the worst moments of their lives, 在他们变得更好的时候也和他们在一起. It’s important to be able to make the patients feel at ease and comfortable.

What would you tell a high school student who is thinking about coming to Seton Hill to study 护理?

I would tell them that Seton Hill’s 护理 program is a wonderful place to be. I learned so much and am so grateful for my time there. 我还会这么做的. I would also tell a high school student who is thinking about 西顿希尔大学 that they need to be comfortable going to a smaller school.  

I feel prepared for my job and that’s something I never thought would happen. 护理不是什么都知道, it’s about being able to understand what you don’t know and find the answers and resources you need. 

Photo above: 克洛伊Pohland, left, with friend and fellow classmate Alani DiLonardo.

Read more about the first class of 护理 graduates with this story about Chloe's classmate, Alexander Salai, and his 护理 career.